Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVII, Issue 2
Written by Petko MINKOV, Teodora MIHOVA, Silvena TODOROVA, Georgi POPSKI, Boryana STEFANOVA
The study was conducted in the towns of Troyan and Apriltsi and the nearby villages and hamlets in the Central Balkan Mountain. During the expedition research, heirloom local apple cultivars and forms threatened with extinction were discovered, marked and described. Their reproductive characteristics were studied. A large genotypic diversity of the genus Malus, L. have been observed. The complex of agroecological conditions favours the growth, and longevity of the apple trees. Most discovered and described trees are more than 00 years old, more than 5 m tall and more. The trees bear fruit abundantly, but there is a tendency to alternate their fruit bearing. The subject of the present study are late-ripening valuable cultivars with large-size fruit threatened with extinction, such as 'Kandile’ - 29.5 g, 'Sadova Perusha’ - 08.07 g, etc., with the aim of studying their morphological, pomological and reproductive characteristics. It has been found that most of them are distinguished by an attractive appearance, intensely coloured fruit skin and valuable nutritional and dietary qualities. Their long-term storage under home conditions is also a valuable quality.
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