Apple variety Bessemyanka Michurinskaya

To support gardening in central and partly northern Russia, I.V. Michurin created amazing varieties that have excellent winter hardiness. One of them - the Bessemyanka Michurinskaya apple tree, bred almost a century ago, was originally conceived as a valuable industrial crop for these regions. The new variety was grown from the seed of the Tablet, fertilized in 1912 by the pollen of Komsinskaya Bessemyanka (Komsin). In 1913, the seed produced a four-seedling seedling. In 1921, the first fruiting took place by grafting a seedling into the crown of an adult apple tree. Registration of an application for admission to the State Register took place in 1938, a year later, variety trials began. The variety was entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia in 1947. Zoned across the North-West (Pskov Region), Central (Kaluga and Tula Regions), Central Chernozem (Tambov Region) and East Siberian (Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia) regions. Originator - All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Selection of Fruit Plants named after V.I. I.V. Michurin. The variety was widespread in industrial plantings, but is now more common in private gardens.

Description

The plant is generally above average in size. The young tree is adorned with a neat oval crown, which by the fruiting period becomes dense, broadly oval or broadly pyramidal. The main branches are few in number, but differ in power, and the harvest is mainly formed on them. The wood of the branches is durable, able to withstand winds and storms well. Shoots are short, thick, light brown bark, virtually no pubescence. The leaves are dark green, large, with a wrinkled surface, the edges with crenate serration are turned upward. Petioles with small lanceolate stipules. The stamens of Bessemyanka Michurinskaya are often underdeveloped.

Apple fruits are symmetrical, flat-rounded or round, often with subtle ribbing. The funnel is deep and wide, sometimes slightly ribbed. The peduncle is short, 20 mm long, thick. The saucer is average in width and depth. The calyx is very large and closed. The sub-cup tube is large, funnel-shaped, wide. The seed nest, according to the author's description, is often absent in some fruits. Others have a fully formed, large, bulbous shape, with closed chambers. There is no axial cavity. Seeds are often absent, or are in an underdeveloped state, since the species does not fertilize with its pollen. “Very rarely is pollen suitable for fertilization obtained” - from the draft notes of I.V. Michurin, 1921 Rarely there are 1 - 2 large seeds, wide, with a blunt nose. The skin is smooth, shiny, thin. The main color is yellow-green, the integumentary color is in the form of a striped pattern on a speckled background, which turns into a bright red solid blush on the sunny side. Subcutaneous points are small, hardly noticeable. Intense wax coating. The pulp is creamy in color, pleasant consistency, tender, juicy, with a pleasant aroma. The taste is wonderful, dessert, wine-sweet and sour. 100 grams of raw pulp contains: dry matter 14.2%, sugars 11.2%, titratable acids 0.69%, ascorbic acid 21.3 mg, P-active catechins 229.3 mg. The fruit is medium to medium sized. Weight according to the State Register is 133 grams. According to Michurin's description, an apple has the following dimensions: height 67 mm, width 72 mm, weight 185 grams. In terms of fruit quality, Bessemyanka Michurinskaya is recognized as one of the outstanding varieties of Michurin selection.

Characteristics

• The plant has average maturity. The tree begins to bear fruit in 5 - 7 years after planting;
• in terms of ripening, our heroine belongs to the autumn varieties, the harvest ripens in September. But due to the extended period of consumer maturity of the fruits, the apple tree can be considered both autumn and winter. According to the observations of E.Lesyuk (Michurinsk), when apples are picked on September 7, their consumer maturity occurs on October 15, the duration of production storage is 177 days, the consumption period is 139 days;
• the variety is distinguished by a uniform load of the crop on the tree;
• productivity is high. According to M.M. Pustovarov, on average for 1968 - 1971, the yield was 49.8 c / ha. This is at the level of the Golden Autumn, but lower than that of the Autumn Striped (71.5 c / ha) and Pepin's saffron (79.2 kg / ha). The tests were carried out at the Research Zonal Institute of Horticulture of the Non-Black Earth Zone. Other sources cite data that up to 200 kg of selected apples can be regularly removed from one adult tree;
• big disadvantages of the culture are the non-simultaneous ripening of apples, which makes it difficult to harvest, and the high crumbling of ripe fruits, which can significantly reduce the shelf life;
• Bessemyanka Michurinskaya is distinguished by its high ecological stability, adapting to unfavorable climatic conditions. Can withstand hot and dry periods, cold snaps;
• The state register determines the winter hardiness of apple trees above average, according to VNIISPK, trees are relatively winter hardy. In 1967, the variety was planted at the Shushensky state variety area, located in the forest-steppe subzone of the southern zone of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. For 40 years, the tree has been developing well and bearing fruit, despite the harsh winters, characterized by sharp changes in temperature. Michurin wrote that the variety "is distinguished by its complete frost resistance";
• The State Register confirms the good immunity of culture. Leaves and fruits are practically not affected by scab, high resistance to fruit rot;
• transportability is not bad. But there is still evidence that about 10% of the transported crop may suffer from mechanical damage;
• the shelf life of apples, according to the State Register, depending on storage conditions, can be from 1 to 3 months;
• the way of use is universal. Thanks to the excellent dessert taste, the apples of our heroine are primarily used in their natural form. But besides this, the crop is perfectly processed into jam, marmalade, marshmallow, juice, compote.

Agrotechnics

The variety is undemanding in care. Agricultural technology fully coincides with the system of techniques for growing crops as a whole. But in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, it is recommended to form a crown in a stanza form.

Bessemyanka Michurinskaya is a wonderful memory of the great scientist I.V. Michurina. The variety conquered gardeners with its high taste, productivity and marketability of fruits. In care, the culture is absolutely unpretentious, has good health and perfectly adapts to the environment. The popularity of the apple tree, due to its excellent characteristics, is confirmed by its demand even after so many decades. But not only among gardeners, the variety is of interest. Breeders often use it to create new apple varieties. With the participation of our heroine, 12 apple trees were bred. Among them are Student, Orlik, Orlovskoe striped, Uspenskoe, Skala. But there are varieties and disadvantages. Uneven ripening and strong shedding of fruits create many problems for gardeners, who can visit the site only on weekends.