Weed genomics: yielding insights into the genetics of weedy traits for crop improvement

Abstract

Weeds cause tremendous economic and ecological damage worldwide. The number of genomes established for weed species has sharply increased during the recent decade, with some 26 weed species having been sequenced and de novo genomes assembled. These genomes range from 270 Mb (Barbarea vulgaris) to almost 4.4 Gb (Aegilops tauschii). Importantly, chromosome-level assemblies are now available for 17 of these 26 species, and genomic investigations on weed populations have been conducted in at least 12 species. The resulting genomic data have greatly facilitated studies of weed management and biology, especially origin and evolution. Available weed genomes have indeed revealed valuable weed-derived genetic materials for crop improvement. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made in weed genomics and provide a perspective for further exploitation in this emerging field.

Current status of community resources and priorities for weed genomics research

“…As research in human and crop genetics pushes into the era of pangenomics (i.e., multiple chromosome scale genome assemblies for a single species [ 15 , 16 ]), publicly available genomic information is still lacking or severely limited for the majority of weed species. Recent reviews of current weed genomes identified 26 [ 17 ] and 32 weed species with sequenced genomes [ 18 ]—many assembled to a sub-chromosome level.…”

Morphological and Genetic Diversity of Schoenoplectiella mucronata (L.) J. Jung & H. K. Choi (Ricefield Bulrush) in Rice

“…Ricefield Bulrush, is a keystone wetland plant species commonly found in rice and comprises a diverse group of wetland plants exhibiting remarkable adaptability to different ecological niches (Ge et al, 2023). With the advancement of molecular techniques in recent years, studies on the genetic diversity of weed populations have opened up new avenues in weed science (Huang et al, 2023). Genetic conservation efforts should prioritize preserving distinct genetic populations of S. mucronata to maintain genetic diversity, which may be critical for the species' adaptability to changing environmental conditions and serves as a valuable resource for understanding their evolutionary history.…”

The International Weed Genomics Consortium: Community Resources for Weed Genomics Research

“…As research in human and crop genetics pushes into the era of pangenomics, (i.e., multiple chromosome scale genome assemblies for a single species [15,16]) publicly available genomic information is still lacking or severely limited for the majority of weed species. In fact, a recent review of current weed genomes identified just 26 weed species with sequenced genomes [17] -many assembled to a sub-chromosome level.…”