Genetic diversity of the annual weed Monochoria vaginalis in southern China detected by random amplified polymorphic DNA and inter-simple sequence repeat analyses

Two molecular genetic screening techniques, RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNAs) and ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeats), were applied to detect the level and pattern of genetic diversity of Monochoria vaginalis, a common weed of rice fields, in seven populations from southern China. Among these populations, 116 bands were amplified by 18 RAPD primers, of which 34 bands (29.31%) were polymorphic, and 14 ISSR primers produced 111 bands with 87 polymorphic bands (78.38%). Within each population, a relatively low level of genetic diversity was detected by both RAPD and ISSR analyses, with a mean genetic diversity (H) of 0.0348 and 0.0551 respectively. Analysis of molecular variance of the data from the RAPD and ISSR markers detected that the majority of total genetic variation existed among populations (73.50% and 76.70% respectively) and only minor genetic variation within populations (26.50% and 23.30% respectively). Cluster analysis divided the seven populations into two groups, indicating that the genetic relationships among populations have relatively low correlation with their geographical distribution (Mantel test; r = 0.45 and 0.48 respectively). Our results indicated that both RAPD and ISSR markers were effective and reliable for accurately assessing the degree of genetic variation of M. vaginalis. Comparing the two techniques, ISSR markers were more efficient than the RAPD assay. The Mantel test gave r = 0.16, suggesting no correlation between these two molecular markers.     

Genetic diversity of Solanum elaeagnifolium,an invasive problematic weed in Jordan

Solanum elaeagnifolium (silverleaf nightshade) is a problematic weed that is common in Jordan and difficult to control. The weed exhibits distinct morphological variations in growth habit, leaf shape, leaf margins, flower colour and presence or absence of spines between individuals among and within populations suggesting genetic differences. Genetic variations among 61 samples of S. elaeagnifolium collected from heavily infested sites in the central Jordan Valley were investigated using six simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and eight amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) primer combinations. Results showed that 111 out of 675 AFLP bands were polymorphic generating polymorphism information content (PIC) of 38.0%, while 23 SSR polymorphic alleles were detected generating a PIC of 30.8%. Phylogenetic analysis using RaxML software identified four major clades with a clear clustering of the samples with their collection sites. Genetic analysis using both techniques revealed high level of genetic diversity among S. elaeagnifolium samples collected from a small geographical area indicating that a range of genetic diversity may be detected in weed populations across the country that may complicate its management.     

Genetic Variability and Population Structure of the Wheat Foot Rot Fungus, Fusarium culmorum, in Tunisia

The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was used to investigate the genetic variability and population structure of Fusarium culmorum isolated from wheat stem bases. A total of 108 isolates, representing seven geographically distinct populations, was collected from five climatic regions in Tunisia. Pseudo-allelic frequencies were estimated at each of the 25 putative RAPD loci analyzed by scoring for the presence or absence of amplified fragments; 92 haplotypes were found among the 108 strains. The analysis of the population structure did not reveal any trend with regard to geographic origin. Total gene diversity (H_T ^* = 0.318) was mostly attributable to diversity within populations (H_S ^* = 0.308). Analysis of molecular variance confirmed that most of the genetic variability was within populations. Genetic differentiation among populations was low to moderate (G_ST ^* ranged from 0 to 0.190 and averaged 0.041 over all loci). Cluster analysis with UPGMA using genetic distances did not reveal any spatial clustering of the isolates collected from the different geographic regions. Based on these results, we conclude that the F. culmorum isolates recovered from different regions in Tunisia might be part of a single population pool.     

Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers reveal low genetic variation and a single dominant genotype in Eichhornia crassipes populations throughout China

Genetic variation within and between 34 populations of Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) in China was surveyed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. A total of 1009 individuals were analysed, for which 12 RAPD primers amplified 69 reproducible bands, with 22 (32%) being polymorphic. The percentage of polymorphic loci (p) within a population ranged from 4.4% to 17.4%, and the mean Nei's gene diversity (H_e) was 0.046 ± 0.0145, indicating a low genetic diversity of E. crassipes in China. Each population contained at least four RAPD phenotypes (genotypes), and the same particular genotype was invariably dominant in all the populations sampled. The mean proportion of distinguishable genotypes was 0.29. Analysis of molecular variance revealed a large proportion of genetic variation (83.9%) residing within populations and a slightly larger proportion (88.1%) within localities, indicating a low genetic differentiation of E. crassipes populations, both locally and regionally. Human-mediated dispersal, vigorous clonal growth, and a generally low level of sexual reproduction were thought to be responsible for such a pattern of genetic structure.     

Genetic diversity among <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brenneria nigrifluens</Emphasis> strains in Iran

To investigate the variability of Brenneria nigrifluens, the casual agent of shallow bark canker of Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.), a collection of 24 strains isolated from five geographic regions, was analyzed by means of three marker systems, repetitive polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR), insertion sequence (IS50)-PCR and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Cluster analysis was performed using UPGMA. Strains were differentiated into 6 groups at about 80% similarity according to geographic regions. This is possibly due to cultivation of Persian walnut being mainly based on the ecotype and/or local seedlings that have become adapted to particular environments and so have allowed selection of different B. nigrifluens populations. The results of this study showed that the four rep-PCR primers produced 75 products of which 73.3% were polymorphic, eight RAPD primers produced 146 fragments of which 74.6% were polymorphic and IS50 produced 32 fragments of which 93.75% were polymorphic. The usefulness of each system was examined in terms of polymorphism information content (PIC) and marker index (MI). The highest MI was observed for IS50-PCR (21.11) followed by RAPD (7.85), and rep-PCR (6.92). The Mantel test identified significant correlation between the similarity coefficients calculated from them. Among the molecular markers tested, IS50-PCR appears to be a more suitable marker for fingerprinting and assessing genetic relationships among B. nigrifluens strains. This is the first study on genetic diversity of B. nigrifluens. The results can have a bearing on the choice of disease management strategies.     

Genetic diversity of herbicide-resistant and -susceptible Avena fatua populations in North Dakota and Minnesota

Genetic diversity within and among 20 herbicide-resistant (HR) and 16 herbicide-susceptible (HS) Avena fatua multi-field populations was determined using 82 polymorphic loci resulting from two intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers and one long-primer random amplified polymorphic DNA (LP-RAPD) primer. Collections from the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota, sampled in 1964 and 2000, represented A. fatua populations before and after intensive exposure to herbicides. A 1995 collection from south-west North Dakota represented A. fatua exposed to low herbicide selection. Despite differences in years of herbicide exposure among collections, both HR and HS populations from every collection maintained nearly similar levels of ISSR and RAPD diversity. Genetic differentiation among populations (G_ST) varied from 11% to 13% among HR populations and from 9% to 16% among HS populations, indicating that 84–91% of total variation remained within HS or within HR populations. Minimal difference in gene diversity between HR and HS is consistent with multiple origins of resistance, where HR A. fatua most likely evolved from diverse founding individuals.     

不同生境臭柏种群的遗传多样性分析及其与环境因子的相关性

毛乌素沙地臭柏群体是一个生态过渡带。为了进一步阐明分子变异和基因流与生境或生态过渡带的联系,应用RAPD标记开展了臭柏群体的分子生态学研究。采用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)方法对臭柏(Sabina vulgaris.)的3个种群进行了研究.用11个随机引物扩增出129条清晰谱带,其中117条为多态性谱带。利用POPGENE3.2软件对数据进行处理,结果如下:(1)臭柏有着较丰富的遗传多态性,多态位点百分率达90.70%,各种群多态位点百分比在69.77%~72.87%之间.(2)臭柏的种群间分化较小Gst=0.1872,81.38%的遗传变异存在于种群内,各种群的遗传一致度都在86.22%.(3)聚类分析显示,生境相近的种群被聚到了一起,反映了臭柏种群的遗传分化和生境有着一定的相关性.又利用Nei,s指数统计了RAPD数据,也证实了大部分的遗传变异存在于群体之内。臭柏群体内的遗传多样性与土壤总钾呈显著的负相关。     

Morphological and genetic variability of local Echinochloa accessions and the link with herbicide sensitivity

Echinochloa crus‐galli and Echinochloa muricata are common weeds in Belgian maize fields. Both species are morphologically difficult to distinguish and exhibit high morphological variability. Their response to herbicides varies from field to field. This study investigated whether the considerable morphological polymorphism found among Belgian Echinochloa accessions has a genetic background and whether it is consistently associated with differences in sensitivity to maize herbicides. For this purpose, accessions of E. crus‐galli and E. muricata were compared for morphological and genetic resemblance and tested for herbicide sensitivity. All accessions were planted in the field to examine the morphological traits. A cluster analysis was conducted to assess them for morphological diversity. DNA of leaf material was used for amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis to cluster the accessions genetically. Dose–response pot experiments were conducted in the glasshouse to assess the effectiveness of an acetolactate synthase (nicosulfuron), acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (cycloxydim) and 4‐hydroxyphenyl phosphate dioxygenase (topramezone) inhibiting herbicide. The genetic and morphological clusters were compared with the effective doses obtained from the dose–response bioassays. Morphological variation significantly correlated with genetic variation, but the relation with herbicide sensitivity was weak. Spikelet size and biomass characteristics are reliable discriminating characteristics for (sub)species classification. Intraspecies identification does not seem essential for optimisation of chemical control of E. crus‐galli and E. muricata in the field.     

Relation between pathogenicity and genetic variation within <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plasmodiophora brassicae</Emphasis>

The relation between diversity of pathogenicity on clubroot-resistant (CR) cultivars of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) bred in Japan and DNA polymorphisms in 17 populations of Plasmodiophora brassicae from cruciferous plants was examined by inoculation tests and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis using 18 arbitrary primers. Four pathotypes (A–D) were identified after inoculation of six CR cultivars of Chinese cabbage in the 17 populations from cruciferous crops. A relatively high level of genetic diversity was also detected among these populations in the RAPD analysis. Although the four pathotypes could not be clearly differentiated using the RAPD data, most populations of three pathotypes had a consistent location on the dendrogram. All pathotype B (virulent on five cultivars except Utage 70) and D (avirulent on all cultivars) populations, which were common in incompatible interactions with cv. Utage 70, were located in a single subcluster. All five pathotype C populations (virulent only on cv. Utage 70) except for one population grouped in another single subcluster. Because four pathotype A populations (virulent on all six cultivars, races 4 and 9) fell in different subclusters, the populations may be genetically polyphyletic. Populations from cruciferous weed Cardamine flexuosa differed remarkably from those from cruciferous crops in pathogenicity on common cultivars of Chinese cabbage and turnip and C. flexuosa, but they grouped in a single cluster with all race 9 populations from crops. Race 9 populations from crops may thus be closely related to populations from the weed rather than to races 1 and 4 from crops.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">melongenae</Emphasis> isolates from eggplant in Turkey by pathogenicity,VCG and RAPD analysis

Fusarium wilt is an economically important fungal disease of common eggplant (Solanum melongena) cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. Seventy-four isolates of Fusarium oxysporum isolated from diseased eggplant displaying typical Fusarium wilt symptoms were screened for pathogenicity on the highly susceptible cv. ‘Pala’. All the isolates tested were pathogenic to eggplant and designated as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melongenae (Fomg). Genetic diversity among a core set of 20 Fomg isolates that were selected based upon geographic locations, were characterized by using pathogenicity, vegetative compatibility grouping (VCG), and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated for each Fomg isolate until 21 days after inoculation (DAI). The most virulent isolate was identified as Fomg10 based on AUDPC, disease severity and vascular discoloration measurements at 21 DAI. At this date, a good correlation was observed between disease severity and AUDPC values for all isolates (r = 0.73). UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average) cluster analysis of RAPD data using Dice’s coefficient of similarity differentiated all the Fomg isolates tested, and indicated considerable genetic variation among Fomg isolates, but isolates from the same geographic region were grouped together. There was no direct correlation between clustering in the RAPD dendrogram and pathogenicity testing of Fomg isolates. Twenty isolates of Fomg were assigned to VCG 0320.     

内蒙古亚洲小车蝗种群遗传多样性和遗传分化的ISSR分析

亚洲小车蝗Oedaleus asiaticus Bei-Bienko是我国北方草原和农牧交错区的主要害虫。为评价内蒙古地区亚洲小车蝗种群的遗传多样性和遗传分化,应用ISSR标记方法对内蒙古15个亚洲小车蝗种群遗传多样性及遗传分化进行了分析。结果表明,7条引物扩增出85条ISSR条带,均为多态性条带。多态性比例（P）、Nei''s遗传多样性指数（H）和香农多样性指数（I）分别为82.59%、0.2319和0.3421,表明亚洲小车蝗种群具有较高的遗传多样性。基因流（Nm）和基因分化系数（Gst）分别为1.2298和0.3352,表明亚洲小车蝗不同地理种群具有明显的遗传分化。遗传距离与地理距离呈极显著正相关关系。表明地理距离和地形差异可能是形成亚洲小车蝗种群遗传分化的主要原因。     

不同干扰生境中荒漠小灌木红砂种群遗传多样性研究

应用RAPD标记技术对荒漠小灌木红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)种群在不同扰动下的遗传多样性进行了分析。18条随机引物对红砂6个种群的120个个体进行扩增,共检测102个位点,其中多态位点99个。研究结果表明:红砂种群的多态位点比率(P)为96.86%,显示了不同生境中红砂种群内存在较高的遗传多样性。Shannon多样性指数(0.5007)、Nei基因多样性指数(0.3307)和基因分化系数(Gst=0.1952)揭示了红砂种群遗传变异多存在于种群内,种群间的遗传分化则较小。聚类分析表明:红砂种群遗传距离与地理距离之间存在一定相关性;遗传多样性水平与物种特性和不同干扰生境有关,与生态因子无相关性。     

Microsatellite variability of sulfonylurea‐resistant and susceptible populations of Schoenoplectus juncoides (Cyperaceae) in Kinki,Japan

Schoenoplectus juncoides is one of the most harmful weeds found in East Asian paddy fields. Recent emergence of biotypes that are resistant to the herbicide sulfonylurea (SU) has made weed control difficult. To examine the effect of the evolution of this herbicide resistance on genetic diversity within local populations, we investigated microsatellite variability within and among paddy field populations of S. juncoides in Kinki, Japan. In vivo assay of acetolactate synthase activity and root elongation assay in the presence of SU revealed that of 21 populations, five were sulfonylurea‐susceptible (SU‐S) and eight were completely sulfonylurea‐resistant (SU‐R). The remaining eight populations were a mixture of SU‐S and SU‐R individuals. The average gene diversity for SU‐R populations (H_S = 0.168) was lower than those for SU‐S (H_S = 0.256) and mixed (H_S = 0.209) populations, but the difference was not significant. This indicates that positive selection for SU‐R phenotype did not cause a genome‐wide reduction in genetic diversity. Genetic differentiation among S. juncoides populations was higher than that observed for most weed species studied previously. Although populations in neighbouring paddy fields showed a high level of differentiation, Bayesian clustering analyses suggested that some level of gene flow occurs among them and that the genetic exchange or colonisation between neighbouring populations could contribute to the geographical expansion of the resistant allele.     

Genetic diversity of the weed species,Stellera chamaejasme,in China inferred from amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis

Stellera chamaejasme is a perennial weed with a wide geographic range that is found from the Altai of eastern Russia, northern China and Mongolia southwards as far as the western Himalayas of the Qinghai–Tibet and Yungui Plateaus. The genetic diversity and population structure of 17 populations of S. chamaejasme, represented by 349 individuals, were assessed by using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. The results showed a relatively high level of genetic variation at the species level. The proportion of total diversity among populations was 0.4370, suggesting significant genetic differentiation and a low gene flow among the populations of this species. The Mantel test indicated that genetic differentiation among populations was significantly correlated with geographic distance. Genetic drift through range expansion and a low gene flow among populations might result in a lower diversity in peripheral populations, compared to central populations. A Bayesian analysis revealed two potential gene pools in S. chamaejasme, which was confirmed by neighbor‐joining clustering and principal coordinate analysis. These results demonstrate that it is necessary to develop suitable biocontrol agents for populations with different gene pools.     

Response of leaf acetolactate synthase from different leaf positions and seedling ages to sulfonylurea herbicide

Responses of acetolactate synthase (ALS) from grass and broadleaf weed to sulfonylurea (SU) herbicide were compared in relation to the leaf position in a seedling and seedling age. The responses of Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. and Eclipta prostrata L., dominant grass and broadleaf weed in paddy fields in Korea, respectively, to azimsulfuron were examined. In this study, in vivo ALS assay was used to verify the responsibility of selected weed species at different leaf stages to SU-herbicides. The data from in vivo ALS assay could be used for discriminating the degree of tolerance between weeds showed different susceptibility. In E. crus-galli and E. prostrata there was no apparent relationship between the chlorophyll concentrations and herbicide concentrations treated on leaves. Both in E. crus-galli and E. prostrata, the free amino acid concentrations, however, were increased as herbicide concentration increased in the younger leaves. The free amino acid concentrations were generally higher in older leaves than young leaves and were significantly increased concomitantly with increasing herbicide concentration. The ALS activity was decreased rapidly with higher azimsulfuron rates in old but not senescent leaves compared to juvenile leaves. Generally, ALS activity was less sensitive at the early leaf stage than late leaf stage. The activity of ALS in E. prostrata was highly responsive to application time and more susceptible to the herbicide as compared to E. crus-galli. The highest levels of acetoin were observed in the uppermost and youngest leaf in all species tested.     

Intraspecific diversity within avocado field isolates of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosellinia necatrix</Emphasis> from south-east Spain

Fifty-five isolates of Rosellinia necatrix, the cause of common avocado white root rot disease, were collected from south-east Spain and characterised according to their virulence behaviour and their molecular patterns to assess broader levels of genetic diversity. Virulence properties were revealed by in vitro inoculation on avocado plants. Differences in reaction types showed variability among these isolates. No sequence differences were observed when the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and ITS2 regions and DNA fragments of the β-tubulin, adenosine triphosphatase and translation elongation factor 1 genes were explored in representive isolates from five virulence groups. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) amplifications were also performed for each isolate using 19 random primers. Four of these primers revealed polymorphism among isolates and repetitive and discriminative bands were used to build an unweighted pair group with arithmetic mean tree. However, RAPD clustering showed low stability, and no correlation between RAPD and virulence groups was observed, possibly indicating high levels of sexual recombination.     

Genotypic and Pathogenic Diversity Among Pea-Infecting Strains of Aphanomyces euteiches from the Central and Western United States

ABSTRACT Pathogenic and genotypic variability among four populations of Aphanomyces euteiches from individual fields in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Oregon were investigated using pathogenicity and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses. About 50 strains were isolated from each of two pea fields in Minnesota, and 11 and 6 strains from pea fields in Wisconsin and Oregon, respectively, using pea (Pisum sativum) as a baiting host. Pathogenic variability and host range were evaluated in greenhouse studies with five pea lines or cultivars having different levels of resistance to Aphanomyces root rot and one cultivar each of alfalfa and snap bean. All strains were pathogenic on one or more pea cultivars, and 18 and 14% were pathogenic on alfalfa and bean, respectively. Disease severity incited by different strains varied significantly on individual pea cultivars and on all hosts combined. The percentage of strains pathogenic on different hosts varied among locations. Genotypic variation among all 114 strains was evaluated with RAPD analysis. Ten decanucleotide primers detected 92 polymorphic bands. Cluster and principal coordinates analysis revealed one large group containing 102 of the 114 strains from all locations. Two closely related minor groups of strains (12 strains) were genotypically distinct, with about 55% similarity to the main group of 102 strains. The strains in the minor groups were all isolated from the Minnesota locations and were pathogenic on two disease-resistant pea breeding lines (MN313 and MN314). Estimates of genetic diversity based on RAPD analysis ranged from 0.24 to 0.33 within populations to 0.35 among all strains from all populations. A. euteiches populations were genotypically and phenotypically variable, but no distinct genotypic differences were identified among populations from the four isolated locations.     

Genetic Structure and Variation in Aggressiveness in European and Australian Populations of the Grapevine Dieback Fungus, Eutypa lata

Eutypa lata is an ascomycete fungus causing a severe dieback in grapevine. The genetic structure of populations of E. lata from seven regions in Australia, France, Italy and Spain was examined using 20 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. In some regions, populations were subdivided and a total of 14 samples were analysed. A total of 231 RAPD haplotypes were found among the 240 isolates. Vegetative compatibility testing further demonstrated that isolates of the same haplotype were genetically distinct. Gene diversity was the highest in the population from northern Italy and lowest in the Alsace region in France. Linkage disequilibrium between pairs of putative loci was very low and most of the multilocus analyses were consistent with the hypothesis of random association of the loci. This suggests that random mating occurred in every population and that the sexual stage shapes the genetic structure of E. lata populations in the regions sampled. Only 6% of the total variability was attributable to differences between populations. Nevertheless, significant differences in allele frequency appeared with respect to six RAPD markers indicating some genetic differentiation between populations. This differentiation appeared attributable to differences between the Italian and Spanish populations and the other populations. We thus hypothesize that a restriction of gene flow exists within Europe. The population from Australia was genetically closer to the French and Spanish populations than to that from Italy. Genetic diversity is associated with considerable variation in aggressiveness, which was assessed on cuttings in the greenhouse in six populations. All populations included a range of isolates differing in aggressiveness, but the Italian population seemed to have more isolates with low aggressiveness.     

Herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in global rice production

Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.), an annual species of the family Poaceae, is a major weed problem in rice-producing countries throughout the globe. Synthetic herbicides can effectively control this grass in rice paddies, but the development of resistant biotypes after the continuous use of the same active ingredients has led to low herbicide efficacy and yield losses. In this review, a summary of resistant-barnyardgrass cases in global rice production is reported based on data from the International Herbicide-Resistant Weed Database. The first case of resistant barnyardgrass in rice paddies was to the photosystem-II inhibitor propanil in the late 1980s. Eighty-five (85) out of 116 cases in the period from 1986 to 2022 refer to resistant barnyardgrass (E. crus-galli var. crus-galli, E. crus-galli var. formosensis and E. crus-galli var. zelayensis) in 16 countries. Barnyardgrass has been found resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors (34 cases), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors (23 cases), photosystem-II inhibitors (11 cases), auxin mimics/cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors (9 cases), very long chain fatty acid inhibitors (6 cases), and microtubule assembly inhibitors (1 case). The majority of all resistance cases reported to the active ingredients penoxsulam, bispyribac-sodium, and imazamox (ALS inhibitors), cyhalofop-butyl and fenoxaprop-ethyl (ACCase inhibitors), propanil (photosystem-II inhibitors), and quinclorac (auxin mimics/cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors). Although target-site resistance with specific mutations has been identified, non-target site resistance mainly through herbicide detoxification is also of great concern increasing the chance of multiple herbicide resistance evolution. Rotation of herbicides should be adopted concerning the modes of action used as well as the application methods to mitigate resistance evolution of this weed in rice paddies.     

The effect of soil type and farm size on the variability of weed infestation in maize (Zea mays L.) fields in the south-west region of Poland

Weeds are a primary factor limiting maize yield. Their occurrence and abundance are affected considerably by environmental factors and farming practices. The variability of weed number in maize depending on the soil type and farm size was investigated. Farms of different sizes vary in farming practices, which affects weediness. Based on this assumption, farm size was considered as indirect factor affecting weed abundance. An investigation of 45 farms that differed in size (5–15 ha, 15–50 ha, >50 ha) and soil type (chernozem, distric cambisol, haplic luvisol) was conducted. Thirteen dominant weed species persistently occurring in maize fields in south-western Poland were examined. Regardless of the soil type and farm size, the most abundant weed species were Echinochloa crus-galli and Chenopodium album. In addition to these species, the most numerous weeds on chernozems were Setaria viridis and Solanum nigrum, while on haplic luvisols and distric cambisols, the most numerous were Viola arvensis and Elymus repens. Additionally, on haplic luvisols, Anthemis arvensis was abundant. Small farms were stronger infested by weeds than large farms due to the implementation of extensive weed-supressing practices, especially low herbicide use. Soil type affected the number of weeds to a greater extent than did farm size.