Overview

• A comprehensive genomic analysis published July 31 in Cell shows every potato species carries a balanced mix of ancestral tomato and Etuberosum DNA pointing to a single hybridization event 8–9 million years ago.
• Researchers identified SP6A from the tomato lineage and IT1 from Etuberosum as the essential genetic switches that enabled the formation of edible underground tubers.
• The origin of tubers coincided with the rapid uplift of the Andes mountains, giving the proto-potato a survival advantage in cold, dry high-altitude habitats and triggering an explosion of new species.
• Building on these findings, teams are engineering tomato plants to produce tubers and developing diploid, seed-propagated potato lines with simplified genomes to boost disease resistance.
• Insights into the potato’s hybrid origin offer a roadmap to reintroduce lost beneficial traits in modern cultivars and strengthen the crop’s resilience in the face of climate challenges.