Background Chinese bayberry ( Myrica rubra Sieb. & Zucc.) is an economically important fruit tree characterized by its juicy fruits rich in antioxidant compounds. Elucidating the genetic basis of the biosynthesis of active antioxidant compounds in bayberry is fundamental for genetic improvement of bayberry and industrial applications of the fruit’s antioxidant components. Here, we report the genome sequence of a multiple disease-resistant bayberry variety, ‘Zaojia’, in China, and the transcriptome dynamics in the course of fruit development. Results A 289.92 Mb draft genome was assembled, and 26,325 protein-encoding genes were predicted. Most of the M. rubra genes in the antioxidant signaling pathways had multiple copies, likely originating from tandem duplication events. Further, many of the genes found here present structural variations or amino acid changes in the conserved functional residues across species. The expression levels of antioxidant genes were generally higher in the early stages of fruit development, and were correlated with the higher levels of total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity, in comparison with the mature fruit stages. Based on both gene expression and biochemical analyses, five genes, namely, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase, (+)-neomenthol dehydrogenase, gibberellin 2-oxidase, and squalene monooxygenase, were suggested to regulate the flavonoid, anthocyanin, monoterpenoid, diterpenoid, and sesquiterpenoid/triterpenoid levels, respectively, during fruit development. Conclusions This study describes both the complete genome and transcriptome of M. rubra . The results provide an important basis for future research on the genetic improvement of M. rubra and contribute to the understanding of its genetic evolution. The genome sequences corresponding to representative antioxidant signaling pathways can help revealing useful traits and functional genes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5818-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) is one of the important subtropical fruit crops native to the South of China and Asian countries. In this study, 107 novel simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers, a powerful tool for genetic diversity studies, cultivar identification, and linkage map construction, were developed and characterized from whole genome shotgun sequences. M13 tailing for forward primers was applied as a simple method in different situations. In total, 828 alleles across 45 accessions were detected, with an average of 8 alleles per locus. The number of effective alleles ranged from 1.22 to 10.41 with an average of 4.08. The polymorphic information content (PIC) varied from 0.13 to 0.89, with an average of 0.63. Moreover, these markers could also be amplified in their related species Myrica cerifera (syn. Morella cerifera) and Myrica adenophora. Seventy-eight SSR markers can be used to produce a genetic map of a cross between 'Biqi' and 'Dongkui'. A neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was constructed to assess the genetic relationships among accessions, and the elite accessions 'Y2010-70', 'Y2012-140', and 'Y2012-145', were characterized as potential new genotypes for cultivation.

Chinese bayberry (CB) is among the most popular and valuable fruits in China owing to its attractive color and unique sweet/sour taste. Recent studies have highlighted the nutritional value and health-related benefits of CB. CB has special biological characteristics of evergreen, special aroma, dioecious, nodulation, nitrogen fixation. Moreover, the fruits, leaves, and bark of CB plants harbor a number of bioactive compounds including proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, vitamin C, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins that have been linked to the anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and neuroprotective properties and to the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The CB fruits have been used to produce a range of products: beverages, foods, and washing supplies. Future CB-related product development is thus expected to further leverage the health-promoting potential of this valuable ecological resource. The present review provides an overview of the botanical characteristics, processing, nutritional value, health-related properties, and applications of CB in order to provide a foundation for further research and development.

Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra) is an economically important fruit tree that is grown in southern China. Owing to its over 10-year seedling period, the crossbreeding of bayberry is challenging. The characteristics of plant leaves are among the primary factors that control plant architecture and potential yields, making the analysis of leaf trait-related genetic factors crucial to the hybrid breeding of any plant. In the present study, molecular markers associated with leaf traits were identified via a whole-genome re-sequencing approach, and a genetic map was thereby constructed. In total, this effort yielded 902.11 Gb of raw data that led to the identification of 2,242,353 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 140 F1 individuals and parents (Myrica rubra cv. Biqizhong × Myrica rubra cv. 2012LXRM). The final genetic map ultimately incorporated 31,431 SNPs in eight linkage groups, spanning 1,351.85 cM. This map was then used to assemble and update previous scaffold genomic data at the chromosomal level. The genome size of M. rubra was thereby established to be 275.37 Mb, with 94.98% of sequences being assembled into eight pseudo-chromosomes. Additionally, 18 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with nine leaf and growth-related traits were identified. Two QTL clusters were detected (the LG3 and LG5 clusters). Functional annotations further suggested two chlorophyll content-related candidate genes being identified in the LG5 cluster. Overall, this is the first study on the QTL mapping and identification of loci responsible for the regulation of leaf traits in M. rubra, offering an invaluable scientific for future marker-assisted selection breeding and candidate gene analyses.

Preharvest fruit-drop is a challenge to bayberry production. 2,4-D sodium as a commonly used anti-fruit-drop hormone on bayberry can reduce the yield loss caused by preharvest fruit-drop. The persistence and risk assessment of 2,4-D sodium after applying on bayberries were investigated. A method for determining 2,4-D sodium in bayberry was established based on LC-MS-MS. The average recoveries of 2,4-D sodium were at the range of 93.7-95.8% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranging from 0.9 to 2.8%. The dissipation rates of 2,4-D sodium were described using first-order kinetics, and its half-life ranged from 11.2 to 13.8 days. A bayberry consumption survey was carried out for Chinese adults for the first time. The safety assessments of 2,4-D sodium were conducted by using field trail data as well as monitoring data. Results showed that the chronic risk quotient and the acute risk quotient were calculated to be 0.23-0.59 and 0.02-0.05%, respectively, for Chinese adults, indicating low dietary risk for adults and children. In the end, the household cleaning steps were compared, and results showed that water rinsing for 1 min can remove 49.9% 2,4-D sodium residue, which provides pesticide removal suggestion for consumers.