Chromosome-level genome assembly of the invasive leafminer fly, Liriomyza trifolii (Diptera: Agromyzidae).

Liriomyza trifolii is an economically-significant polyphagous pest that infests plants grown in both field and greenhouse conditions. Unfortunately, the lack of genomic resources has hindered our understanding of its ecological adaptation and invasiveness. To address this, we assembled a chromosome-level genome sequence of L. trifolii using a combination of short Illumina reads, PacBio HiFi long sequencing, and Hi-C scaffolding technology. The genome size was calculated at 122.64 Mb, the scaffold N value was 23.84 Mb, and 96.25% of the assembled sequences mapped to five chromosomes. BUSCO analysis showed high completeness with 95.28% gene coverage. A total of 11,883 protein-coding genes were identified along with 20.60 Mb of transposable elements. In summary, the genome of L. trifolii provides a valuable genetic resource for understanding invasive pests and developing effective management strategies.