Sarfraz, I.; Zuccolo, A.; Celii, M.; Francini, A.; Wing, R. A.; Sebastiani, L.

This study presents the high-quality genome assemblies for Populus alba L. Villafranca using PacBio HiFi sequencing. The assembly spans 498.95 Mb, an N50 of 18.18 Mb and the largest contig of 52.03 Mb. BUSCO analysis revealed genome completeness (embryophyta_odb10) with 98.8% of the 1,614 BUSCO groups searched. The Transposable element and repetitive content accounted for ~31.37%. The comparison of P. alba and P. trichocarpa genomes identified 9,741 structural variants (SVs). This comprehensive analysis provides valuable resources for studying poplar genome evolution, domestication, and genetic improvement, underscoring the utility of long-read sequencing for resolving complex genomic features.