Shocking DNA Test: Tomato Confirmed as Potato’s Long-Lost Mother!

New Delhi: In an intriguing scientific breakthrough, scientists have discovered that the ordinary potato has its roots in an unexpected ancestor — an ancient wild tomato-like plant. The current potato was formed around 8 to 9 million years ago through a natural hybridization process in South America’s mountainous region, new genetic studies reveal.

This ancient hybridization took place between a wild ancestor of the tomato and another plant, Etuberosum. From this union, they developed a new lineage of plants referred to as Petota, of which there are more than 100 wild species and the potatoes we eat today.

How the Potato Was Born

Researchers discovered that two key genes converged in this hybridization:

• One of the genes initiated the capability of developing underground storage organs — the tubers.
• The other regulated when and how these tubers developed.

This strong genetic union enabled early potatoes to produce starchy underground stores, providing them with an advantage for survival in severe mountain climates. With time, these plants multiplied and diversified into the various potato types found across the globe today.

Why This Discovery Matters

The research redefines how we consider plant evolution. Instead of confining a species, hybridization between plants created a whole new type of crop — one which would become a staple in the food chain around the world.

This breakthrough also opens the door to new agricultural possibilities. Understanding how tubers formed could help scientists develop hardier, more adaptable crops in the future. It even raises fun speculation about creating fruit-tuber hybrids — like a tomato-potato fusion.

From Andes to Dinner Plate

While domesticated by humans 10,000 years ago in the Andes, the potato’s evolutionary origins go back millions of years. Now one of the globe’s most significant food crops, thanks to this new research, its amazing history is now being revealed.

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