Helicoverpa assulta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) exhibits a specialized herbivorous diet, primarily targeting select Solanaceae plants. Despite its significant economic impact as a pest, causing substantial harm to crops like hot pepper and tobacco, it has received comparatively limited attention in research compared to its generalist counterparts, H. armigera and H. zea.We introduce a chromosome level genome assembly using a Korean H. assulta (Pyeongchang strain, K18). This assembly was achieved through a combined approach utilizing Nanopore long-read sequencing (approximately 78X coverage) and Illumina NovaSeq short-read sequencing (approximately 54X coverage). The total assembled genome spans 424.36 Mb, designated as ASM2961881v1, comprises 62 scaffolds, with 98.7% of the genome contained within 31 scaffolds, confirming the insect's chromosome count (n = 31). The completeness of the assembly is reflected in BUSCO assessment, with values reaching 99.0%, while the repeat content accounts for 33.01%, and 18,593 CDS were annotated. Additionally, 137 genes were identified within 15 orthogroups that have rapidly expanded in H. assulta, while 149 genes in 95 orthogroups have rapidly contracted. This genome draft serves as a valuable resource to explore various aspects of the specialist's biology, enabling research into host-range evolution, chemical communication, insecticide resistance, and comparative investigations with other Heliothine species.

• Jiyeong Shin(Agriculture and Life Science Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Korea) Corresponding author
• Md-Mafizur Rahman(Agriculture and Life Science Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Korea)
• Seung-Joon Ahn(Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, USA)
• Changhee Han(Agriculture and Life Science Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Korea)
• Juil Kim(Agriculture and Life Science Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Korea)