Data from: Genetic variation and possible origins of weedy rice found in California

Control of weeds in cultivated crops is a pivotal component in successful
crop production allowing higher yield and higher quality. In rice‐growing
regions worldwide, weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea Rosh.) is a weed
related to cultivated rice which infests rice fields. With populations
across the globe evolving a suite of phenotypic traits characteristic of
weeds and of cultivated rice, varying hypotheses exist on the origin of
weedy rice. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity and possible
origin of weedy rice in California using 98 simple sequence repeat (SSR)
markers and an Rc gene‐specific marker. By employing phylogenetic
clustering analysis, we show that four to five genetically distinct
biotypes of weedy rice exist in California. Analysis of population
structure and genetic distance among individuals reveals diverse
evolutionary origins of California weedy rice biotypes, with ancestry
derived from indica, aus, and japonica cultivated rice as well as possible
contributions from weedy rice from the southern United States and wild
rice. Because this diverse parentage primarily consists of weedy, wild,
and cultivated rice not found in California, most existing weedy rice
biotypes likely originated outside California.