Sequencing for Cornus kousa K2 genome assembly

The goal of this study was to assemble and annotate a chromosome-scale genome assembly for Cornus kousa K2, a white-bracted and green-leafed cultivar. Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa Hance) is an East Asian-native tree that is popular as an ornamental in the U.S. The genus Cornus is within the family Cornaceae and order Cornales, and as Cornales is one of the earliest diverging asterids, these taxa have been important for phylogenetics research. In additional to its phylogenetic importance, kousa dogwood is a popular ornamental in the U.S. with its showy bract display that can range in color from white to pink in the spring. Although many trees have white bracts, there is consumer demand for novel pigmentation in the bracts combined with other traits of interest. Additionally, kousa dogwoods have greater resistance to many of the common pathogens facing its North American-native counterpart, the flowering dogwood (C. florida). A genome for an important breeding parent in the Rutgers University Woody Ornamentals Breeding Program was assembled and annotated. These genomic resources will be instrumental in progressing dogwood breeding and understanding this early diverging asterid.The genome and annotation is available on Phytozome.