I Just Learned Potatoes Came From This Common Fruit And I'll Never Look At Them The Same

Just when I thought nothing could surprise me anymore, along came a new study from the journal Cell suggesting the humble potato has a very unlikely great-great-great-great-(and many more greats)-grandparent. The comforting and versatile vegetable, which doesn’t have a particularly strong flavour profile regardless of whether it’s dished up as a crunchy roast spud or mouthwateringly smooth mash, actually derives from the juicy, sometimes sour-tasting...Tomato?!Yup, you heard that correctly.How? What? Why?While they grow underground, potatoes are not technically a root vegetable, and are instead ‘tubers’ – as they grow from modified stems.Scientists analysed 450 potato genomes and traced them back to tomato plants and a potato-like species from South America who joined forces roughly 8-9 million years ago.Researchers said the “hybridisation event” between the two species triggered the formation of the tuber – aka the modified stems that store nutrients found in plants like potatoes and yams. “We’ve finally solved the mystery of where potatoes came from,” said study author Sanwen Huang of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China.After analysing potato genomes, researchers found every potato species contained a stable, balanced mix of genetic material from both Etuberosum (a species of wild potato) and tomato plants, suggesting that potatoes originated from both plants.“Our findings show how a hybridisation event between species can spark the evolution of new traits, allowing even more species to emerge,” said Huang. Anything else?Well, yes actually. According to a news release, the team looked into the origins of the potato’s tuber-forming genes, which are a combination of genetic material from each parent.They found one particular gene – called SP6A, which tells the plant when to start making tubers – came from the tomato side of the plant family.Another gene – called IT1, which helps control growth of the underground stems that form tubers – came from the Etuberosum (wild potato) side.Researchers suggested without either of these, the plant would be incapable of producing tubers, and therefore, potatoes.Fascinating.Related...'Swamp Potatoes' Have Gone Viral, And It's The Easiest Slow Cooker Recipe I've SeenThis Storage Trick Can Keep Potatoes Fresh For 6 MonthsSo THAT's Why Restaurant Mashed Potatoes Are So Much Better

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I Just Learned Potatoes Came From This Common Fruit And I'll Never Look At Them The Same

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