KEY POINTS
- Scientists discover a link between tomatoes and potatoes dating back to an ancient ancestor
- Potatoes may have stemmed from an early ancestor of the tomato plant
- The fusion of genetic material between tomatoes and Etuberosum plants led to the evolution of potatoes
ISLAMABAD: Scientists have discovered that the potato evolved from an ancient ancestor of the tomato.
The breakthrough, revealed by researchers at the Agricultural Genomics Institute in Shenzhen, China, highlights the evolutionary link between the two vegetables and could help improve potato breeding and disease resistance.
The findings of this study extend to the realm of agriculture, providing a deeper understanding of the complex web of plant varieties.
The study, published in a science journal called Cell, suggests that potatoes may have stemmed from an early ancestor of the tomato plant, providing a tantalizing explanation for their harmonious pairing.
While it was previously known that tomatoes and potatoes shared genetic similarities, the precise connection between the two remained shrouded in mystery.
By looking into the genetic profiles of both plants, scientists unearthed a hidden link that traces back to the wild tomatoes of the Andean mountains.
Through a complex process of hybridization, these ancestral plants intermingled to give rise to a novel species – the potato we recognize today.
In this botanical tale, the tomato serves as the matriarch while the Etuberosum plant assumes the role of the patriarch.
The fusion of their genetic material paved the way for the evolution of potatoes, a transformation that was not immediately apparent but is now illuminated by scientific inquiry.
Sanwen Huang, professor of the Agricultural Genomics Institute in Shenzhen, who led the research team, said that Tomato is like the mother of potato, and Etuberosum is like the father. This was not clear at first.
The team’s findings were published in a science journal called Cell. They aim to use this knowledge to improve how they breed potatoes in the future and protect them from diseases by understanding their genes better.
