Chromosome-Level Genome Data for Cercospora sojina Strain GA51, a Frogeye Leaf Spot Pathogen of Soybean

Cercospora sojina , the causal agent of frogeye leaf spot (FLS), is an economically important fungal pathogen of soybean in the southeastern United States and has become endemic throughout the Midwest and upper Midwest. Current research on C. sojina focuses on epidemiology, host resistance, early detection, and molecular characterization, highlighting the need for a high-quality genome assembly to support accurate identification of molecular mechanisms underlying pathogenicity and adaptation. This study reports the first PacBio HiFi-based, high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly of C. sojina with a total length of 40.7 Mb, an N50 of 4.53 Mb, a longest contig of 6.16 Mb, and 99.5% BUSCO genome completeness, consisting predominantly of single-copy genes, based on the Mycosphaerellaceae family dataset. Comparative genomic analysis revealed four regions of structural divergence with the current reference genome representing candidate structural variants that require further validation to distinguish biological variation from assembly-related differences. Together, this chromosome-level genome provides a high-quality resource for studies on C. sojina evolution, pathogenicity, and population dynamics, thereby advancing efforts to improve frogeye leaf spot management in soybean.