Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) is one of the worst weeds in rice (Oryza sativa), but there are few reports about the genetic diversity and herbicide resistance of barnyardgrass in Vietnam. In this study, we used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis and greenhouse testing to study the genetic diversity and quinclorac resistance levels of 15 Echinochloa crus-galli populations in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, and the state of Arkansas, U.S. The quinclorac resistance of Echinochloa crus-galli populations in Vietnam was confirmed; 9 populations were resistant to quinclorac with R/S ratios ranging from 1.9 to 6.3. Six oligonucleotide primers produced a total of 55 repeatable bands of which 46 were polymorphic (83.3% average) among the 15 populations. Genetic distance was calculated, and cluster analysis separated the 15 populations into 2 main clusters with the genetic distances within the clusters ranging from 0.09 to 0.39. The two main clusters were divided into 7 subclusters, and the quinclorac resistant and susceptible populations were located randomly within each subcluster. Six out of 13 weed populations from Vietnam belonged to one cluster and a single Echinochloa species. The remaining 7 populations were identified as potentially different species in the Echinochloa genus. Nine Echinochloa populations from Vietnam were tested and identified as quinclorac resistant. The connection between quinclorac resistance levels and weed groups defined by RAPD analysis in the study is unclear; the quinclorac resistance of each resistant population could have evolved individually, regardless of differences in genetic diversity and location of the sampled populations.