Chromosome-level genome assemblies of Thai cassava ecotypes (Manihot esculenta & Manihot glaziovii)

Abstract

Cassava is a vital staple crop, yet genomic resources for diverse ecotypes, particularly from key regions, remain limited. To address this, we generated high-quality genome assemblies for nine Thai M. esculenta cultivars and one wild relative, Manihot glaziovii. The sequencing strategy combined Oxford Nanopore long reads for initial assembly with Illumina short reads for polishing and quality assessment. For five of the genotypes, extensive RNA-Seq data from various tissues and developmental stages were also produced to guide gene annotation. We provide detailed technical validation of the ten genome assemblies, reporting on key metrics of contiguity (N50s from 28.9 to 35.2 Mb), completeness (Complete BUSCO scores from 95.69% to 99.21%), and base-level accuracy (k-mer QV scores from 33.47 to 37.67). The final annotated assemblies and all raw sequencing data have been deposited in public archives and are readily accessible. These datasets represent a significant expansion of the genomic toolkit for Asian cassava, providing a foundational resource for future genetic discovery, comparative genomics, and advanced breeding applications. © The Author(s) 2025.