Favorit – a new black currant variety

Despite the achieved progress in the selection of Ribes nigrum L., the varieties currently used in industrial horticulture and producing up to 60 t/ha fail to implement their full potential. The breeding programs aimed at creating promising industrial varieties of black currant are based on the following main selection criteria: resistance to stressful environmental factors, high and stable yields, suitability for machine harvesting, and high contents of biologically active substances. Since 2001, specialists of the Kokinsky experimental station of Federal Horticultural Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology, and Nursery (ARHCBAN) have been carrying out breeding work on black currant varieties. As a result, a genetic collection of 100-140 varieties have been created; the best species are used in crosses. In 2003, hybridization with the Orloviya and Nara varieties was carried out. In 2009, form No. 72-03-4 was selected and given the varietal name of Favorit . The new variety is characterized by winter hardiness; even after severe winters, no traces of branch freezing are detected. The variety forms a medium-sized bush with a height of 140 cm and a half-spreading habitus of moderate densification. The plants produce 22-25 fruiting shoots with, on average, 52 fruiting nodes per shoot. Berries are large (average weight – 1.8 g, maximum weight – 5.8 g), rounded, shiny, and black. The actual productivity during the observation period averaged 2.7 kg per bush, while the average yield at a planting scheme of 3.0 × 0.8 m achieved the level of 11.4 t/ha. Fruit detachment is dry with the force of berry detachment from the stalk of 1.1 N; strength – 6.5 N, which meets the parameters of suitability for mechanized harvesting and enables good transportability of the crop. Fruits are characterized by a dessert flavor with a tasting score of 5 points and a vitamin C content of 197.0 mg/100 g. The variety is highly resistant to powdery mildew, septoriosis, and bud mite.