First Chromosome-Scale Genomes of Wild Sunflower Species Assembled, Accelerating Perennial Crop Development

Researchers from The Land Institute and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology have successfully assembled the first chromosome-scale, haplotype-phased genomes for Silphium integrifolium and Silphium perfoliatum, two wild sunflower species. Published in Nature Communications, this landmark research provides foundational genomic data to accelerate the domestication of these deep-rooted North American prairie species into climate-resilient perennial crops for food, fiber, forage, and medicines.