Veteran

Winter variety from the All-Russian Research Institute for Fruit Crop Selection. Seed sowing of the King variety from open pollination was conducted in 1961. The first fruiting occurred on the seedling in 1969, and in 1972, the seedling was selected as elite. Breeders: E. N. Sedov, N. G. Krasova, M. V. Mikhayeva.

Adopted for State Testing in 1980, approved for use in production (regionally designated) in the Central Chernozem region of Russia, as well as in six regions of Belarus, starting from 1989.

Medium-growing trees with a spherical, compact, moderately dense crown. Bark on the trunk and main branches is brown. Mixed fruiting type.

Shoots are relatively thin, dark brown, weakly hairy. Buds are small and sparse. Buds are pressed against the shoots, medium-sized. Leaves are elongated-oval, short-pointed, wrinkled, grayish, dull. Leaf margins are strongly curled upward, finely toothed. Bracts are underdeveloped or very short, awl-shaped. Petiole is medium-sized, pigmented.

Flowers (fig.) are medium-sized, rose-colored in buds, light pink petals, elongated, not closed, with raised (boat-like) edges. Stigmas are slightly lower than stamens.

Fruits (fig.) are medium-sized, slightly flattened, slightly conical in the upper part. Fruit skin is strong, smooth, shiny, with a whitish waxy coating. Main color at harvest is yellow-green, and during consumption — golden-yellow or golden-orange. Cover color on most of the fruit is in the form of orange-pink stripes and spots. Subcutaneous dots are rare, gray, clearly visible. Peduncle is medium length, sometimes crooked and curved, with thickening at the end. Calyx is moderately deep, acute-conical, with slight rusting or without it. Receptacle is shallow. Calyx is closed. Seed cavity is close to the calyx. Seeds are large, egg-shaped, light brown. Seed cavity is bulb-shaped. Subcalyx tube is funnel-shaped.

Flesh is brownish-yellow, tender, juicy, sweet-sour with excellent flavor. Sensory evaluation of fruits is 4.3–4.5 points. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugars 9.5%, titratable acids — 0.64%, ascorbic acid content — 17.5 mg/100g, P-active substances — 307 mg/100g, pectin substances — 10.9%.

Harvesting maturity in the conditions of Orel occurs in the second half of September.

Fruits can be stored in a refrigerator until mid-March.

The variety is characterized by high early fruiting and yield. It begins fruiting at 4–5 years of age; eight- to nine-year-old trees produce an average yield of 40–60 kg per tree, while thirteen- to fifteen-year-old trees yield about 80 kg of fruit. Average yield is 220 centners per hectare. In the conditions of the Orel region, the variety exhibits moderate winter hardiness. The variety is moderately resistant to scab, and in wet years, leaf and fruit infection is observed.

Advantages of the variety: high early fruiting and yield, market and consumer qualities of fruits, resistance to scab, and suitability for intensive orchards.

Disadvantages of the variety: premature leaf drop in dry years.