First Chromosome-Scale Genome of Cornus kousa K2

Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa Hance) is a popular flowering ornamental tree in the United States (U.S.), largely due to its pest and disease tolerance. Here, we present the first chromosome-scale, diploid genome assembly of C. kousa K2, a foundational breeding parent. The final chromosome-scale genome assemblies are 1602.739 Mb for Hap 1 and 1598.929 Mb for Hap 2. The complete Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Ortholog (BUSCO) for Hap 1 and 2 were 98.8% and 98.4%, respectively. Between the two haplotypes, 98.97% of the genome is placed into chromosomes. 30,799 and 31,044 genes were annotated in Hap 1 and Hap 2, respectively. This annotated genome assembly for C. kousa provides insight into the genomic composition of the species and will enhance our understanding of the genetic control of traits of interest in breeding programs and the evolutionary history of the Cornus genus.