Kamchatka bilberry (Vaccinium praestans lamb.): testing methodology development for distinctiveness, homogeneity and stability

The purpose of research is to study the morphological and phenological characteristics of hybrid forms of V. praestans and to develop a methodology for testing for distinctiveness, homogeneity and stability based on them. The results of studying the morphological and phenological characteristics of hybrid forms of red grass (Vaccinium praestans Lamb.) in the natural and climatic conditions of the European part of Russia (Moscow, Kostroma, Khabarovsk Regions) are presented. V. praestans is an endemic plant of the Russian Far East and has high medicinal, food and ornamental value. The experiments carried out on the introduction of V. praestans show the possibility of its successful cultivation in the conditions of the European part of Russia, including for industrial cultivation. We tested 2 hybrid forms obtained from specimens from natural habitats (Sakhalin, Khabarovsk Regions). The current year's shoots of V. praestans are long or medium in size and have a pronounced anthocyanin color; leaves are large and medium in size, with a low or medium length-to-width ratio, with an ovate or broadly ovate shape of the leaf blade, with a weak or medium expression of anthocyanin coloring, sparse or medium pubescence of the leaf edge; inflorescences are short or medium in length, with large or medium-sized flowers, pink or slightly pink in color; fruits are spherical berries, large or medium in size, glossy, fairly dense, red or dark red in color. Peculiarities of flowering and fruiting of V. praestans have been revealed. The periods of the beginning of flowering and the beginning of fruit ripening are early or middle. For the first time in Russia and in the world, based on an analysis of the morphological characteristics of shoots, leaves, flowers and fruits, a methodology for testing the distinctiveness, homogeneity and stability of hybrid forms and varieties of V. praestans has been developed.