Alcea rosea Genome sequencing

Alcea rosea, a member of the Malvaceae family, is celebrated for its rich floral palette and global horticultural significance. Here, we present a high-quality reference genome for A. rosea, achieving a genome assembly size of 1.09 Gb, with a Contig N50 length of 36.61 Mb. The genome sequence was successfully mapped to 21 chromosomes, and the scaffold N50 length reached 52.57 Mb, with a scaffold genome completeness of 99.6%. A total of 565.84 Mb (comprising 56% of the genome) of repetitive sequences were identified, with transposable elements being predominant, particularly LTR elements, which accounted for 48.44% of the genome. Gene annotation yielded a total of 51,436 genes, which were clustered into 12,858 gene families. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that A. rosea shares the closest evolutionary relationship with Hibiscus cannabinus, diverging approximately 20.2 Mya. These findings provide invaluable genomic resources for elucidating the genetic mechanisms underlying complex traits in A. rosea, paving the way for future advancements in genetic improvement, breeding strategies, and a deeper understanding of the ornamental and genetic characteristics.