De novo transcriptome assembly of the Moroccan fir, Abies marocana Trab

Abstract

The Moroccan fir (Abies marocana Trab.) is an endangered conifer endemic to the western Rif Mountains. Despite its ecological and economic significance, no transcriptomic data was previously available for the species. Here, we present the first de novo transcriptome assembly for A. marocana, generated from RNA-seq data obtained from three organs (leaf, stem, and root) subjected to different environmental conditions (drought, heat, cold, hormones, and physical damage), using both short- and long-read sequencing technologies, to achieve a comprehensive representation of the species’ transcriptome. The assembly achieved a completeness value of 92.1% according to BUSCO, with 279,439 final transcripts, of which approximately 45.2% were functionally annotated. This high-quality transcriptome provides a valuable resource for advancing genetic research and supporting conservation efforts for this vulnerable species.