Variety with summer-ripening fruit from the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Fruit Crop Selection, obtained in 1978 by pollinating the 'Stark Erliest Precos' variety with pollen from the 'First Salute' variety. Breeders: E. N. Sedov, Z. M. Serova, N. G. Krasova.
The variety was accepted for State Testing in 1994 and included in the State Register (regionally adapted) in 2001.
Tree large, with a rounded crown. Branches straight, emerging from the trunk at a sharp angle, arranged compactly. Branch tips point upward. Bark on the trunk and main branches is smooth and dark gray. Predominant fruiting forms are simple and complex rings and spear-shaped fruits.
Shoots are thick, slightly curved, round in cross-section, brown, hairy. Buds are small and numerous. Buds are large, pressed, elongated, conical. Leaves are large, oval-shaped, elongated with a twisted tip, wrinkled, matte, with delicate venation. Leaf blade is concave, curved downward. Hairy coverage is moderate on the upper side and strong on the underside. Leaf margin is coarsely toothed and wavy. Petiole is long, thick, hairy, with anthocyanic coloration at the base.
Flower buds are large, hairy, elongated-conical. Flowers are large, light pink, small-lobed, with round or elongated petals, slightly uplifted edges, moderately closed; stigma is below or at the level of stamens.
Fruits are medium to above-medium size, one-dimensional, sometimes flattened, round, with wide, weakly visible ribs, slightly tapered. Skin is smooth, dry, shiny. Main fruit color is greenish-yellow at harvest and light yellow during consumption. Overcoat color covers most of the fruit as red stripes on a carmine background. Under-skin spots are few, light green, clearly visible. Fruit stem is short and curved. Calyx is small, acute-conical, narrow. Calyx tube is half-open. Heart is large and round. Seed chambers are open and large. Calyx tube is long and funnel-shaped. Seeds are small, round, dark brown.
Fruit flesh is creamy, firm, juicy, coarse-grained, with a pleasant sour-sweet taste and aroma. Based on appearance and taste, fruits are rated 4.3 out of 5. Chemical composition of the fruit: total sugars — 9.5%, titratable acids — 0.80%, ascorbic acid — 6.6 mg/100g, P-active substances — 314 mg/100g.
Fruit harvest in the Oryol region occurs in mid-August, earlier than 'Melba', consumer period lasts until early September.
Variety is early-bearing and high-yielding. In plantations of the All-Russian Institute of Fruit Crop Selection, 'Orlinka' significantly outperforms 'Melba' in yield. In the Central region of Russia, the variety is winter-hardy and highly resistant to fruit and leaf scab.
Advantages of the variety: early bearing, high yield, high commercial and consumer quality of summer-ripening fruit, superior winter hardiness and resistance to scab compared to 'Melba'.
Disadvantages of the variety: slightly extended fruit ripening period on the tree.
