Tsarevna

This variety was developed at the Far Eastern Experimental Station of VNIIR in 1977 from a cross between the varieties 'Leto' x 'Krasnaya Sladkaya'. Authors: V.P. Tsarenko, N.A. Tsarenko. Introduced into the State Register in 1999.

The bush is low-growing (1.2 m), broadly oval, of medium density. Multi-year branches are straight, with light buds, brown-gray, with peeling bark; one-year shoots are red-brown, hairy. Buds are small, acute, form in threes, lateral generative, middle vegetative, deviated from the shoot. Leaf is small (5.0 x 3.8 cm), leaf blade elongated-oval, with a pointed base and sharp apex, dark green, wrinkled, slightly concave, hairy on the abaxial side with short hairs, woolly on the adaxial side. Leaf blade margin is doubly toothed. Petiole 0.6 cm long, hairy, with two linear, acute, hairy stipules. Flower (1-2), saucer-shaped, medium size 2.4 cm in diameter of the corolla, five-petaled, petals white, freely positioned. Stamens 24, single pistil, hairy. Stigma is positioned above the anthers, ovary hairy. Calyx is elongated-oval, with strong anthocyanin, hairy on the outside, five sepals, finely toothed, hairy. Flowering and fruiting type is continuous along the branch: on one-year and multi-year wood (bouquet branches, fruiting twigs).

Fruit is large, average weight 3.6 g, maximum 4.0 g, size 1.5 x 1.7 x 1.6 cm. Fruit shape is egg-shaped, apex slightly truncated with barely noticeable beak, base with deep cup, ventral suture in the form of a stripe. Skin color is bright pink, shiny, hairy with short noticeable hairs (flesh light red, fibrous, dense, juicy). Juice color is light red. Fruit stalk length 0.7 cm, medium thickness, hairy. Stone is light brown, 0.19 g, constitutes 5.2% of fruit weight, does not detach from flesh.

Fruit appearance is striking and attractive. Flesh is juicy, dense, fibrous. Flavor is sour-sweet, harmonious. Sensory evaluation 3.8 points. Semi-dry fruit detachment. Transportability weak. Not suitable for mechanical harvesting. Fresh fruits contain dry matter — 9.58%, sugars — 8.2%, acids — 0.67%, ascorbic acid — 18 mg/100g. Agricultural use is universal: fresh consumption and processing into juice, jam, jelly, paste, marmalade, compote, wine and others.

Flowering period 10-20 May. Ripening period 19-29 July. Fruits ripen simultaneously. Grafted seedlings begin fruiting in 2 years, rootstock in 3-4 years. Plant longevity 17 years. Variety is self-sterile.

High yield — 9.6 kg per bush. Bush, one-year and multi-year branches are resistant to winter and spring frosts. Variety is drought-tolerant, does not tolerate excessive moisture. Resistant to coccomycosis, relatively resistant to clasterosporiosis. Under excessive moisture, flowers and fruits are affected by moniliosis.

High production rating: cold resistance, early fruiting, high yield, large fruit size, semi-dry fruit detachment, longevity. Easily propagated by green cuttings. Suitable for intensive orchards near processing facilities; for nurseries and hobby gardening.

Advantages: large fruit size, good fruit flavor, high yield, semi-dry fruit detachment, high cold resistance.

Disadvantages: fruit size reduction under heavy yield, susceptibility to moniliosis.