Recent genomic research has revealed that the modern potato originated from an ancient hybridization event between wild tomato relatives and a mysterious potato-like species approximately 8 to 9 million years ago.
Published in the journal Cell on July 31, 2025, the study shows that the cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum) belongs to the Petota lineage, which emerged from a cross between the Tomato group—containing 17 living species including Solanum lycopersicum—and the Etuberosum group, made up of three species native to South America.
This hybridization created a novel genetic combination in the Petota lineage that led to the development of tubers—underground structures for storing water and nutrients that humans now rely on as a major carbohydrate source. Notably, neither the tomato nor Etuberosum lineages produce tubers and this trait did not reappear in their descendants after the hybridization event.
Sandra Knapp, a botanist at the Natural History Museum in London and one of the study’s authors, explained that the crossbreeding generated new genetic combinations that enabled tuber formation. She noted that while there remain unresolved perspectives on the evolutionary relationships between the Tomato, Petota, and Etuberosum lineages, the findings clarify how interspecies hybridization can drive the evolution of novel traits.
Sanwen Huang, a professor of agricultural genomics at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and also part of the research team, said the discovery finally solves the long-standing mystery of the potato’s origins. He emphasized that such hybridization events can trigger evolutionary innovations, allowing for the emergence of new species and traits.
The research provides new insight into how plant evolution, particularly through ancient hybridization, has shaped staple crops that support global food systems today.
