European plum Vika

This variety was developed at the Siberian Institute of Horticulture named after M.A. Lisavensky in the mountainous Altai region through selection among seedlings from open pollination of the 'Sкороплодная' variety. The breeder is M.N. Matyushin. It is widely grown in the low mountainous areas of Altai. It was included in the State Register of Selection Achievements in 1999 for the West Siberian region.

Trees are moderately low-growing, with round, compact, moderately dense crowns. The trunk is low (weakly expressed). The main type of fruiting branches are cluster branches. Branches are slender, slightly curved, sometimes straight, yellow-brown, with small, sparse stipules, branching off from the main branches at acute angles. Vegetative buds are conical, fruit buds are oval. Leaves are medium-sized (length 11 mm, width 5), elliptical, with a conical base and an acute, curved tip, dark green. The leaf blade is slightly folded like a boat, irregular, not hairy, hanging downward, with a serrated edge. The petiole is medium-length, with anthocyanin coloring, and the glands are light-colored. Each bud contains 2-3 flowers, which bloom before the leaves. The flower corolla is cup-shaped, buds white; petals narrowly oval, white, small (length 7, width 4 mm), with wavy edges, free. There are 16-17 stamens, the stigma is positioned at the same level as the anthers; the sepals are narrowly oval.

Fruits are symmetrical, egg-shaped; height 38 mm, diameter 28 mm, average weight 14.3 g. The fruit apex is elongated, the depression is small. The ventral suture is barely noticeable. The covering and base color are the same bright yellow. The skin is not rough. The flesh is light yellow, medium juicy, fibrous, with a pleasant taste. The stone is small, oval, easily separates from the flesh. The pedicel is short, detaches from the branches with effort. This is the only Siberian variety resistant to fruit drop. It is a universal variety. It contains 10.56% sugars, 0.94% titratable acids, and 13.12 mg/100g of ascorbic acid.

It begins fruiting in the 3rd year after planting in a garden with one-year-old seedlings and quickly increases yield. The fruits ripen early — in the first decade of August. Yield is high, fruiting is relatively regular. Winter hardiness of the tree and fruit buds is satisfactory, but not resistant to frost cracking. Damage from fruit borers and clasterosporiosis is minor. Not resistant to drought. Self-sterile. Its selection value is little studied. It is of interest in breeding for fruit resistance to fruit drop and compact crown shape.

Advantages of the variety: early fruiting, high yield, good-tasting fruits, do not drop.

Disadvantages: not resistant to frost cracking, drought, and fruit borers.