Orlik

Winter maturing variety, selection of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Selection (Mekintosh x Bessemyanka Michurin). Hybridization was conducted in 1958. The seedling was selected for elite status in 1968 and accepted for State Testing in 1970. Breeders: E. N. Sedov, T. A. Trofimova. Since 1986, the variety has been recommended for regions of the Central Chernozem, Central, and Northwest regions.

Due to its medium-sized compact crown, early fruiting, high yield, and attractive marketable fruits, the variety is suitable for intensive orchards.

Trees are medium-sized with compact, rounded crowns. Main branches emerge from the trunk at a right angle, with branch tips directed upwards. Bark on the trunk and main branches is smooth and yellowish. Predominant fruiting type — simple and complex clusters.

Shoots are thick, straight, brown, and densely hairy. Buds are pressed, medium-sized, conical, and hairy. Leaves are large, egg-shaped with a wrinkled surface, densely attached to the shoots, coarsely veined, bright green with a silvery tint due to heavy hairiness. Leaf margin is deeply wavy and lobed. Leaf is slightly curved along the central vein, with almost flat surface, leaf tip sharply pointed and curled. Petiole is medium or short, thick, hairy, colored at base. Stipules are small, lance-shaped or absent.

In nurseries, plants have restrained growth and relatively short internodes. Flowers are large, rose-colored in buds, petals light pink, closed, stigma below anthers.

Fruits are medium-sized, slightly flattened, weakly conical, with poorly defined large segments. Skin is oily, glossy, with a white waxy coating. Main color at harvest maturity is greenish-yellow, turning to light yellow during consumer maturity. Cover color — red blush in stripes and diffuse patches over the entire fruit surface. Subcutaneous dots are small, numerous, gray, clearly visible. Peduncle is short, thick, with a swelling at the attachment point. Calyx is small, medium width, slightly lobed. Receptacle is closed or half-open. Nectary is small, filled, almost without rust. Heart is medium-sized, heart-shaped. Seed chambers are closed. Seeds are egg-shaped, dark brown, well-formed.

Flesh is cream-colored with greenish tinge, dense, fine-grained, very juicy, balanced sweet-sour taste, strong aroma. Sensory evaluation of fruits — 4.4-4.6 points. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugars — 11.0%, titratable acids — 0.36%, ascorbic acid — 8.9 mg/100g, sum of P-active substances — 167 mg/100g, pectin substances — 12.7%.

Harvest maturity in Oryol region occurs in late September. Consumer period begins immediately after harvest, and fruits can be stored until mid-February.

Early fruiting, high-yielding variety. In terms of yield increase rate, it surpasses the early-fruiting and high-yielding variety Pepin Shafranny in young trees, and at 15-20 years old yields 80-120 kg/tree. Over a long period, average yield was 220 centners/ha. Prone to alternate bearing. Cold-hardy, moderately resistant to scab.

Advantages of the variety: high early fruiting and yield, high fruit quality.

Disadvantages of the variety: partial pre-harvest fruit drop.