Apple Zhebrovskoe

Summer variety developed at the Siberian Institute of Horticulture named after M. A. Lisavensky, selected among seedlings from open pollination of the 'Gornoaltayskoe' variety in 1959. Breeders: L. Yu. Zhebrovskaya, I. P. Kalinina, T. F. Kornienko, Z. A. Granikina, E. S. Orekhova. Widely grown in Altai Krai. Approved for the West Siberian region in 1999. The variety is valued for its early fruit ripening in home gardens.

Trees are medium-sized, with a sparse oval crown formed by a few, medium-thickness brown branches. Yield is formed on numerous buds, fruiting spurs, and one-year shoots.

Shoots are straight, round in cross-section, hairy, brown. Leaves are medium-sized, broadly egg-shaped, short-pointed, light green, wrinkled, matte, with serrated-margined edges, slightly hairy on the underside. Petioles have medium-sized lanceolate stipules.

Fruits (see illustration) are very small (25-37 g), one-seeded, round-conical. Surface is smooth, with a waxy coating. Main color is light yellow, covering color is dark red, diffused over the entire fruit. Calyx is shallow, with small grooves. Peduncle is long and thin. Calyx is large, protruding, half-open, above a small funnel-shaped calyx tube. Seed chambers are closed. Central cavity is narrow and small.

Flesh is creamy, tender, juicy, finely grained, slightly acidic-sweet, good flavor, with aroma. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugar — 13.6% (11.4-14.9), titratable acids — 0.90% (0.60-1.32), tannins — 100 mg/100g (91-166), ascorbic acid — 13.0 mg/100g (4.8-23.6), P-active substances — 421 mg/100g (120-720), pectin substances — 1.17% on dry weight.

Fruit ripens in summer. Ripe fruits turn red.

Fruits are of universal use, keep well in refrigerator for up to 15 days.

Fruit production begins in the fourth year. Fruit production is moderate and regular. Winter hardiness of trees is high. The variety is highly resistant to scab.

Advantages of the variety: high winter hardiness, high resistance to scab, good flavor, fruits ripen earlier than any other variety in Siberia.

Disadvantages of the variety: small fruits.