A new Chinese bayberry cultivar Zaotan

Abstract: Zaotan is an early- ripining bayberry with excellent appearance. The seeding was derived from a mutant of Biqizhong in a bayberry orchard. The plant with early maturity, large leaves and good quality was observed in a bayberry orchard from 1995 to 2001, and the second and third generations were grafted in 2003 and 2008, respectively. After more than 20 years of observation and identification on the mother tree and offspring, it is believed that the characteristics of the variety are stable and con- sistent. This tree is dwarf, vigorous, round or semicircular in shape, and the trunk and branches are short. The leaves are lanceolate-inverted, dark green, 0.16 cm long and 3.1 cm wide, and have short petiole. The flower is pure pistil, the female flower inflorescence is cylindrical, 0.85 cm long and 0.23 cm thick, and the flower is“V”-shaped. Fruit is nearly round, medium in shape, slightly protrude at the pedicel, and has purplish red peel, round column, slightly hard in texture, sweet and sour taste and small core. The average weight per fruit in Zhejiang region is 13.7 g. The average soluble solid content of the fruit is 11.9%, the total acid is 0.99%, the edible rate is 96%, and the fruit shape index is 0.98. Fruit quality is excellent. The fruit development period lasts from 45 d to 50 d and it matures from late May to early June in Wenzhou area. The main fruiting branches are spring shoots and summer shoots. The fruit-setting rate per inflorescence is 23.6%, and the physiological fruit dropping (June drop) is light. It is resistant to dead branch disease and fruit white rot, and less fruit drop occurs before harvest. Suitable cultivation area is in Zhejiang province and other suitable regions, this variety can bear fruits in the third year after planting and has high yield potential. Bayberry orchards should be established on red and yellow sandy loam with deep soil, sufficient moisture and a pH between 4.5-6.5; spacing in the rows and spacing between rows are 5 m× 6 m or 4 m×4 m. The modified open center system is adopted to cultivate without pruning within 1-2 years after planting, and the pruning including pulling, pressing, hanging and supporting is applied to reduce the top upright branches within 3-4 years after planting in production. The yield is approximately 600 -700 kg per 666.7 m2.