The potato’s secret past: Scientists uncover ancient botanical romance that changed the world

A team of international scientists has finally cracked a long-standing evolutionary mystery about the origin of potatoes. According to new research, the modern potato owes its existence to a rare natural hybridization event that occurred approximately 9 million years ago in South America, between tomato-like plants and potato relatives known as Etuberosum.

This ancient interspecies union resulted in the first tuber-forming plant, giving rise to the modern potato, one of the world’s most essential food crops.

A botanical evolution

The discovery solves a major contradiction that has puzzled scientists for decades. Morphologically, modern potato plants appear nearly identical to Etuberosum species found in Chile, plants that do not form tubers. However, genetic studies suggested potatoes are more closely related to tomatoes.

To resolve this, the research team, led by Sanwen Huang of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, analyzed an extensive genomic dataset, 450 genomes from cultivated potatoes and 56 from wild relatives. This effort represents the most comprehensive genetic survey of wild potatoes ever conducted.

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They found that all potato species carry a balanced combination of DNA from both tomatoes and Etuberosum, indicating a one-time hybridization event that led to the development of the tuber, a nutrient-storing underground structure that radically enhanced the plant’s adaptability.

The genes behind the Tuber

This evolutionary innovation came down to the merger of two critical genes. The SP6A gene, inherited from the tomato lineage, acts as a “master switch” to initiate tuber formation. Meanwhile, the IT1 gene from Etuberosum controls the growth of the underground stems that develop into tubers.Together, these genes gave the hybrid a powerful advantage: the ability to survive harsh Andean environments by storing nutrients underground, a trait that also enabled rapid reproduction and expansion.

Climate and evolution collide

The hybridization event coincided with the uplift of the Andes Mountains around 9 million years ago, which created a variety of ecological niches. Potatoes, with their newly evolved tubers, quickly adapted to high-altitude, cold, and dry conditions, environments where other crops could not thrive.

Tubers also enabled a form of asexual reproduction. Potatoes could reproduce clonally, growing new plants from buds on their tubers, an evolutionary shortcut that allowed rapid spread and diversification. Today, more than 100 wild potato species exist, though not all are edible due to natural toxins.

From ancient hybrid to global staple

The potato was first domesticated roughly 10,000 years ago in the Andes and has since become the world’s third most important staple crop, following wheat and rice. It now feeds billions, especially in areas with short growing seasons or poor soil conditions.

Understanding the genetic origins of the potato could have major implications for agriculture. With climate change and increasing pest pressures threatening global food security, scientists hope to use these insights to develop more resilient, fast-growing potato varieties.

Huang’s team is already exploring ways to reintroduce tomato genes to engineer potatoes that reproduce via seeds rather than tubers, potentially increasing genetic diversity and disease resistance.

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