Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)

The yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L. 1753) is an unconventional oil plant with oil-rich tubers, and a potential alternative for traditional oil crops. Here, we reported the first super high quality genome assembly of the yellow nutsedge at chromosome level by combining PacBio HiFi long reads, Novaseq short reads, and Hi-C data. The final genome size is 225.6 Mb with an N50 of 4.3 Mb. More than 222.9 Mb scaffolds were anchored to 54 pseudochromosomes with a BUSCO score of 96.0%. We identified 76.5 Mb (33.9%) repetitive sequences across the genome. 23,613 protein-coding genes were predicted in this genome, of which 22,847 (96.8%) were functionally annotated. A whole genome duplication event was found after speciation, indicating the species rich genetic resources for adaptive evolution. Several significantly enriched GO terms were related to its invasiveness, which may explain their plastic adaptability. In addition, several enriched KEGG pathways and expanded gene families were closely related with the substances in tubers, partially explaining the characteristics of this oil-rich tuber.