Unveiling the Ancient Hybrid Legacy of the Potato | Science-Environment

How did the tomato create the potato? Chinese team traces tuber’s hybrid past

Researchers conduct ‘DNA paternity test’ on potato varieties in ‘pioneering’ study that sheds light on ancient origins of the staple crop.

Unveiling the Ancient Hybrid Legacy of the Potato | Science-Environment

The potato's evolutionary origins have been decoded, tracing back to a hybridization event between a wild tomato and a potato-like species in South America 9 million years ago. This genetic crossover resulted in the development of tubers, enabling the potato's adaptation to cold Andean environments.

Scientists discover that tomato is 'mother' of potato

Potato traces its ancient roots to tomato hybridization

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Aug 01, 2025 An international team of scientists has traced the evolutionary origin of the modern potato to a natural hybridization event between wild tomato relatives and Etuberosum species in South America roughly 9 million years ago. Published in Cell, the study reveals that this interbreeding introduced critical genetic material enabling the formation of tubers-specialized underground structures fo

How ancient tomato genes created the potatoes we eat today

Potatoes might be one of your favorite foods, whether baked, fried, or mashed. But have you ever wondered where they came from? Scientists have finally uncovered a surprising family secret about potatoes, and it involves an unlikely relative: tomatoes. About nine million years ago, in the wild regions of South America, a tomato plant and a potato-like species called Etuberosum interbred. This unusual partnership led directly to the potatoes grow…