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International Research Reveals That The Potato Appeared From Crossbreeding Between Tomato And South American Species Up To 9 Million Years Ago.
An international study indicates that the modern potato emerged from a cross between tomato plants and species similar to the potato, known as Etuberosum, from South America.
This event occurred about 8 to 9 million years ago and resulted in the formation of the tuber—a subterranean structure that stores nutrients and is also present in plants like yams and taros.
Today, the potato is the third most important staple crop in the world. Together with wheat, rice, and corn, it accounts for 80% of the global calorie intake.
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Despite their physical similarity to three Etuberosum species from Chile, these plants do not produce tubers.
et al. revealed that Petota is of ancient hybrid origin, with all members exhibiting stable mixed genomic ancestry derived from the Etuberosum and Tomato lineages about 8 to 9 million years ago.
Solving A Mystery
To understand this apparent contradiction, the team led by Dr. Sanwen Huang from the Shenzhen Agricultural Genomics Institute analyzed 450 genomes of cultivated potatoes and 56 of wild species. Most importantly, the study successfully identified the hybrid origin of the potato, combining genetic material from Etuberosum and tomato.
According to Dr. Huang, the discovery shows how hybridization between species can generate new traits and promote the emergence of new plants.
He states that this is a definitive step towards understanding where potatoes came from.
Unprecedented Data
According to Dr. Zhiyang Zhang, also from the Agricultural Genomics Institute, gathering data on wild potatoes is a major challenge.
Therefore, this survey represents the broadest collection ever made of this type of genetic material.
The analysis pointed out that Etuberosum and tomatoes, although different species, share a common ancestor from 14 million years ago.
Even after diverging for 5 million years, they managed to crossbreed, resulting in the first potato plants with tubers.
Tuber Forming Genes
Scientists tracked key genes for tuber formation. The SP6A gene, which acts as a “switch” to initiate the process, came from the tomato.
Meanwhile, the IT1 gene, responsible for controlling the growth of subterranean stems, came from Etuberosum. Without one or the other, the potato would not be able to develop tubers.
Adaptation To The Environment
This evolutionary change coincided with the rapid rise of the Andes Mountains, creating new ecological environments.
With tubers to store nutrients, potatoes managed to adapt to the severe climate of the mountains and survive at different altitudes.
Moreover, tubers allow for seedless reproduction or pollination, as long as sprouts arise from them to create new plants.
This facilitated rapid expansion through Central and South America, occupying areas from pastures to cold alpine meadows.
Evolutionary Importance
For Dr. Huang, the creation of this subterranean structure gave potatoes a competitive advantage in hostile environments.
This drove an explosion of new species and helped shape the current diversity, which is essential for human nutrition.
The study, published on July 31, 2025, in the journal Cell, reinforces the idea that evolution can be guided by unlikely encounters between distinct species capable of changing the course of the history of fundamental plants for human survival.
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