Gooseberry Prune

Mid-early ripening variety, developed at the I.V. Michurin Institute of Horticulture from a cross between the varieties 'Prune' and 'Prune 259-23'. Author: K.D. Sergeeva. Registered in the State Register of Breeding Achievements since 1992, approved for use in the Central, Volga, and Ural regions.

Medium-height, medium-spreading bush with medium density and branching; branches are inclined. Growing shoots are thick, straight or slightly curved, light green with anthocyanin pigmentation, hairless. Woody shoots are medium, light-colored. Thorns on shoots are weak. Thorns are rare, single, short or medium in length and thickness, straight, matte, dark-colored, oriented perpendicularly and located in the lower part of the shoot. Thorns are positioned in the lower half of the shoot. Buds are elongated, medium-sized, blunt-tipped, light-colored, hairless, pressed against the stem. Leaf scar is round.

Leaves are small to medium, green, slightly glossy, hairless, slightly wrinkled, fairly dense. Teeth are medium, blunt, slightly curled. Main vein coloration absent. Leaves are three- to five-lobed, lobes with deep indentations, central lobe longer than lateral ones, apex blunt, lateral edges cut straight to the base. Lateral lobes are medium in length, angle between lateral lobe veins is acute. Basal lobes are poorly developed, veins spread out. Leaf base is straight or convex, angle between leaf blade base and petiole is usually blunt. Petiole is medium length, thick, with sparse glandular hairs on lower part, positioned at 30° angle to the shoot.

Flowers are medium-sized, sepals large, light-colored, free, curled upwards. Inflorescence is single, double, or triple-flowered. Ovule is bare, oval, with anthocyanin pigmentation.

Fruits are medium to large (4.0 g), oval to pear-shaped, dark red, turning black at full ripeness, hairless, with waxy coating. Moderate seed count. Skin is dense, with weak venation, veins weakly branched, lighter than main coloration, practically invisible at full ripeness. Taste is tart-sweet (4.2 points), with specific aroma and flavor. Receptacle is long, full, closed or half-open. Pedicel is short, thin, green. Chemical composition: total sugars — 8.6–10.5%, titratable acidity — 1.7–2.2%, ascorbic acid — 31.0–44.1 mg/100 g. Fruits are of universal use.

Winter-hardy variety, average yield 5.4–14.0 t/ha (1.6–4.2 kg/plant), resistant to powdery mildew.

Advantages of the variety: high winter-hardiness, resistance to powdery mildew, weak thorniness of shoots and good fruit technological qualities.

Disadvantages of the variety: unstable fruit mass year to year.