Характеристика лучших колонновидных сортов яблони селекции ВНИИСПК

Breeding for columnar apple varieties has been performed at the All Russian Research Institute for Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK) since 1984. For a 30-year period eight columnar scab immune apple varieties have been developed, two of which have already been included in the State Register of breeding achievements admitted for use (regionalized) and another two are passing state trials. In 2015 Vostorg was ready for including in the State Register and Girlianda and Orlovskaya Yesenia were ready for passing state trials. Directions and volumes of breeding work for this traits are shown in the paper. Brief commercial and biological characteristics of the advanced columnar apple VNIISPK varieties are given (Vostorg, Poezia, Priokskoye, Girlianda, Orlovskaya Yesenia and Sozvezdie). Experimental data on the height and thickness of one-year columnar seedlings are given for more sufficient determination of planting space. The authors propose that owing to such favorable traits as scab immunity, precocity, productivity, and high marketable and taste qualities of fruit, the columnar apple VNIISPK varieties will take a worthy place not only in amateur and farm orchards but also in commercial orchards that will facilitate the improving of fruit production in the country.