Currant Serpantin

Early-maturing variety, developed at VSTISP from crossing the 'Gondwin' variety and the 'Varshевич' blackcurrant. Breeders: A.S. Ravkin, L.D. Isaykina, E.K. Sashko. Under state variety testing since 1998.

Bush is vigorous, compact, and dense. Non-woody shoots are of medium thickness, straight, green, with reddish tips, and lack hairs. Woody shoots are thick and gray-brown. Buds are solitary, elongated, with pointed tips, medium-sized, gray-brown, hairless, and pressed against the shoots. Apical bud is non-free. Leaf scars are arc-shaped.

Leaf is five-lobed, medium-sized, green, hairless, herbaceous, with slightly concave leaf blade along main veins. Leaf margin teeth are blunt, broad, and lack a distinct tip. Middle lobe is longer than lateral ones, broad with additional protrusions. Lateral lobes are short and broad, with a straight angle between veins. Basal lobes are poorly developed. Base has a protrusion. Petiole is medium length and thickness, hairless, reddish.

Flowers are large, cup-shaped, burgundy, with a reddish calyx. Sepals are yellowish, reflexed, and free. Inflorescences are long (12-14 cm with petiole), medium density. Axis is medium, hairless, petiole long.

Berries are large (average mass 0.8 g, maximum 1.1 g), round, red, dry detachment. Few, large seeds. Flavor is sweet-sour, scored 3.8 points, berries are of universal use. Receptacle is medium, half-open, does not drop. Peduncle is medium length, green, hairless. Chemical composition: total sugars — 5.5%, titratable acidity — 2.6%, ascorbic acid — 31.6 mg/100 g.

Self-fertile, yield 16.8 t/ha (6.4 kg/bush), winter-hardy, resistant to diseases and pests.

Advantages of the variety: high yield, long inflorescences.

Disadvantages of the variety: berry flavor with predominance of acidity, branches bend under fruit weight.