Apple variety Aksyon

Recently, apple trees have been considered one of the leading horticultural crops in the Middle Urals. Despite the harsh Ural climate, these fruits are grown not only in private gardens, where they can be provided with maximum care, but also in industrial plantings, for which it is important to select extremely reliable apple varieties. Thanks to the many years and laborious selection work of the famous professor L.A. Kotov in the Urals, varieties appeared on clonal rootstocks that have the same set of genes and, due to this, have stable characteristics. One of these species is the Aksen apple tree. The novelty is distinguished by its resistance to scab and high winter hardiness, and these qualities in an unstable and unfavorable climate are the main requirements for culture. The variety was obtained at the Sverdlovsk selection station of horticulture as a result of crossing the famous Ural apple tree Silver Hoof, which was used as a maternal form, with a donor of immunity to scab 22-40-67 (brought from the city of Orel). The new elite seedling was first assigned the number TK-24 / 8−94. And its current name - Aksyona, the apple tree received in honor of the person who tested this form in the north of the Sverdlovsk region (Serov) - Vasily Matveyevich Aksyonov. At present, our heroine is not listed in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia, but is under state variety testing. In the meantime, the Sverdlovsk variety grows successfully in the Non-Chernozem zone of Russia, they know about it in Belarus, and for the conditions of Bashkiria, Aksyon is considered a very promising form.

Description

Our heroine is notable for her short stature, the usual height is about 3.0 m. But the strength of growth directly depends on the rootstock, and therefore trees up to 5.0 m high can be found.In the first years of life, the annual growth is about 28 cm, then these rates decrease slightly. The crown is dense (the fullness is estimated at 70%), round-spreading, as if spreading, its diameter is often equal to the height. The main branches are thick, strong, attached to the trunk almost at right angles. Shoot bark is brownish-gray with light lenticels. The leaves are elongated, rounded-oval, light green in color, the tip is smoothly pointed, the base is rounded-wedge-shaped, the serrated edges are serrated. The leaf blade is flat, the curvature of the leaf from the base to the top is weak. The leaf blade in relation to the shoot is located at an angle of less than 90 °. The petiole is long, of medium thickness, uncolored. The color of flower buds is white-pink. The flowers are not very large, their diameter is about 5 cm. The petals are small, oblong, located freely.

Aksyon's apple tree cannot be called large-fruited, in the standard sense. Its fruits weigh about 90 g, the maximum weight is 120 g. But for the conditions of the Middle Urals, where the main direction of selection is the stability of the culture, this is a very good size. The weight of fruit is influenced by many factors, but the main ones are the climatic conditions of the region and the weather during the ripening period. The apples are rounded, slightly flattened at the top and bottom. The funnel is narrow, of medium depth. The saucer is not wide, not too deep, sometimes folded, the calyx is often half open. Peduncle of regular length and thickness. The main color is yellowish with a slight greenish tinge. The integumentary appears as a red blush with indistinct stripes. On the sunny side, the integumentary color is brighter, expressed practically on the entire surface of the fruit. The pulp has a pleasant creamy color, fine-grained consistency, rather dense, but not very crispy, medium juiciness, pleasant aroma. The taste is good, sweet and sour. Taste qualities are estimated from 4.3 to 5.0 points. It is interesting that the most vivid taste of our heroine is manifested precisely in the Middle Urals, where she comes from. In terms of the content of nutrients, the Ural variety is ahead of many domestic and foreign varieties. The pulp contains 15.8 mg /% vitamin C.

Characteristics

• Aksyona enters the fruiting period quite early - 3 years after planting on a dwarf rootstock. On a tall rootstock, the beginning of fruiting may take another couple of years;
• flowering period - from late May to early June. Duration about a week. But at this time in the Urals, return frosts are still possible, which can destroy most of the flowers;
• in terms of ripening, the variety belongs to the summer. The harvest ripens by the 20th of August. An overripe apple does not fall off the branch, but the pulp becomes loose, which negatively affects the shelf life;

• a feature of the variety is its rapid overripening in hot weather; this quality is often manifested precisely in warm regions. This is not surprising, because the variety was bred for a cool climate. According to the results of the tasting, held in 2016 at the Moscow Institute of Natural Resources, the taste of the apple tree was not impressed, according to the commission, the apple seemed to be “boiled” on a branch. Therefore, if the variety is grown, for example, in the gardens of Moscow, then it is better to harvest the crop slightly unripe;
• potential productivity is not bad, but it depends largely on weather conditions. On average, 18.0 kg of fruit are removed from one small tree. In the favorable period of 2009, the yield per hectare was 230.0 centners;
• Aksyona's fruiting is stable, annual;
• winter hardiness is high, gardeners often mention this. But if we compare with the maternal form (Silver Hoof), then our heroine is slightly inferior in this component. Some sources cite data that the variety belongs to USDA zone 4, that is, it is able to withstand a decrease in temperature in winter to minus 34.4 ° С;
• the variety has a fairly powerful immunity against major diseases and crop pests. Especially appreciated for its high resistance to 5 races of scab, which often harms apple trees in short and cold summers. The results of the tests carried out showed that foliage and fruits were never affected by a fungal infection;
• given that it belongs to the summer species, it is not worth counting on a long shelf life. The maximum shelf life is 2 - 3 weeks, then the pulp loses its density, becomes loose;
• the way of use is universal. The fruits are used for food in their natural form. They are also suitable for processing into jam, jam. Apples are not very suitable for juicing, but fruit puree is excellent.

Pollinators

Aksyona fruits form and ripen quite quickly, this is not surprising, because the summer period in the Urals is very short. And to help the species show maximum results in the shortest possible time, reliable pollinators need to be planted nearby. Raika will handle the pollination of our heroine best of all.

Agrotechnics

Depending on the region of planting, Aksyona can be planted in spring or autumn. After planting, the seedling on a dwarf rootstock must be tied to a support in order to give the tree a vertical position. Do not deepen the graft site, otherwise the grafted apple tree will form its own roots, lose its dwarfism and will be late with the beginning of fruiting. The variety is relatively demanding for soils, but prefers loose, well-cultivated, non-turfed soils. Our heroine is photophilous, therefore, the most illuminated place should be found for her. Such a location will provide the fruit with greater sugar content, size and bright color. A small tree does not tolerate strong winds, especially at a young age. The fibrous root system of the seedling will not be able to cope with a strong side wind, which will easily knock down the tree, so the site must be protected by a powerful wind flow. Preventive spraying against fungal diseases is carried out in the spring before bud break and in the fall, after harvest.In unfavorable years, the treatment is repeated during the flowering period, but with a weaker concentration. As a top dressing, you can alternate organic matter and mineral fertilizers. In the spring, the crown is necessarily thinned out, sanitary pruning is carried out as needed.

Aksyon's apple tree is of significant interest both for the Middle Urals and for the central zone of Russia. The culture is distinguished by its reliability, therefore, it is recognized as promising. Gardeners especially appreciate the high resistance to scab, rather high winter hardiness, and annual fruiting. The tree is easy to care for, it is undemanding to the soil. No significant flaws were found during the cultivation of the variety. But in warm regions, a peculiarity of the culture can manifest itself, which is expressed by a very rapid overripening of apples. Another disadvantage is the dependence of the yield indicator on weather conditions.