Rusticana

The Rusticana apple variety is a late-ripening type, maturing 7-10 days earlier than the Fuji variety. This variety was developed in Switzerland by Agroscope and licensed by Varicom. The apples have a medium size of 70 to 85 mm, round and flattened shape with dark red color covering 90% of the fruit surface, and orange lenticels. The flesh is firm, juicy, and slightly acidic, with flavor becoming more pronounced and pleasant after storage. The Rusticana tree has a light and narrow shape with numerous short branches, making it ideal for cultivation on narrow fruit walls. Flowering occurs 1-2 days after the Golden Delicious variety. Suitable pollinators include Dalinbel, Dalinette, Crimson Crisp® Coop 39, Malus Golden Gem, Malus Baugène, and Malus Bauflor. Tree vigor is moderate or weak, promoting rapid first harvest and ensuring very good yields with regular fruiting. One of the key advantages of the Rusticana variety is its high resistance to common fruit tree fungal diseases due to the presence of the Vf / Rvi6 gene. This makes it especially suitable for organic gardening. Apples can be stored in a refrigerator until February-March, and with controlled atmosphere (CA) storage, the shelf life can be extended until May, preserving fruit quality and flavor for a longer period.