The Bakchar Breeding Station manages the largest haskap (Lonicera caerulea) plantation in Siberia. It covers an area of over 40 hectares in the north of the Tomsk Region. The majority of this area consists of selection plantations and areas where genetic material is concentrated for comparative studies. During the entire period of work with haskap (also known as honeysuckle), countless crosses have been conducted, and over 40,000 hybrid seedlings have been planted and evaluated.
The beginnings of breeding work date back to 1964, when workers at the breeding station, I.K. Gidzyuk in Kamchatka and Z.P. Zholobova in Western Siberia collected seeds of wild forms of haskap. After their sowing, it turned out that only the subspecies Lonicera Kamtschatica, Lonicera Turczaninowii, and Lonicera Altaica produced significant results when mutual crossed. These were hybrid forms with large and very large, sweet, bitter-free fruits that do not fall off the bush when ripe. At the same time, they are drought-resistant, produce sufficient yields, and are suitable for potential mechanical harvesting.
Today, the gene pool includes 13,500 seedlings, the collection contains 60 varieties, and another 172 varieties are located on plots for comparative studies. 22 selected varieties from local selection are being tested for commercial cultivation and mechanized harvesting. In the northern zone of the Tomsk Region, the performance of 21 foreign varieties is being tested. The first varieties of haskap, Tomichka and Bakcharskaya, were bred here and have been registered in the State Register of Varieties since 1987.
Breeders from Bakchar have so far bred 25 original varieties of haskap. 19 of them are registered in the State Register of Varieties. These are: Tomichka, Bakcharskaya, Kamchadalka, Vasyuganskaya, Roksana, Narymskaya, Sibiryachka, Gordost Bakchara, Pamyati Gidzyuka, Bakcharsky Velikan, Parabelskaya, Chulymskaya, Silginka, Bakcharskaya Yubileynaya, Strezhevchanka, Doch Velikana, Yugana, Ussulga and Vostorg. Patents for the plant breeders rights and author's certificates have been obtained for ten of them. In recent years, several new varieties have been created: - Siny Utes, Siny Sharik, Lavina, Uslada, Mamontenok and Aquamarin. All are currently being tested in state variety trials in the West Siberian region. New varieties were gradually successfully tested in the cold regions of Novosibirsk, Altai, Krasnoyarsk, Buryatia, Amur, and Tyumen, and their propagation began rapidly. About 200,000 plants of new varieties of haskap are grown and sold each year.
Early varieties ripen in central Russia in early June. In temperate climates, you can enjoy the fruit as early as May. And in colder regions, harvesting begins in the last days of June. For better yields, several different varieties with the same flowering period are planted. Haskaps are very frost-resistant, even tolerating frosts down to -50°C!
With the breeding of new, excellent Bakchar varieties from the Tomsk Region, haskaps have gained increasing popularity. Many are characterized by their sweetness, fruit size, high yield, and suitability for mechanical harvesting. Here's a closer look at the best-tasting haskap varieties:
Sibiryachka – an early variety with even ripening of sweet, aromatic berries. A 10-year-old plant produces 2 kg of purple, spindle-shaped, small fruits. The maximum yield from one bush is 3.2–3.5 kg of fruit. When ripe, they practically do not fall off and hold firmly on the branches. Its advantages include winter hardiness to -50°C, resistance to drought, pests, and diseases. The best pollinators are Kamchadalka, Tomichka, and Pamyati Gidzyuka.
Siny Utes – a new, highly productive variety registered in the State Register of Varieties for the Western Siberian region. The berries ripen from June 10 to 20. Their average weight is 1.6 g. The flesh is sweet and sour and has a sugar content of 9.8%. The yield from 7-8-year-old bushes is about 4 kg of non-falling fruit. The variety is characterized by high frost resistance and good resistance to pests and diseases. It is moderately resistant to drought and heat. Suitable pollinators are Ussulga and Vostorg.
Silginka – considered one of the most delicious haskap. The variety has aromatic berries with tender flesh and an average weight of 1.4 to 2.2 g. The yield per bush is 3.5 kg. The plant begins to bear fruit in the second or third year after planting. The bush grows to no more than 1.5 meters tall and no more than 1.20 meters wide. The crown is oval and moderately dense. The variety is self-pollinating, but produces more fruit when grown alongside other varieties.
Bakcharsky Velikan – a popular variety characterized by large, cylindrical fruits and high yield. Each fruit can weigh up to 2.5 g. The berries have a refreshing sweet and sour taste. The first harvest can be harvested within two to four years after planting. It produces regular harvests for up to two decades, with each bush producing 3–4.8 kg of juicy berries. For cross-pollination, varieties with the same flowering period are required. The bush grows up to 2 meters tall and is resistant to diseases, pests, and severe frost.
Doch Velikana – the berries of this variety are considered one of the largest. The fruits are pear-shaped, almost black, and weigh up to 2.5 g. They are characterized by their sweetness, a slight acidity, and no hint of bitterness. The yield is about 3–3.5 kg per bush. The fruits hold tightly on the branches. This is a medium-early variety, ripening in the second half of June. Initially, it grows slowly and only produces a commercial yield five to six years after planting. The bush is large and has a fairly dense crown. Pollinators are required for a good harvest.
Uslada – a new variety with excellent characteristics, released in 2023. The fruits are very large, weighing between 1.7 and 3.5 g, are dark purple, and have the shape of a wide spindle with a thick skin. Its taste is highly prized, pleasant, and aromatic; no wonder it was called Uslada (Pleasure). The fruits ripen at the end of June, do not fall off, and are easy to transport. The bushes consistently produce high yields every year. The yield from an 8-10-year-old plant is up to 4 kg of fruit. This variety is highly resistant to diseases and pests and tolerates temperatures down to -40 °C. However, its resistance to heat and drought is average. Mid-late varieties, such as Bakcharskaya Yubileynaya, are suitable for pollination.
