European plum Early Fruit

Variety selected by VSTISP, obtained by crossing Ussuri Red with American plum Clamax. Breeders: H.K. Enikeev, S.N. Satarova.

Tree medium-sized, with fan-shaped crown, moderate density and foliage. Shoots are reddish-brown, bare. Buds are small and deviated from the shoots. Leaf blade is elongated-oval, size (length x width) — 62.8 cm², light green color, medium thickness, wavy surface, no pubescence on upper or lower surfaces, double-toothed margin. Petiole of medium length, has glands. Flower: petals slightly closed, 24 stamens, stigma positioned above the stamens, ovary bare, calyx cup-shaped, pedicel of medium length, bare. Flowering and fruiting type on cluster branches.

Fruits are round, weighing 20 g, main color yellow, skin red, more intense on sun-exposed side. No pubescence, apex and base are rounded, shallow pit at base, weakly developed ventral suture. Flesh is yellow, fine-fibrous texture, medium density, juiciness above average. Fruit pedicel of medium length. Pit is oval-rounded, weighing 0.7 g, constitutes 3.5% of fruit weight. Fruit appearance is good. Sugar content is average. Flesh aroma is strong. Taste rating 4.5 points. Fruit detachment from pedicel is dry. Chemical composition of skin and flesh: dry matter — 13.5%, free acids — 2.21%, total sugars — 8.78%, Vitamin C — 10.3 mg/100g. Transportability is average. Horticultural purpose — dessert.

Flowering period 6–15 May. Ripening period 7–14 August. Age to fruiting onset — 3 years. Plant longevity — 21 years. Self-sterile. Yield above average, fruiting not sharply periodic (6 poor yields out of 16 recent years). Average yield over last 16 years — 9 kg/tree.

Winter frost damage to shoots is weak, branch damage is moderate. Winter and spring frost damage to flower buds is weak. Drought resistance above average. Disease infection level: Clasterosporium — 0, fruit rot — 1–2 points, pests (fruitworm and aphids) — 2.5–3 points. Suitable for production, not suitable for intensive gardening.

Advantages of the variety: early fruiting, winter hardiness of flower buds, good fruit quality, relative disease resistance.

Disadvantages: scalding on trees, self-sterility, pit not detaching from flesh.