Žilavka (Selekcija X/27)

It originated from a cross of 'President Drouard' and 'Comtesse de Paris'. Hybridization was performed in 1970 by prof. Dr. Asen Stančević, Dr. Mihailo Nikolić and Anica Mutapović, BSc in agriculture.

The tree is medium vigorous, with half-pyramidal, relatively dense, branched crown. The trunk is straight, strong, with ash-grey bark. Short fruit bearing spurs and short fruiting shoots predominate whereas fruiting and several terminal buds are set on higher, upright branches. The branches are ash-grey, with pronounced lenticels. Generative buds are plump, short and blunt, and vegetative ones are conical, pointed and appressed. The leaf is medium-sized, elliptical to oval, light green, finely serrated. The flower is medium-large, white, half-open. Flowering time is medium early, with a tendency to medium late, together with 'Contesse de Paris'. The suitable pollinators are pears 'Passe Crassane', 'William's Bon Chrétien', 'General Leclerc' and 'Dr J. Guyot'. Fruits early giving regular and heavy cropp. Relatively susceptible to frost and drought and little susceptible to causal agents of major pear pests and diseases. It has a good affinity with quince.

The fruit is large, averaging 200 g, rather uniform. The shape is regular pyriform and the surface is even. The calyx basin is half-deep and half-open. Fruit stalk is medium long and medium thick, firm, woody and set at the top of the fruit without cavity. The skin is medium thick, flexible, green-yellow, and sprinkled with minute brown dots. It assumes straw-yellow at full maturity. The flesh is yellowish, juicy, melting, of an acid sweet, refreshing flavor and pleasant aroma containing 14.5% soluble solids, 0.3 % acids and 12% total sugars. It has little grit around slightly elongated core placed in the middle of the fruit. The seeds are long-oval, almost black and plump.

It ripens in the first decade of October. Good shipping and storing quality. Fruits are successfully stored in cold storage all through to May.

An excellent winter pear with high fruit quality and long storage life.

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