White Currant (Ribes sativa) BAYANA

White Currant (Ribes sativa) 'Bayana'

A high-yielding Russian variety with an excellent dessert flavour.

'Bayana' (Баяна) is a late-season white currant variety from Russia, created by crossing the well-known varieties ‘Rote Spätlese’ and ‘Red Lake’. It is valued for its high yield, excellent dessert flavour (rating 4.8/5), and high resistance to frost and powdery mildew. It forms long, dense strigs full of translucent white berries, which are ideal for gelling thanks to their high pectin content.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Excellent dessert flavour (rating 4.8/5).
• High yield and frost resistance.
• High resistance to powdery mildew.
• Long, dense, and attractive strigs.
• High pectin content and good gelling properties.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Russia
• Breeders: L. V. Bayanova, V. E. Dzhafarova, M. A. Makarkina
• Institution: All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK)
• Crossing: ‘Rote Spätlese’ × ‘Red Lake’
• Registration: Included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2007.

Variety Characteristics

Bush

• Growth and habit: Vigorous (up to 150 cm), slightly spreading, dense.
• Shoots: Thick, straight, with a reddish tint.
• Leaves: Large, three- to five-lobed, light green, matte, with an elongated shape.
• Flowers: Small, saucer-shaped, with pale yellow sepals.

Fruit (Berry)

• Size and weight: Medium-sized, with a weight of 0.5 – 0.7 g.
• Shape and colour: Round, white, translucent.
• Flavour: Dessert-like, sweet-tart (rating 4.8/5).
• Strigs: Long (up to 12 cm), drooping, dense.
• Note: The fruits contain larger seeds.
• Use: Versatile, with good gelling properties.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost resistance: High.
• Drought resistance: High.
• Disease resistance: High resistance to powdery mildew, medium to leaf spots.
• Pest resistance: Susceptible to the currant aphid.
• Requirements: Requires a sunny location and fertile soil.

Cultivation Recommendations

• Due to its susceptibility to the currant aphid, it is advisable to monitor for the pest and intervene if necessary.
• To achieve the best flavour and yield, it is important to provide a sunny location and sufficient nutrients in the soil.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Late-season.
• Harvest characteristics: Dry scar.
• Yield: High, averaging 2.2 – 2.3 kg per bush.