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Jelica


It resulted from the cross of 'Požegača' and 'California Blue'. Hybridization was perforemed in 1966 and it was designated as I/4 CK. It was named and released in 1986. The breeders were Dr. Dobrivoje Ogašanović, Vojin Bugarčić, BSc. in agriculture, Dr. Ljubica Janda, Dr. Milojko Ranković and Dr. Staniša A. Paunović.


The tree is very vigorous. The crown is moderately dense, pyramidal with strong scaffold branches. Similar to 'Požegača', it bears fruit on one-year-old bearing wood. Branches are fragile and prone to breaking. There are 1.7 flowers in flower buds. The leaf is medium large, with various shapes varying from ovate to long-ovate with rounded or pointed tips. Petiole is moderately long and thick with glands at the leaf base. The flower medium large, white. It flowers mid-early, with
'Stanley', or somewhat later. It fruits in its fourth or fifth leaf with cropping varying by the region and weather conditions at flowering. Resistant to red leaf spot (Polystigma rubrum Pers.) and plum rust (Puccinia pruni spinosae Diet.). Susceptible to Sharka, belonging in the same susceptibility group with 'Požegača'. Suitable for grafting on low vigor rootstocks.


The fruit is medium large (27−39.7 g), egg-shaped. Dimensions: length - 46.5 mm, width - 37.6mm, thickness - 35.0 mm. The suture line is prominent, dividing fruit into equal halves, with a tip in the form of a russet point about 1 mm in diameter. Skin is medium thick, of a reddish-purple ground color, taking on deep blue when fully ripe. Fruits are attractive, with silvery bloom. Flesh is firm, golden-yellow, juicy, of sweet-subacid flavor, similar to 'Požegača'. It contains 12.33% sugar (9.15 and 3.02% sucrose), 1.16% acids and 0.46% ash. The stone is medium large (1.27−1.39 g), free, long-ovate, with rounded tip and the base pointed and curved to the dorsal side. Dimensions: length - 26.4 mm, width - 15.2 mm, thickness - 7.4 mm. The stalk is medium long (19−24 mm) and adheres firmly to the fruit.


Ripens in the third decade of August, several days before 'Stanley'. The fruits are firm, suitable for handling and transport.


A high-quality dessert cultivar that should be grown on a smaller scale in the vicinity of towns or in home gardens where there is no risk of Sharka. Due to its high vigor it should be planted at greater distances or grafted onto dwarf rootstocks

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