The Genome Sequence of the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin): Insights on Biology of an Invasive Agricultural Insect Pest and Implications for Pest Control

The Rugose Spiraling Whitefly (RSW) (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin), a pest native to Central America, primarily infests coconut palms. Since its initial description, this species has been introduced to regions beyond its native range, including North America (e.g., Florida) and Southeast Asia. In India, RSW was first reported in 2016, with early infestations localized in the southern peninsula before rapidly expanding to multiple states nationwide. Currently, it is regarded as a major invasive pest of coconut in India. In addition to coconut, the RSW exhibits a broad host range, causing damage to various palms, fruit crops such as mango, and ornamental shrubs. In the present study, we report a high-quality draft genome assembly for this insect pest using PacBio long-read HiFi sequencing (Pacific Biosciences, CA, USA). The assembled genome spans 1.05 Gb, with a contig N50 value of 10.23 Mb. Approximately 521 Mb of sequences accounting for 47.30% of the genome were identified as repeat elements. The assembly includes 35,844 predicted coding sequences and exhibits high completeness, with 98.4% of BUSCO genes recovered for the core insect gene set. The sequencing of the RSW genome offers valuable insights into the biology of one of the most significant and pervasive agricultural pests. The expansion of gene families associated with insecticide resistance may indicate this pest's ability to metabolize selective insecticides. This information has the potential to greatly enhance strategies for managing the RSW population size and limiting its invasive capacity for pest control. Additionally, the genome provides a foundation for comparative studies of whitefly genomes, contributing to a deeper understanding of gene family evolution and functional genomics, and possibly informing the future design and development of novel insecticides.