Insights into the genetic spatial structure of Nicaraguan weedy rice and control of its seed spread

BACKGROUND The genetic backgrounds and occurrence patterns of weedy rice (WR, Oryza sativa) are highly diverse, and so are the challenges facing its control among countries. WR control is difficult because it is similar to cultivated rice and manual removal is one of the few options for control. Understanding the ecology of WR will aid efforts to break its life cycle and establish long‐term management strategies under both irrigated and rainfed systems. RESULTS Nicaraguan WR (NWR) plants were genetically closer to the AUS and Indica pools in terms of to genetic distance. A map of admixture coefficients suggested a pattern of long‐distance dispersal and spread of NWR across Nicaragua, which has likely been facilitated by commercial activities and sharing of harvesting equipment between border cities or important trading ports and inland regions. Moreover, the NWR plants from the soil seedbank in irrigated regions showed different habitats and lower grain number per panicle compared with plants spread by seed‐mediated contamination. In addition, grain indexes showed that length‐to‐width ratio was a better indicator than awn length for distinguishing between NWR and Nicaraguan Indica cultivars. CONCLUSION Analysis of the population structure and habitats of NWR revealed five clusters derived from seed‐mediated contamination in rainfed upland regions, plants from the soil seedbank in irrigated double‐cropping regions, and pollen‐mediated contamination across both regions. Field weed management before harvesting and seed purification based on the length‐to‐width ratio can be conducted to improve the efficiency of long‐term control of WR in Nicaragua. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. The Nicaragua dispersal pattern shown the long‐distance and seed‐mediated contamination across rainfed regions, often from border cities or important trading ports to inland regions, and the soil seedbank contamination was close to lake contamination in twice‐cropping irrigated regions.