Plum (Prunus domestica) VOLAT

Plum (Prunus domestica) 'Volat'

A new Belarusian variety with very large fruits and high resistance.

'Volat' (Волат) is a new Belarusian plum variety, created by crossing the varieties ‘Stanley’ and ‘Perdrigon’. It is valued for its very large fruits, dessert flavour, high and annual yield, and high resistance to frost and diseases.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Very large fruits (60 – 70 g).
• Dessert, harmonious, sweet-tart flavour.
• High and annual yield (20–30 kg per tree).
• High frost and disease resistance.
• The stone separates easily from the flesh.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Belarus
• Breeders: V. A. Matveev, M. N. Vasilyeva
• Institution: Institute of Fruit Growing of Belarus
• Crossing: ‘Stanley’ × ‘Perdrigon’
• Registration: Officially registered in 2012, included in the state register of Belarus in 2020.

Variety Characteristics

Tree

• Growth: Medium-vigorous.
• Crown: Globular, spreading, upright, medium density.
• Pollination: It is partially self-fertile.

Fruit

• Size and weight: Very large, with a weight of 60 – 70 g.
• Shape: Oblong-ovate.
• Flesh: Greenish-yellow, firm.
• Flavour: Dessert, harmonious, sweet-tart.
• Stone: Medium-sized, easily separable from the flesh (when fully ripe).
• Use: Versatile, excellent for fresh consumption, but also for processing (compotes, jams).

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost resistance: High (withstands frosts down to -24 °C).
• Disease resistance: High, especially to shot hole disease.
• Requirements: Not suitable for dry regions.

Cultivation Recommendations

• To ensure a high yield, it needs pollinators; a suitable one is, for example, the ‘Stanley’ variety.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Mid-late, mid-September.
• Yield: High and annual, 20–30 kg per tree.
• Entry into bearing: 4th to 5th year after planting.
• Transportability: Good.