Charlie grape variety
The hybrid form (and recently an officially registered variety) of Charlie table grapes was bred in the recent past by the Russian national breeder Evgeny Pavlovsky from the city of Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov Region. The variety is also known under its other name - Anthracite, under which it entered the state register of breeding achievements.
Evgeny Georgievich Pavlovsky has been engaged in selection work at an amateur level for more than two decades, but professional scientists could be proud of its results. And the path to a new business of life for the former miner began by no means promising. In the 80s of the last century, having acquired a land plot and thereby joining the multimillion army of summer residents, he began to grow grapes on it, without even thinking about any hybridization and breeding new forms. Everything changed a decade later, when he met the famous breeder from the Novocherkassk Scientific Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking Ivan Kostrikin. He managed to captivate Pavlovsky and several other winegrowers with the prospects of joint research work, after which, under the methodological guidance of Kostrikin, they began to carry out the first crosses on their plots. For work, varieties with a functionally female type of flower were chosen as maternal forms, which were very convenient for novice breeders, because allowed to avoid self-pollination of inflorescences without unnecessary difficulties. Already the first results of the new activity were so impressive that they forced the pioneers of folk selection to connect their lives with it.
Over the years, Evgeny Pavlovsky has brought out dozens of his own varieties, among which Charlie, in terms of the totality of characteristics, takes a very worthy place. It was obtained by pollination Victoriacontaining in its DNA a complex cocktail of European, Amur and American grapes, pollen of a high quality and widespread variety Nadezhda AZOS... In this pair, the maternal form turned out to be responsible for the high resistance of the new hybrid to diseases and unfavorable environmental factors, and the paternal, although not fully, passed on the genes of aesthetic and gastronomic orientation. As a result, the novelty turned out to be, though not the most outstanding in terms of tasting characteristics, but nevertheless quite edible, and most importantly, very productive and unpretentious to grow. Another important and positive factor is the very early ripening of the bunches, which makes it possible to grow it in regions with short and not at all hot summers.
Thanks to these properties, Charlie managed to pass the state variety test, according to the results of which in 2015 he was officially included in the state register of breeding achievements of the Russian Federation, and was recommended for horticultural use throughout the country. This was another recognition of the merits of its author, and a reliable indicator of the excellent characteristics of the variety, which managed to fall in love with many winegrowers long before receiving the coveted state registration.
Agrobiological characteristics
Grape bushes above average vigor. A rich green leaf with light veins, rather large, rounded, usually has five lobes bending to the bottom, medium dissected. The front side of the leaf is reticulate-wrinkled, the reverse side is covered with weak cobweb pubescence. Upper lateral notches of medium depth, open with parallel sides, slit-like, or in the form of a reentrant angle, lower notches are barely outlined or absent. The petiole notch is open lyre-shaped or vaulted with a flat or slightly pointed bottom.The petioles are long and can be completely green in color or have a noticeable anthocyanin tint. The denticles along the edges of the leaf blade are of various sizes, triangular or saw-shaped with a wide base, slightly convex edges and obtuse apices. Charlie's flowers are bisexual, very well pollinated with their own pollen, and can also serve as pollinators for forms with a functionally female type of flowering. Peas, shedding of flowers and excessive looseness of the bunches were not noticed for the variety. Ripening of the vine occurs at a relatively early date and along the entire length of the shoots. The matured annual growth acquires a yellowish-brown color.
Bunches of grapes are very large, rather dense, conical or cylindro-conical in shape, with an average weight of 700-900 grams, but many significantly exceed this figure. The comb is long, strong, green in color, often with reddish patches at the base. Berries are large, oval or ovoid, dark blue or black, covered with a dense layer of gray wax bloom, the weight of 100 pieces averages 600-700 grams. The grapes are single-gauge, not deformed and not damaged against each other, due to which the brushes have an attractive appearance. The flesh of Charlie berries is dense, fleshy, neutral in taste, harmonious, but sometimes has nightshade tones in the aftertaste, which somewhat reduces the taste, according to some experts. The juice is colorless, its yield is about 70% of the bunch weight. Sugar content upon reaching removable ripeness is 16-17 g / 100 ml, and when fully ripe, it can rise to 19-21%. The titratable acidity ranges from 6-8 g / l. The peel of the berries is not thick, but rather strong, it chews well and is not particularly felt when eaten. Medium-sized seeds, 2-3 per grape, can also be perceived negatively by pampered tasters. In the course of the variety testing, the average gastronomic score over the years was 8.4 points.
The direction of use of the crop can be called universal. First, the grapes are successfully consumed fresh. Large, beautifully colored bunches are in good demand among buyers in the market. Only sophisticated gourmets talk about taste features, such as the notorious "nightshade" taste, while the vast majority of ordinary people do not pay any attention to it. The early ripening period and high yields make our hero a very profitable variety with high margins, which cannot but attract the attention of farmers who cultivate grapes for sale. An important point is the high transportability of the bunches, which can easily withstand long-distance transportation. When optimal conditions are created, thanks to the strong skin of the berries, they can also be stored for a long time in the assembled form. In addition to the dining area, this type of "sun berry" demonstrates remarkable technological properties, being an excellent raw material for various preservation. In particular, ripe dark-colored bunches produce compotes, preserves and marinades, rich in color and taste, in which dense berries retain their shape well. And, finally, an important factor is the ability to make homemade dry wine worthy of quality from Charlie. For this, the grapes are harvested at a much later date than for food purposes. To obtain a beverage of acceptable quality that is stable in storage, the sugar content in the wort must be at least 20-21%. And even if such a wine does not have outstanding organoleptic properties, it is not intended to compete with branded drinks made from special technical grape varieties.
The growing season for this variety is 105-110 days, counting from the moment the buds bloom, until the onset of ripeness of the first brushes. This allows us to speak of Anthracite as a very early ripening with the calculated level of the required sum of active temperatures in the range of 2200-2300 ° C.In the south, harvesting begins at the beginning of August, but as the culture moves north, these dates are shifted to September and even later. In general, given the relatively rapid attainment of maturity of the bunches and the modest need for heat, the variety is able to successfully grow and bear fruit much further north of the traditional wine-growing regions. It manages to mature even in the non-chernozem regions of central Russia, right up to the Moscow region, although its cultivation in these regions is associated with certain specificities. First of all, it is necessary to take into account the frost resistance of the aboveground part of the bushes, albeit increased in Charlie (-24 ° C), but at the same time clearly insufficient for non-covering cultivation in northern conditions.
The high yields of our hero are due, in addition to large-fruited, excellent indicators of the fruitfulness of the shoots and the good vitality of plants that can bear a significant load. At the same time, the positive side of the coin also has a negative one, which consists in a predisposition to overload due to the large number of brushes laid on the shoots. The latter circumstance requires the grower to strictly ration the load on the bush, which ultimately should ensure the receipt of 15-20 kilograms of grapes from one plant. Regular abuse of Charlie's generosity is fraught with a decrease in the quality of the crop, a significant lengthening of the growing season, insufficient maturation of the vine, which ultimately can lead to the most sad consequences, especially in severe winters, for which bushes weakened by excessive fruiting may simply not be able to prepare.
After ripening, if climatic conditions permit, the grapes can continue to hang on the vine without any problems, accumulating increased amounts of sugar in the berries. He is not particularly afraid of either gray rot or the likelihood of cracking grapes. The berries of our hero burst in small quantities only in the most unfavorable years with a sharp change in soil moisture during the ripening period, or with prolonged rainy weather at this time. There is conflicting information regarding the attack on berries by wasps: some growers argue that stubborn insects bypass the variety, others, on the contrary, claim that it often suffers from this scourge. It is quite possible that the whole thing is in the variety of the vineyard from different owners, because in the presence of varieties with a more delicate skin, it is unlikely that wasps will attempt to grape less edible for them.
Agrotechnical features
In economic terms, Charlie looks especially attractive. It can be classified as one of the few varieties of amateur selection that are highly unpretentious. When planting, it is completely undemanding to the soil, and is not able to grow normally only in damp, wetlands with low air permeability of the soil, on lands with a high level of groundwater occurrence, on the slopes of northern exposures, in the lowlands of valleys and gullies, where cold air accumulates. ... In the conditions of northern viticulture, plantings in a wall culture on the south side of houses, outbuildings or dense hedges are more successful. In this case, the grapes receive a little more heat, which in some years can be critical for the ripening of the vine and the harvest.
Planting is carried out in pits well fertilized with organic matter and mineral nutrients. During the first seasons, regular and abundant watering with sufficient watering of the root layer is important for the rapid growth and development of Charlie. Due to the lack of information about the resistance of the variety to the root phylloxera, its propagation in the zones of soil contamination by this pest should be carried out by grafted seedlings on phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. Own-rooted culture, due to the good rooting rate of cuttings of Anthracite, can be successfully used in areas free from harmful root aphids. The feeding area for medium-sized grape bushes should be at least 4-4.5 square meters. meters.
In the first winters, young plants are everywhere covered for the winter in order to guarantee the protection of the few eyes on them from frost damage. However, already from the second growing season, it is necessary to fundamentally decide on which scheme - covering or non-covering, adult bushes will be formed. Charlie's frost resistance is quite enough for maintaining a high-stemmed culture in the southern regions with their mild winters, however, in more northern latitudes, where temperatures in the cold season of -24 ° C are not uncommon, the variety will require the obligatory removal of vines from the trellis in autumn and warming them for the winter. ... Depending on the frost hazard of the climate, the method of this shelter will also differ. In the simplest version, it will be enough to bury the above-ground part of the bush in the ground, where it will tolerate relatively small excess of the critical temperature without any problems. But where the winter cold reaches very harsh values, insulation will be required with special materials - straw, peat, wood shavings, spruce branches or reeds with mandatory protection against the penetration of melt moisture using wooden shields, film or roofing material. In this case, the plants themselves should be formed on the basis of special covering schemes that allow for an annual insulation procedure without mechanical damage to the vine and with minimal labor costs. In this regard, among domestic winegrowers, the most popular are the options for a multi-arm fan or an inclined (oblique) cordon.
When cultivating Charlie, particular attention should be paid to determining the load of shoots and crops, as well as its regulation during pruning and during green operations during the growing season of grapes. So, in the spring, on the bushes that have entered full fruiting, 30−35 eyes are left with an average length of the fruit arrows left - 6−8 buds. After the start of growth, the young vines break off all sterile and weak shoots, as well as "doubles", "tees" that have developed from one bud. After that, 20-22 strong productive vines should remain on the plant, on which the extra fruit clusters must be removed, leaving one for the shoot. After that, the load is considered adjusted, and the grower may not worry about the ability of the bushes to "stretch" the remaining number of bunches to the conditions inherent in the variety. In plants just entering fruiting, the normalization, of course, is more stringent than that described for adult bushes.
On increasing the level of agricultural technology, irrigation, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and microelements, grapes respond positively. In addition, by regulating the water balance of the soil, the risk of cracking of the grapes during ripening can be minimized to an absolute minimum.
Charlie's resistance to fungal diseases is at its best, thanks to the resistance genes passed on to him through the maternal line. To ensure the prevention of the development of pathogens common on grapes, it will be enough to carry out two complex preventive spraying in the early stages of the growing season, when the most significant harmfulness of pathogens is observed. Pests are also not particularly annoying to the variety, and control of their number with the help of chemicals is required only in exceptional cases. Protection against wasps should also be applied selectively, because they do not always attack the berries of a given grape variety. Due to the low pesticide load, the harvest is environmentally friendly, which is not the case for all popular varieties of "sunny berries".
