A chromosome level reference genome for the pecan weevil, Curculio caryae

The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn), is an obligate feeder of pecan and native hickory trees (genus Carya) throughout North America. Subsequently it is a significant agricultural pest in pecan orchards. In this study, we present a reference quality genome using deep-coverage, ~40x PacBio HiFi genome sequence reads, and chromatin confirmation, Hi-C, scaffolding. The final genome assembly is approximately 2.2 Gb, which was confirmed by flow cytometry. The primary genome scaffolds have an N50 of 132 Mb and a BUSCO completeness of 95.4% [S:94.3%, D:1.1%]. Furthermore, we employed PacBio long-read RNA, Iso-seq, for de novo gene annotation, in conjunction with InterProscan to identify approximately 19,000 protein coding genes. Repeat content is extensive, contributing at least >80% of the total genome. This data set provides a valuable resource for comparative genomics and evolutionary studies of an economically impactful group of insect pests that currently lack extensive genomic resources.