Characteristics of the Prima apple variety, description of subspecies, cultivation and yield
The juicy fruits of the early autumn Prima apple tree do not leave indifferent those people who ate them. They have a beautiful appearance and excellent taste. The variety is undemanding to agricultural technology and bears fruit well. It is zoned and grown in gardens in the south of Russia. The Prima variety also exhibits increased scab resistance.
Description of the plant
The tree is distinguished by an active growth rate - on seed stocks it stretches up to 6 meters in height, and on dwarf ones - up to 4 meters. Over time, the branches of the variety become thickened and need sanitary pruning. Their color is brown.
According to the description of the leaves, gardeners distinguish the Prima apple tree from other similar varieties. Appearance of leaf blades:
- medium size;
- a corrugated surface is felt under the fingers;
- oval shape;
- the back side is slightly pubescent;
- the base and top of the small sheets are pointed;
- large leaves have a rounded base;
- petioles are short and medium in thickness, and rejected from shoots at an acute angle.
The flowers of the apple tree are light pink, medium in size. The buds are scarlet. The fruits of the tree are large and medium, their weight ranges from 120 to 190 grams, round in shape. They are often asymmetrical, with a smooth, shiny skin. Fruit color ranges from yellow to green-yellow. Maybe with a blush. Those apples that are located in the center of the crown have a short stalk, while those that grow on the outskirts of the tree have a longer one.
On the cut of the fruit, you can see the flesh of a creamy shade, very juicy and with a pleasant sweet and sour taste. Contains an apple of this type of 13.2% dry matter, 9.8% sugar, 0.91% titratable acids. Vitamin C is present in more than 9 mg for every 100 g of fruit, and P-active substances up to 150 mg.
Advantages and disadvantages
The indisputable advantage of the Prima variety is its immunity to scab, early maturity, large fruit size, excellent taste, rich apple aroma. In addition, good transportability of fruits. The disadvantages include high shedding of fruits, insufficient resistance to powdery mildew, frequency of fruiting.
Ripening and fruiting
Fruiting of the Prima apple tree begins from the 3-4th year. The productivity of the tree is high, on average 250 kg / ha. Ripening of apples begins from August 10, and before that, they often shed. Such a situation occurs in windy weather, when the plant does not have enough moisture both in the soil and in the air.
The Prima apple tree is known for its frequency of fruiting.
Fruits are distinguished by good transportability and keeping quality.The storage period is up to 2 months if the place for this is a dark, cool room.
Disease resistance and winter hardiness
Resistance to various diseases in this apple tree is different - it is practically not affected by scab, but suffers from powdery mildew. The source of this disease is the fungus; it chooses a convenient place for itself on any part of the tree. In appearance, the affected area is covered with a gray film. The disease is fought with fungicides. To get rid of the disease, the treatment is carried out up to 5 times a year, and the plant is also fed with nitrogen and potassium dressings.
Since the variety was bred for the southern regions, the winter hardiness of the Prima apple tree is medium.
Apple tree subspecies Prima
Breeders are always on the lookout for noteworthy varieties. They also experimented with this apple tree. As a result of crossing in the fourth generation, the Prima variety was obtained.
After breeding, this variety became the basis for the creation of new plants. These are such varieties as, Kubanskaya Kazachka, Memory of Sergeev. Breeders use the Prima apple tree as a donor of scab resistance. There is also a subspecies Rouge. It differs from the mother tree in smoother fruits and ripens 10-20 days earlier - in early August. There is also a dwarf subspecies Rouge. To form this plant, take a dwarf stock M9. Such a tree suffers less from powdery mildew.
Growing regions
Apple tree Prima is a plant of early autumn ripening period, which has gained wide popularity in the Krasnodar Territory and the southern part of the Russian Federation. The variety is not suitable for the Moscow region.
The advantages of the Prima apple tree are enough for many of the gardeners to want to plant it. And when the tree receives care and the basic agrotechnical techniques are followed, it will generously endow those who grow it with beautiful and tasty fruits.
