Economic, morphological and biological characteristics of the new black currant variety Prima

In 2006, controlled crosses between Strelets and Selechenskaya 2 black currant varieties were conducted. The aim of hybridization was to create a highly productive variety with a yield of over 12 t/ha and large fruits of dessert fl avor with the average weight of over 1.5 g, suitable for machine harvesting. In 2010, a highly productive winter-hardy seedling, No. 33-27-1, was isolated from the Strelets × Selechenskaya 2 family. This seedling was subjected to competitive testing and hybridization under the varietal name of “Prima”. The new variety forms a medium-sized shrub with a semi-spreading crown of moderate density, averaging 18–23 fruiting shoots, 20–34 fruiting nodes per shoot. The fruits are large, with an average and maximum weight of 1.7 and 3.2 g, respectively. The average yield is 2.8 kg per shrub. With a planting pattern of 3.0 × 0.8 m, the estimated yield averaged 11.6 t/ ha, which is 1.1 times higher than that of the control variety Orlovskaya Serenada. Fruit detachment is dry and easy, the force required to detach the berries from the stalk is 0.7 N; and the berry fi rmness is 6.3 N. In terms of shrub structure and the physical and mechanical properties of the fruits, the new Prima variety meets the technological parameters of suitability for mechanized harvesting. The new variety is distinguished by a high content of ascorbic acid (214.7 mg/100 g) and anthocyanins (381.8 mg/100 g) in the fruits. It is characterized by a high fi eld resistance to harmful objects: high resistance to powdery mildew and bud mite, and above average resistance to leaf spots.