Currant Natasha

Late-ripening variety, developed at the Siberian Institute of Horticulture named after M.A. Lisavensky by crossing the variety 'Bredtorp' with blackcurrant (R. fuscecens). Authors: L.S. Sankin, I.P. Kalinina. Included in the State Register of Varieties approved for use in the West Siberian region in 2001.

Medium-height bush, medium density, medium spreading. Growing shoots of medium thickness, straight, light green, hairless, lignified shoots of medium thickness, straight, light brown, hairless, matte. Buds large, egg-shaped, without anthocyanin coloration, pressed, apical bud not free (grouped with other buds). Leaf scar shape rounded.

Leaf three-lobed, medium to large, dark green, hairless, slightly glossy, with small notches, wrinkled, leathery, convex. Leaf tip acute, angle between veins of lateral lobes obtuse. Basal lobes poorly developed, veins spread out. Leaf base with medium indentation. Petiole long, medium thickness, positioned at an acute angle to the shoot. Teeth obtuse, short, curved, with clearly defined 'tip'.

Flowers medium, cup-shaped, sepals pale pink, free, strongly curved. Inflorescences medium, 5-7 cm, with 6-9 berries, medium density, inflorescence axis medium thickness, straight, hairless, green, pedicel thin, long, green, hairless.

Berries large (1.0-1.8 g), round, black, with few seeds, medium skin density, do not shed, calyx closed. Taste sour-sweet (4.2 points). Berries of universal use. Chemical composition: dry matter - 17.2%; total sugars - 9.7%; titratable acidity - 2.6%; ascorbic acid - 132.6 mg/100 g; pectin substances (on fresh weight) - 2.2%.

Cold-hardy, drought-tolerant, self-fertile, early-bearing, high-yielding, average yield 12.6 t/ha (3.8 kg/plant), maximum 17.3 t/ha (5.2 kg/plant), weakly affected by anthracnose and septoria, gall aphid up to 2.0 points.

Advantages of the variety: high cold hardiness, drought tolerance, heat tolerance, late ripening, dry detachment and good transportability of berries, high pectin content, resistance to powdery mildew and bud mite.

Disadvantages of the variety: insufficient resistance to anthracnose, septoria, and gall aphid.