Potatoes derived from ancient crossbreeding, researchers say
Modern potatoes, encompassing over 4,000 species, originated approximately nine million years ago in South America.
Their genesis involved the crossbreeding of wild tomato plants and potato -like species known as Etuberosum.
This evolutionary event led to the formation of the tuber, the edible underground root, which provided potatoes with a significant advantage in challenging environments.
Genetic analysis revealed that essential tuber-forming genes were inherited from both tomatoes (SP6A) and Etuberosum (IT1), with both being crucial for potato production.
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