Potato's Evolutionary Secret: Traced to Ancient Tomato Ancestor
Researchers analyzed potato genomes, discovering the global staple crop evolved from an ancient tomato ancestor. Wild species were domesticated for their large, edible tubers.
Remarkable News in Potatoes
The Atlantic
You Say Potato, Evolution Says Tomato
Scientific American
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Overview
- Researchers conducted an extensive analysis of 450 genomes from both cultivated and wild potato species to uncover their evolutionary origins.
- The study revealed a surprising evolutionary link, indicating that potatoes originally evolved from an ancient tomato ancestor.
- Wild potato species, possessing edible tubers, emerged from this ancient tomato encounter, laying the groundwork for future human interaction.
- Humans subsequently domesticated these wild potato varieties, specifically cultivating them for their large, highly nutritious, and edible tubers.
- Today, the potato stands as a globally significant staple crop, providing a substantial portion of human caloric intake, a legacy of its ancient lineage.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the scientific discovery about potato evolution in a straightforward and informative manner. They focus on explaining the research findings, methodology, and implications using accessible language, without employing loaded terms or selective emphasis to push a particular agenda. The coverage prioritizes factual reporting of the scientific breakthrough.
"This unique genetic pathway could lead to future agricultural innovations for breeding potatoes that donât develop harmful mutations, Huang added."
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FAQ
Recent genome analyses show that potatoes evolved from an ancient hybridization event between an ancestor of modern tomato and an extinct wildflower relative, indicating a shared evolutionary lineage.
Humans domesticated wild potato species that had large, edible tubers, selecting for traits that made potatoes a nutritious and essential food source worldwide.
Researchers have encountered inconsistent genetic evidence regarding whether tomatoes or wild relatives like Etuberosum are more closely related to potatoes, leading to conflicting evolutionary trees before recent large genomic studies clarified these relationships.
Knowledge of potato and tomato evolutionary relationships can help breeders incorporate traits such as pest resistance, climate tolerance, and fruit size or color from wild relatives into cultivated crops.
The genus Solanum is estimated to have originated about 53.1 million years ago, substantially earlier than prior estimates, providing insights into the environmental conditions that shaped their diversification.
History
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