Sweet cherry Kurchatovskaya

Obtained from open pollination of selected forms of steppe plum. Originator — South Ural Research Institute of Fruit and Vegetable Growing and Potato Cultivation (YUUNIPOK). Authors: A.E. Pankratova, K.K. Mullaianov, V.I. Putyatyn, I.G. Zamaytina. Introduced into the State Register in 2002 for the Ural region.

Bush is multi-stemmed, medium growth, 1.5 m tall, with a trunk at the base. Crown shape is beautiful, reverse-oval-pyramidal, medium density, good leafing. Shoot is straight, without hairs, light-brown, silver-gray after leaf fall, oriented vertically, deviates from the branch at an angle of 45-50°, with short internodes. Bud is medium-sized, elongated, smooth, bent away from the shoot. Leaf is oval-elongated, length 7.5 cm, width 3.5 cm, dark green, shiny, leaf tip rounded, base acute, serration toothed, medium size, no hairiness on upper and lower leaf surfaces. Leaf blade is convex, dense, thickened at the apex, expanded, curved upward. The variety easily distinguishes itself from all other varieties by its leaves. Few small stipules, no glands, no bracteoles. Petiole is medium, 1 cm, brown with anthocyanin coloration.

Flowers in inflorescence 3-5, medium, diameter 2.6-3.0 cm, white color, slightly lilac at the end of flowering. Corolla shape is flat, petals free, slightly fringed, petal shape broadly oval, apex bifid. Stigma is slightly higher than anthers. Stamens 26, no hairiness on ovary. Calyx shape is narrow-cup-shaped, calyx lobes oval, slightly serrated, surface glabrous. Pedicel is short, 2.0-3.0 cm. Flowering and fruiting type is mixed: on one-year growth 40%, on flower buds 30%, on fruiting twigs 30%.

Fruit weight 4.0 g, shape round, base with indentation, medium depression, apex rounded. Ventral side flat, groove along the fruit, ventral suture poorly expressed. Fruit color dark red, no covering. Flesh color orange-red, juice pink, flesh density medium. Fruit stalk length 5 cm — long, medium thickness. Fruit appearance — 5 points, flesh juicy, taste slightly sour-sweet, taste rating 4.6 points, fruit detaches from stalk dry, easy, variety suitable for mechanical harvesting, fruits resistant to cracking. Dry matter content 13.7%, sugars 8.2%, free acids 1.7%, ascorbic acid 7.4 mg/100g. Pit is oval, mass 0.12-0.14 g, small, 4.5-5.6% of fruit mass, length 0.8 cm, width 0.5 cm, thickness 0.4 cm, color creamy, easily separates from flesh. Variety for universal use: fresh, for making jams, juices, jellies, compotes.

Flowering period — May 20-29. Ripening period — July 15-30, simultaneous. Enters fruiting on the 3rd year after planting in the garden, longevity up to 20 years. Partially self-fertile. High cold resistance of tree, shoots, and generative buds. High resistance of flowers to spring frosts. High drought resistance. Moderate heat resistance. High resistance to coccomyces — at this stage, in the context of increasing coccomyces epidemics, it proved to be the most resistant variety. Resistant to other diseases and pests. High yield — 5-7 kg per bush or 6.2 — 8.7 t/ha.

Advantages of the variety: high winter hardiness, resistance to coccomyces — at this stage, in the context of increasing coccomyces epidemics, it proved to be the most resistant variety. High taste quality of fruits, beautiful bush crown.

Disadvantages of the variety: difficult to propagate by green cuttings.