Apple variety Malinovka (Suislepskoe)

Robin is an old variety of apple trees of national selection with fruits of an early summer ripening period. Its other names: Suislep, Suislepskoe, Suisleper. According to the generally accepted version, the variety originated from the Baltic countries. His trees were discovered at the end of the 18th century in the Suislepa estate, located in the territory of modern Estonia. The variety was first described in 1845 by the French pomologist A. Leroy. However, some pomologists put forward a version about the French origin of Suislepsky. Others suggest that the variety is a seedling of a Persian apple tree.

The variety is most widespread in the Baltic countries, Finland, Belarus and Ukraine. In Russia, Malinovka apple trees are grown in small quantities in many orchards of the Middle Belt (Novgorod, Bryansk, Pskov, Smolensk regions). In the Novgorod region, the variety is zoned in the southwestern, southeastern and northwestern zones.

Medium-sized trees, densely leafy crown, spherical in shape. The branches are dark in color and raised upward. Fruiting of a mixed type, the fruits are tied on ringlets, fruit twigs and spears. Flowering begins in the 3rd decade of May.

Shoots are thick, reddish-brown, moderately fleecy. The leaves are medium or large in size, wide, almost rounded in shape, painted in a dark green color. The leaf blade is strongly curved, glossy, slightly wrinkled, medium pubescent. The edges of the leaf blade have a large serrate-crenate serration, the teeth are spaced to the sides. The petioles are short in length, the leaves are firmly held on them, not moving from light shaking.

The fruits of the Suislepskoe apple tree are medium and smaller than the average size, the weight of one apple, as a rule, ranges from 80 to 130 grams (maximum up to 160 g). Fruits are non-uniform, of various shapes, but more often flattened-rounded, conical in the upper part, strongly ribbed, sometimes uneven. The main color of apples when picked is greenish, later straw-yellow, the integumentary color is solid, very beautiful, in the form of streaky bright red stripes on a pink background. The skin is shiny, thin, smooth, with a slight waxy coating. Subcutaneous dots are clearly visible, greenish in color. The stalks squeezed on the sides can be long or medium. The saucer is small, narrow in shape. The funnel is of medium depth, with a thin (radiant) rustiness of a light brown color. The heart is rather large, wide, bulbous. The seed chambers are large and open. Seeds are medium in size, flat in shape, dark brown in color.

The pulp is snow-white in color, often pinkish under the skin and with pink veins inside, delicate, fine-grained structure, juicy, with an aroma, excellent dessert sweet-sour taste. According to the chemical composition, the fruits of the Robin contain: the sum of sugars (9.8%), titratable acids (0.7%), P-active substances (116 mg / 100 g), ascorbic acid (9.2 mg / 100 g), pectin substances (12.2%).

Depending on the region of cultivation, fruits ripen from the end of July (in Ukraine) to the beginning of September. In the conditions of the Oryol region, the fruits ripen in early August (first decade). In general, in the conditions of the Middle Strip, apples are harvested from the second half of August to the first ten days of September. The shelf life of the fruits is short, just over 2 weeks. The transportability of the variety is low (the skin is thin and the pulp is very tender), therefore apples are used mainly for local consumption.
The robin belongs to the self-fertile apple trees. Among the best pollinators, varieties can be distinguished Moscow pear tree and Paping.

The early maturity is average, the trees usually bear fruit at 6 - 8 years after planting, on a dwarf rootstock - at the 3rd - 4th year. Productivity is only average, and according to this indicator, Suislepsky apple trees "lose" to most summer varieties. Young trees bear fruit regularly, but with age - not sharply periodically.

Despite the fact that in some regions Malinovka has established itself as a fairly frost-resistant variety, its overall winter hardiness is estimated only as average and is close to Pepin saffron, yielding to such varieties as Antonovka ordinary, Grushovka Moscow, Welsey and Autumn striped. In wet years, the variety is highly susceptible to scab and fruit rot.

The main advantages of this apple tree are: attractive fruits with a dessert taste.

The main disadvantages include low yields and transportability of fruits, insufficient level of frost resistance.

The variety was used in breeding work when breeding Yuzhny.