Evaluation of economically valuable traits of the columnar variety Poesia and the prospects of its use in breeding

Abstract

One of the most promising forms of apple trees for super-intensive gardens on a new genetic basis is the columnar apple tree. Within the framework of the breeding program of the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Selection, 5 columnar apple tree varieties were created and released, one of which is the Poesia variety. The article presents an assessment of the suitability of the columnar apple tree variety Poesia for intensive gardening and prospects of its use in breeding work to create competitive varieties of the new generation. According to complex of economically valuable traits, the variety is characterized by winter-hardiness, early maturation, high yield – for the first 7 years of fruiting, the average variety yield on dwarf rootstock 62–396 was 41.6 t/ha, immunity to scab (gene Rvi6), greatly reducing the pesticide load in the garden. The fruits have an attractive appearance, which is rated with 4.4 points (on a five-point scale), sweet and sour taste (4.3 points). It was established that the Poesia variety is a donor of columnar shape (Co gene) and immunity to scab (Rvi6 gene). With its participation, eight selected forms and one elite seedling have already been created.