Gooseberry variety Prune

Among the thornless gooseberry varieties, there are varieties that differ favorably in taste and excellent characteristics. Among them is Prune. K.D. Sergeeva and T.S. Zvyagin. Plum and Plum 259-23 were taken as parent forms. The applicant of the novelty in 1979 was the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Center named after V.I. I.V. Michurin ". Since 1992, the variety has been included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia in the following regions: Central, Middle Volga, Ural. By the way, it is in the Urals that culture is able to show its best characteristics. It can be used not only in amateur but also in industrial plantings.

Description

The plant is a medium-sized bush with a height of about 1.5 meters. The branching degree and leafiness of Prune are moderate. The basal shoots of the variety are straight or slightly curved, with hanging tops, thick, not pubescent, with a light green bark bearing traces of anthocyanin coloration. Lignified gooseberry shoots are medium, with light bark. The direction of the branches is slightly oblique. Shoots are weakly spiked. Thorns are single, short or medium in length, of moderate thickness, dark-colored, dull, sparse, located in the lower part of the shoot, growing perpendicular to the shoot. Buds are oblong, with a blunt apex, not pubescent, light, of normal size, growing close to the shoot. Leaves ranging in size from small to medium. Rather dense to the touch, green in color, not pubescent, with a slightly shiny and slightly wrinkled surface. The shape is three- or five-bladed, the cutouts between the blades are deep. The middle lobe rises above the lateral ones, it has a blunt apex, and the lateral edges are cut straight to the base. The lateral lobes are not too long, the angle between the veins is sharp. The basal lobes are poorly developed, their veins are spread. The color of the main veins is absent in the variety. The teeth are medium in size, obtuse, slightly curved. The base of the gooseberry leaf is straight, sometimes convex. The petiole is of normal length, thick, covered with sparse glandular pubescence in the lower part, at an angle of 30 ° to the shoot. The angle between the base of the leaf and the petiole is often obtuse. The leaf scar has a rounded shape. Small flowers of Prune are collected in one-, two- or three-flowered inflorescences. Sepals are large, light, free, bent upward.

Berries are not pubescent, medium or large, weighing 4.0 grams or more. The fruit is oval or pear-shaped. The calyx is long, full, closed or half open. Fruit color is dark red, almost black at the stage of consumer ripeness. The skin is dense, with a waxy coating. The venation is weak, the veins are weakly branched, colored in a light color, in comparison with the main color, practically indistinguishable at the stage of full ripeness. The gooseberry pulp is juicy, tender, with a moderate amount of seeds and a high content of ascorbic acid. The correlation between the mass of the Prune berry and the number of seeds is 0.48. The taste is sweet-sour, with a specific aroma and aftertaste of plum, or rather prune, which is why the variety got its name. To enjoy this unusual taste, the fruits must be removed only when they are well ripe. Assessment of tasters - from 4.2 to 5 points. The peduncle is short, thin, green. 100 grams of raw product contains: titratable acids - 1.7 - 2.2%, total sugars - 8.6 - 10.5%, ascorbic acid - 31.0 - 44.1 mg.

Characteristics

• The first harvest from Prunes can be harvested 2 - 3 years after planting. Moreover, the yield increases every year;
• ripening period is average. The harvest period begins in the second half of July. The berries do not ripen immediately, but gradually;
• the average yield of the variety, according to VNIISPK, ranges from 5.4 to 14 t / ha or 1.6 to 4.2 kg per bush. I would like to note the numerous rave reviews about the gooseberry bush hung with fruits, which looks just fantastically attractive;
• fruiting is annual, but periodically the mass of berries can be unstable, very shallow, which leads to a decrease in yield;
• the variety has moderate self-fertility; in a single planting, the plant is capable of tying about 20 - 30% of the possible yield. To increase this indicator, a suitable pollinator is planted nearby; for Prune, the Lefora Seedling is the best;
• the variety has excellent plasticity, which makes it resistant to low temperatures, heat and drought. I would like to say separately about winter hardiness, because a bush without shelter winters well at -34 ° C;
• the immunity of the gooseberry is good, the species is especially valued for its genetic resistance to powdery mildew. But it can be affected by anthracnose in unfavorable years. Often exposed to pest infestations;
• the transportability of the fruits is very good, despite the not too thick skin, the berry does not crumple and it can be delivered to the destination without losing its presentation;
• the use of the crop is universal. Due to the unusual flavor combination, berries in their natural form can serve as an excellent dessert, especially since they contain many useful substances. In addition, the harvest is processed into preserves, jams, marmalade, juices, and gooseberry wine is made.

Planting and leaving

Planting a prune seedling is recommended to be carried out in early autumn, so that the plant has time to take root before the onset of cold weather. If the gardener prefers spring as the planting period, in this case the greatest survival effect can be achieved by planting cuttings. Choose a sunny site for the variety, the distance to neighboring bushes is at least 1 meter, and preferably 1.5. The soil should be loose and nutritious. Avoid low areas, especially closed basins - they accumulate not only cold air, but also excess moisture. The combination of these factors prevents gooseberries from developing normally. From the side of the prevailing winds, it is desirable to have a shelter in the form of dense plantings or buildings. Care fits into the framework of standard agricultural techniques. The main watering is carried out during the period of active growth of shoots and the formation of a green ovary. Balanced mineral fertilizers and organic matter are used as food. The culture is especially good for slurry. They begin to form a bush from the moment of planting. In the future, thinning pruning is carried out to help maintain the balance of uneven-aged branches in the bush.

Prunes are valued for their excellent winter hardiness and resistance to the main enemy of culture - powdery mildew. The yield is also pleasing, but sometimes years happen when the berry ripens too small. Most gardeners speak positively about the unusual taste of the variety, moreover, when harvesting, the hands will remain intact. For its good characteristics, of which there are undoubtedly much more, the variety has earned high praise from gooseberry lovers.