On the 9th, it was learned from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences that the world's first complete genome of Ficus plants from telomere to telomere has been released, correcting multiple gaps and assembly errors in the original genome, greatly improving the continuity, integrity, and accuracy of the Ficus genome. The relevant research results were recently published in the international journal Horticultural Research. Ficus is a collective term for over 800 species of plants in the Ficus genus of the Moriaceae family, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. The Ficus genus includes 6 subgenera, among which the Ficus genus is a typical functional dioecious plant. However, there are a large number of missing information and assembly errors in the original genome of Ficus microcarpa, which hinders further research by researchers. Zhang Xingtan, the corresponding author of the paper and a researcher at the Shenzhen Institute of Agricultural Genomics, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told reporters that the agricultural genomics technology research and application innovation team of the institute has comprehensively utilized various sequencing technologies to reassemble and improve the original genome, and released the first complete genome of Ficus plants from telomere to telomere. The genome size is 371.8 megabytes, and all sequences are mounted on 14 chromosomes, accurately analyzing 26642 protein coding genes. After evaluation, the integrity of the genome reached 98.7%, significantly improving the continuity and accuracy of the Ficus microcarpa genome. On this basis, researchers further constructed gene regulatory networks for different developmental stages of male and female flowers in Ficus, and identified key genes for male flower development, providing important resources for studying important characteristics and sex determination in Ficus plants. "Through this study, we can not only gain a deeper understanding of the sex evolution and key biological characteristics of banyan trees, but also successfully discover potential sex determining genes. At the same time, this study reveals through gene regulatory networks that these genes regulate the sex expression and flower development process of banyan trees, providing a new theoretical basis for the mechanism of plant sex determination and developmental biology." said Liao Zhenyang, the first author of the paper and postdoctoral fellow at the Shenzhen Institute of Agricultural Genomics, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. (Lai Xin She)