Altai Early

This variety was obtained by crossing selected steppe blackberry with pollen from Vladimirskaya + Sklyanka Rozovaya at the Siberian Institute of Horticulture named after M.A. Lisavenko. It was introduced into the State Register in 1989. Authors: G.I. Subbotin, I.P. Kalinina.

The bush is medium-sized, multi-stemmed, up to 180 cm tall. The crown is broad and dense. Bark of branches is brownish-red, smooth. Buds are yellowish-white, large, few. Shoots are straight, light-red, medium thickness, internodes short. Buds are conical, blunt. Leaves are medium-long, with a wedge-shaped base, apex pointed. Leaf blade is smooth, light green with a silvery tint, finely serrated. Petiole is purple, glands are light-yellow, barely noticeable, stipules absent. Flowers are medium-sized, 2-5 per cluster, rose-white, 20-25 mm in diameter, petal shape oval, 5-6 x 8-10 mm, buds rose-colored, sepals 4-5 x 5-7 mm, oval.

Fruits are round, slightly flattened, 15 mm high, 13 mm wide, average weight 2.9 g, single-colored bright red. Flesh has medium density, pink. Juice is pink. Peduncle is short, 30-35 mm, medium thickness 2-2.5 mm. Taste is sour-sweet. Attachment to the peduncle is medium. Stone is small, oval, 0.17 g. Fruits contain 16.6% dry matter, 11.1% sugars, 1.3% acids, 0.2% tannins, vitamins: C — 20 mg/100g, P — 280 mg/100g. Taste evaluation of fruits: 4.0 points, jam and compote: 4.5 points.

Fruits ripen in the first decade of July, leaf fall ends in the second decade of October, heat-resistant, drought-tolerant, resistant to sunscald. Yield is uneven year by year, average yield per bush 2.8 kg, maximum 4.8 kg.

This variety is moderately winter-hardy, quickly recovers after severe frosts, universal use, self-sterile, not resistant to coccomycosis. Used in breeding for early ripening. Best pollinators: Altai Lastochka, Zhelannaya, Subbotinskaya.

Advantages of the variety: early fruit ripening, resistance to sunscald and drought.

Disadvantages: severely affected by coccomycosis.