Apple Uslada

Early autumn variety developed at Lomonosov Moscow State University by S. I. Isaev through complex repeated crossing in 1961 of geographically and ecologically distant apple forms: [Belfler-chinook (Belfler yellow x Chinook) x Papировка] with Severyanka {Borovinka x Taежное [Kandil-chinook (Chinook x Kandil synap) x Siberka]}.

The variety was approved for the Central region in 1996.

Young trees are relatively small. The crown is dense and round, becoming broadly oval in maturity and tends to become overcrowded, requiring careful pruning. The trunk is dark gray. Main branches are inclined-vertical and gray.

Shoots are dark brown, medium length, thin, round in cross-section, slightly hairy with short internodes. Buds are pressed, reddish-brown, hairy. Leaves are upward-pointing, large, egg-shaped, with a short acuminate tip and serrated edges. The underside of the leaf is heavily hairy. The petiole is medium length and thickness, colored throughout its length. Bracts are lanceolate.

Fruits are medium-sized, irregularly shaped when the crown becomes dense, round-conical, without ribs. The main fruit color is greenish-yellow, the covering color is bright red with a raspberry tint, covering most of the fruit, blurred with indistinct stripes. Numerous small, clearly visible lenticels. The peduncle is medium length and thickness, hairy, the calyx tube is fairly deep and moderately rust-colored, the receptacle is medium depth and width, the calyx is half-open, the seed chambers are slightly open. Seeds are dark brown, medium-sized, well-formed. The core is bulbous, the subcalyx tube is conical.

Flesh is white, slightly pinkish with pink veins in the outer layer, fine-grained, juicy, slightly tart-sweet with a mild raspberry aroma, good taste. Chemical composition of the fruit: total sugar — 10.7% (8.3-12.8%), titratable acidity — 0.56% (0.45-0.68%), tannins — 53 mg/100g (43-70 mg/100g), ascorbic acid — 20.8 mg/100g (15.4-25.1 mg/100g), P-active substances — 0.12 mg/100g (0.11-0.15 mg/100g), pectic substances — 7.5% (4.9-10.3%) on dry weight.

The original tree began fruiting at the 9th year after seed sowing; grafted saplings are notably early-bearing, starting fruiting at the 4th-5th year.

Winter hardiness is good, comparable to Antonovka ordinary. Slightly affected by scab (in epidemic years, scab damage did not exceed 2 points).

Advantages of the variety: winter hardiness and early fruiting, good taste and attractive appearance of high-vitamin fruits.

Disadvantages of the variety: tendency to crown overcrowding, resulting in irregular fruit size.