Anatomical features of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) leaves in the conditions of the Moscow Region, Russia

This research presents the results of an investigation into the anatomical features of freshly picked leaves of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton), introduced into the Dendrological Garden of R.I. Schroeder (Moscow). The current lack of published data regarding the anatomical adaptation of V. angustifolium to altered agroclimatic conditions during cultivation hinders the assessment of the introduction potential of this valuable berry crop. Therefore, the study of the anatomical features of V. angustifolium leaves under the conditions of introduction in the Moscow Region is relevant. Plant material was collected for analysis in July of the years 2023–2025 during the phase of peak fruit production. The anatomical features of plant leaves were studied in accordance with the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation. Anatomical analysis revealed that V. angustifolium leaves are dorsoventral and hypostomatic. The stomatal apparatus of the leaves is paracytic. The midrib of the leaf blade and petiole is characterized by a closed collateral vascular bundle. Over the observation period, plants exhibited an increase in total leaf thickness, upper and lower epidermis thickness, palisade and spongy mesophyll thickness, and an alteration in the ratio of spongy to palisade mesophyll, as well as an increase in stomatal density. Specifically, the palisade coefficient of V. angustifolium leaves increased by 7% from 2023 to 2025, and the stomatal index increased by 3.5%, indicating enhanced photosynthetic activity and adaptation of the plants to the agroclimatic conditions of the Moscow Region. The established anatomical diagnostic features of V. angustifolium leaves can be utilized in compiling anatomical atlases of cultivated plants, identifying and authenticating of plant material, and assessing the adaptive potential of introduced plants. Furthermore, these findings provide a theoretical foundation for developing a methodology for introducing berry crops.

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