Pear Mramornaya

Early autumn variety selected at the Rossoshanskaya Zonal Experimental Station for Fruit Growing. Developed by G.D. Neporozhny and A.M. Ulyanishcheva from a cross between Bere Zimneya Michurina and Lesnaya Krasavitsa. Since 1965, it has been included in the State Register for the Central, Central Chernozem, Lower Volga, and Volga-Vyatka regions. Widely distributed, especially in the southern part of the Central Chernozem region.

Trees of medium growth vigor, with broad pyramidal crowns. Bark of trunks and main branches is greenish-gray. The crown has medium density due to weak branching, consisting of strong branches with oblique-vertical positioning. Bears fruit on spurs, mostly on young 2-4-year-old branches.

Shoots are reddish-brown, directed upward. Buds are small, barely noticeable, light-colored, densely arranged. Buds are triangular, brown, and slightly protruding. Leaves are positioned at an acute angle to the shoot, medium-sized, green, non-hairy, glossy, egg-shaped, with a rounded base, nearly flat blade, and finely toothed margin. Blade surface is smooth. Petioles are medium length, uncolored.

Inflorescence — umbrella-shaped, with a large number of flowers (8-9). Buds and flowers are white, dish-shaped, non-double, relatively small (3 cm). Petals are slightly closed, with entire margins. Stigmas are positioned at the same level as stamens. Blooms earlier than most other varieties.

Fruits are above-average (average weight 160-170 g), uniform, round-conical with regular shape, smooth, with smooth surface. Skin is thick. Main color is greenish-yellow; covering color is orange-red, diffuse or marble-like blush covering most of the surface. Under-skin dots are small, rust-colored. Peduncle is medium length, relatively thick. Depressions are small, shallow, dish-shaped, broad, flat, and shallow cup. Seeds are usually few, medium-sized, light-brown.

Flesh is white or cream-colored, coarse-grained, tender, very juicy, melting, sweet with aroma, excellent flavor. Appearance rating 4.7 and flavor rating 4.8 points. Chemical composition of fruit: dry matter content 15.8%, sugars — 10.8%, titratable acidity 0.07%, ascorbic acid 7.3 mg/100g.

In southern Voronezh Oblast, harvest maturity occurs at the end of August — beginning of September, consumer period lasts 3-4 weeks, up to mid-October. Maximum storage life is 60-70 days. Transportability of fresh fruit is high due to strong skin. Marketability is high. Variety is dessert type.

Begins fruiting at 6-7 years after grafting in nursery. Yield is moderate to high, depending on water availability. Average yield over years of study at various sites of Rossoshanskaya Station ranges from 160 to 240, maximum 420 centners/ha. A disadvantage of the variety, reducing yield, is susceptibility to fruit drop, especially during drought conditions, particularly in dry years and poor wind protection.

Trees are winter-hardy in southern Central Chernozem, moderately winter-hardy in northern parts. In 1976 and 1978, freezing damage was observed at 0.7-2.7 points — at the level of Bessemianka. Severe flower damage — up to 100% — occurred during flowering period, when temperature dropped to -6°C on May 6-7, 1999, and to -2°C from May 2 to May 20, 2000. Resistant to scab and powdery mildew.

Advantages of the variety: winter-hardiness in southern Voronezh Oblast is comparable to Bessemianka, yield and fruit quality significantly exceed it, exhibits exceptional resistance to scab, and is a donor of high-quality fruit.

Disadvantages of the variety: insufficient drought tolerance, which leads to reduced yield and fruit drop.