Raspberry variety Solnyshko
The sun is a rather old, time-tested raspberry variety, bred in the 70s of the last century at the Kokinsky base of the All-Russian Selection and Technological Institute of Horticulture and Nursery (VSTISP), located in the Bryansk region. The authorship belongs to the famous researcher, world-renowned scientist - Ivan Vasilyevich Kazakov, who for his fruitful life gave us a lot of magnificent varieties and hybrid forms of raspberries, inscribing his name in gold letters in the national history of culture selection.
To obtain our heroine, Ivan Vasilyevich crossed an old Russian variety Kuzmin's news, bred in our country back in the 19th century, with the Bulgarian variety Kostinbrodskaya. As a result, the new hybrid form turned out to be very promising for its time and surpassed both parents in a number of parameters. In particular, it is distinguished by an early ripening period of berries, good winter hardiness, large-fruited and good yield. Resistance to pests and diseases is average: to some pathogens the resistance of plants is quite high, in relation to others, susceptibility is observed. Ability for root-sprout reproduction is high.
The list of advantages is harmoniously complemented by the high gastronomic and aesthetic properties of berries, as well as the versatility of the harvest in terms of options for its use.
Thanks to all this list of positive characteristics, the Sun has gained recognition by many amateur gardeners and professionals. In 1979, the variety was transferred to the state variety testing, and in 1992 it received the official status of the variety, being included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation. Recommended for industrial cultivation in the Central Non-Black Earth Region, the Volga-Vyatka region and the North Caucasus.
Agrobiological properties
The bushes are quite tall, slightly spreading, capable of reaching a height of 1.8 - 2.2 meters. Shoots are powerful, relatively thick at the base and thinning as they grow. The tops are drooping. The variety requires the obligatory arrangement of supports and a garter to the trellis. The thorniness of the stems is weak, the thorns are light in color and rather soft, which greatly facilitates the care of plants and harvesting. The length of internodes is average. The color of young shoots is light green, they are covered with a light waxy bloom. In autumn, the color of the stems changes to dark purple, or rich cherry. The activity of the emergence of replacement shoots is medium or high - up to 15 - 20 pieces per meter. The shoots are formed moderately, without creating significant difficulties in maintaining the plantation clean, but there is no shortage of planting material. The complex leaves are medium in size, usually consisting of five simple leaves. The leaf blades are light green, with a matte surface, visibly wrinkled. The veins are practically not distinguished by their color. The shape of the leaves is oval, the perimeter irregularity is weak. The petioles are not too long, without bright anthocyanin pigmentation. The fruiting zone is concentrated in the upper part of the shoots, where short, well-branched laterals are formed. During the fruiting period, they are abundantly dotted with ovaries compactly located in relation to each other.
The sun is a classic non-repairable variety; fruiting occurs on two-year-old shoots at a relatively early date. You can start harvesting in the first ten days of July, and the yield of the crop is quite amicable. The berries are easily separated from the stalk, although they do not crumble on their own even when overripe. The productivity of the bushes is above average. The gross harvest for the season is about 1.5 - 2 kg per plant, and up to 90 - 100 centners of raspberries are obtained per hectare of plantations. At present, more productive varieties are also widespread, however, in terms of the quantity-quality ratio, our heroine will not yield to many new products.
Ripe fruits reach relatively large sizes.Their average height ranges from 16 to 18 mm, and their diameter is 17 to 19 mm. The shape of the berries is broadly rounded-conical. The standard weight is 3.5 - 4.5 grams. The color is crimson with a matte surface. The pulp is tender and very juicy in consistency, the bones are almost invisible when eaten. The taste is pleasant, refreshingly sweet and sour, when fully ripe it is dessert. Sugar acid index, characteristic for the onset of maturity - 5.4. The splendor of the gastronomic properties is emphasized by the typical bright raspberry aroma. The berry becomes especially fragrant and sweet with an abundance of sun on the site. Crops grown in the shade or during rainy summer seasons are more acidic and watery. The average tasting ratings of the Sun are about 4.3 points, and in the most favorable climatic conditions of the year they reach values of 4.5 - 4.7 points. The dry matter content in berries is not too high, and, as a rule, does not exceed 10%. The amount of sugars can vary from 7 to 8%, acidity ranges from 1.2 to 1.5%. In 100 grams of this raspberry, biochemical analysis reveals 180 - 190 mg of anthocyanins, 17 - 18 mg of vitamin C and 45 - 50 mg of vitamin P.
The use of the resulting crop can be very diverse. First of all, the Sun is perfect for fresh consumption. The excellent taste of juicy raspberries will really please the buyers if they are cultivated for sale. It should be noted here that, due to its tenderness, the variety demonstrates relatively low transportability indicators, and in order to maintain a high presentation, it requires very careful harvesting in small containers. However, this disadvantage does not stop those farmers who have included this variety in their assortment due to the high demand for it. For amateur gardeners who cultivate raspberries in their backyards, the suitability of berries for transportation over long distances does not really matter at all, and therefore there are also many sincere fans of our heroine among them. Receiving high yields, they use a significant part as raw materials for home canning, enjoying as a result amazing taste and aroma of jams, compotes, juices and jams. Freezing is another good option for harvesting berries for the winter. After thawing, they retain their shape well.
In terms of economic characteristics, the Sun also has something to be proud of. The variety is quite drought-resistant, and in the cold season, the bushes can withstand severe frosts, do not blow out under the snow and staunchly resist winter drying, when low temperatures are accompanied by strong winds. Plants are very plastic and are able to grow on various soils, and in regions that differ significantly from each other in the level of moisture and heat supply. This fact eloquently confirms the wide zoning of the variety, from the North Caucasus to the Non-Black Earth Region itself. In addition, an important fact is its resistance to diseases and pests such as anthracnose and raspberry mite. However, our heroine also has disadvantages, which are expressed in the susceptibility of plants to mycoplasma growth, shoot gall midges and didimella.
Agrotechnical measures
The cultivation of the variety should be carried out according to the traditional scheme for non-renovated raspberries. For planting, areas with flat relief or with a slight slope are used. Open places on heights are not suitable for culture, from where the protective cover of snow is blown off in winter. But lowlands closed on all sides are also unacceptable because of the accumulating masses of cold air and frequent excessive waterlogging of the soil.
The soil should be loose and free of perennial weeds, especially rhizomes.Planting is carried out in pits of a volume sufficient to accommodate the root system, into which organic and mineral fertilizers were previously introduced.
In a fruit-bearing raspberry grove, they constantly fight against unwanted vegetation (including the offspring of the raspberry itself in the aisles), tie shoots to a trellis, carry out preventive treatments against pests and diseases, water the bushes, if necessary, and after harvesting, remove and burn those that bear fruit. biennial stems.
