Chromosome-level genome assembly of the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi) is a globally destructive pest of gramineous crops, threatening food security via direct feeding damage and barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) transmission. However, its genetic adaptability mechanisms remain poorly understood due to limited genomic resources. Here, we present the first high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly for R. padi. The assembled genome spans 322.52 Mb, with 95.81% successfully anchored to four pseudochromosomes. It exhibits high continuity, with scaffold and contig N50 values of 88.62 Mb and 13.67 Mb, respectively, and a BUSCO completeness of 99.9%. Genome annotation using NR, Swiss-Prot, eggnog, GO and KEGG database has identified 18,981 protein-coding genes. This high-quality genome provides a critical resource for dissecting R. padi's adaptability and developing sustainable pest control strategies.