Overview

• The study drew on the largest potato genomic dataset to date, analyzing 128 genomes, including 88 haplotype-resolved sequences, to trace hybrid ancestry.
• SP6A from the tomato lineage functions as a genetic switch to initiate tuber formation while IT1 from Etuberosum regulates the growth of underground stems.
• Tomatoes and Etuberosum shared a common ancestor about 14 million years ago and interbred 8–9 million years ago to give rise to tuber-forming potatoes.
• Geological uplift of the Andes during the Miocene created new cold environments that drove selection for tuber development and asexual reproduction via tubers.
• The study’s genetic roadmap could guide breeding of more resilient potato varieties to strengthen global food security.