Sweet cherry Ruby Nikitina

This variety was obtained by hybridizing the cherry varieties Leningradskaya Krasnaya with Zolotoy Lošitskaya. Seeds were irradiated with gamma rays before sowing. Originator of the variety — All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Selection of Fruit Plants named after I.V. Michurin. Authors: B.L. Nikitin, G.G. Nikiforova, I.N. Zolotukhina, L.A. Deyneka. Approved for cultivation in 1998 for the Central Chernozem region.

Tree is tall, fast-growing, with a pyramidal crown and layered branching. Shoots are medium-sized, brown, with well-developed axillary buds. Buds are round-conical, tightly attached to the shoot, brown, medium-sized. Leaves are medium-sized, oval-conical, light green, with finely toothed margins. Bracts are small. Petiole is medium-sized, green, with 2-3 medium-sized glands. Flowers are large, white, with oval-shaped petals. Stigma is located above the anthers.

Fruits are medium-sized (3.8 g), round, with a rounded apex, wide depression, and no indentation at the base. Stigmatic suture is fine. Pedicel is medium-length, thick, easily separates from the branch, and attachment to the stone is weak. Fruit color is dark red, with few lenticels. Skin is smooth. Flesh is dark red, tender, juicy. Juice is red. Flavor is sweet, with a tasting score of 4.7 points. Stone is small, average mass 0.3 g, accounting for 8.9% of the fruit's total mass, and easily separates from the flesh.

Fruits contain 17.35% dry matter, 16.96% sugars, 0.88% titratable acids, 347 mg/100g of P-active catechins, sugar-to-acid ratio of 18.78%, and 8.8 mg/100g of ascorbic acid. This variety is of universal use, with high fruit transportability.

This is an early-flowering variety. Fruits ripen early. Enters fruiting stage at 5-6 years. Partially self-fertile. High winter hardiness of the tree, shoots, and generative buds; flower buds are resistant to spring frosts. Drought and heat resistance are relatively high. Pruning and formation characteristics are generally typical for cherries.

High-yielding variety, resistant to diseases and pests, suitable for commercial cultivation.

Advantages: high winter hardiness, dessert fruits of early ripening with good transportability.

Disadvantages: fast-growing tree.