A new study published in Cell magazine shows that the current potato could come from a hybridization event between wild tomatoes and a potato-like plant, now called Etuberosum, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
This crossing would have occurred about nine million years ago in the Andes Mountains, allowing the development of tubers, the defining feature of the potato, we report.
Genetic traces of the past
The researchers analyzed the genomes of potatoes and tomatoes, both wild and cultivated, as well as their ancestors. They discovered that neither the early tomatoes, nor the Etuberosum could form tubercles of themselves.
However, combined, their genes allowed the development of tubers: the Red Gena gene activated the growth of tubers, and the IT1 gene from ETuberosum formed the underground stems.
This hybridization coincided with the rapid lifting of the Andes Mountains, a hard environment that favored the resilience of the new potato. Tubers have offered a major evolutionary advantage – reproduction without pollenizers and survival in difficult climates – triggering a rapid diversification of the species.
Implications for modern agriculture
Understanding this ancient merger opens new possibilities for agricultural innovation.
Scientists hope to get more resistant potato varieties, capable of supporting drought, diseases and pests.
As the study author says, Sanwen Huang: “Next time you eat potatoes, thank a tomato.”
