Apple variety Skala

The apple tree is one of the leading crops in the world of fruit growing. There are so many varieties of taste and color. But new varieties appear, the taste of which makes us put aside the beloved, but already bored fruits. Among the new products, I would like to note an apple tree named Skala. She was taken to the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Center named after V.I. I.V. Michurin ". Author - N.I. Savelyev, Bessemyanka Michurinskaya and Prima served as genetic material. In 1994, an application was submitted for registration of the novelty, and in 2001 the variety was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation. Zoned in the Central Black Earth Region (Belgorod, Orel, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Tambov regions), where it shows its maximum potential.

Description

Standard tree, undersized, with moderate or weak growth characteristics, up to 3 meters high. The crown of the apple tree is not too dense and spreading. Skeletal branches are covered with gray bark, are rarely located on the trunk and depart at an acute angle, so the strength of their connection with the stem is not very reliable. The shoots at the Rock are upright, medium-sized, rounded, glabrous or slightly pubescent. The bark is brownish brown, covered with multiple lenticels of the usual size. Buds are conical in shape, smooth, growing pressed against the shoot. Leaves are light green, of normal size, oblong, long-pointed, with a serrate-crenate edge, slightly curved. A surface with a low sheen, smooth, with a delicate reticular veining. The type of fruiting is mixed - the crop is tied mainly on short and long twigs and lances. The flowers of the variety are not very large, pink in color, resemble a shallow bowl in shape, the petals are adjacent or located freely.

The fruits of the apple tree are beautiful, regular in shape, elongated-rounded, with a smooth surface. They are quite large, weighing 290 grams, maximum 350 grams. The skin is shiny, smooth, dry, tender. The main color of the Rock fruit is yellowish-greenish. The cover color appears in the form of blurred stripes and red specks on most of the surface. The cup is of normal size, closed type. Funnel of medium depth and width, conical. Traces of rusting are practically not observed, and if they appear, then very weakly. Seed chambers are medium in size, closed. Seeds are dark brown, elliptical, small. The peduncle is short, slightly curved, set obliquely, of medium size. The pulp is medium-dense, delicate, fine-grained consistency, pleasant cream color, slightly aromatic. The taste is good, sweet and sour. The tasters' assessment is 4.8 points, but some gardeners do not agree with this assessment, in their opinion, the taste is 4.2 points. The pulp is characterized by a high content of ascorbic acid. 100 grams of raw pulp contains: dry matter 14.7%, sugars 12.0%, ascorbic acid 27 mg, P-active compounds 200 mg.

Characteristics

• In the period of fruiting, the Rock enters 5-6 years after planting, which is the norm for medium-fruited apple trees;
• in terms of ripening, the variety belongs to the autumn. Harvesting maturity occurs in mid-September. But freshly picked apples are a little sour. Consumer ripeness occurs approximately 2 weeks after harvest;
• the fruits are held firmly on the branches;

• annual and high yield - 250 kg / ha. The State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation provides data for the years of state testing (1996 - 2001), so the average indicator was 207 c / ha, which is 27 c / ha higher than the control variety;
• there is no official information about self-fertility. In Internet sources, the Rock is described as self-fertile, requiring a pollinator;
• plant winter hardiness is high. After artificial freezing to -40 ° C in midwinter, the crust and cambium had no traces of freezing. Even the degree of kidney and xylem damage did not exceed 0.5 points. But according to gardeners from Ufa, the apple tree suffered greatly from frost in the winter of 2009 - 2010;
• the immunity of the variety is high. It has monogenic scab resistance, which is controlled by the Vf gene;
• keeping quality of fruits is not long enough - only about 2 - 3 months. During storage, apples can be affected by bitter pitting;
• a variety for table purposes, but the fruits can be consumed not only fresh. They make jams, marmalades, jellies, mousses, preserves, compotes, fruit wine, and make dried fruits.

There is a columnar variety of the Rock. It enters the fruiting period a little earlier, but the life span of such a plant is much shorter - about 15 years.

Planting and leaving

You can plant a tree at any time, in autumn or spring. If the root system is closed, it is possible even in summer. It is advisable to choose a well-lit place for planting an apple tree. From soils, moisture-absorbing, fertile, loose loams or sandy loams are excellent. Do not plant on alkaline soils and too moist - the tree simply will not take root. The groundwater level should not be located closer than 1.5 - 2 meters to the surface. There are no special nuances in care, agricultural technology is standard. The only feature will be the formation of the correct crown. To do this, the branches growing at an acute angle, selected for the base, will need to be given the correct direction with the help of a stretch.

Skala is an excellent variety that can withstand the cold winters of the Central region of Russia. Annual and good yields, easy maintenance and universal use of the fruit - all this makes the variety very promising. The disadvantages of the apple tree are self-infertility, poor keeping quality of fruits and average early maturity.