4 Discussion
The Asian rice gene pool broadly comprises cultivated rice (Oryza
sativa L.), its wild progenitors (O. rufipogon and O.
nivara ), and weedy rice (Oryza spp.) with close genetic
affinity. In the present study, while the six types of Sri LankanOryza were grouped together, we observed two major clusters: wild
and weedy with cultivated rice. Oryza rufipogon showed unique
differentiation from O. nivara and other Oryza types due
to its species-specific attributes and relatively high genetic distance
(Fig. 2 and 4) (Sandamal et al ., 2021; 2022). We find that weedy
rice from Sri Lanka had a close genetic relationship to cultivated types
and O. nivara . Given that both wild rice species are commonly
found near paddy fields, recurrent interactions between these DWWC
groups in Sri Lanka are possible, suggesting an evolutionarily dynamic
rice system with the potential for gene flow and introgression. Below we
discuss these findings within the context of evolutionary mechanisms
among the DWWC rice groups, particularly exploring how these groups have
been influenced by multiple pathways of gene flow.