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

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.