What’s a Potato? A Nine-Million-Year-Old Tomato

A recent study suggests that the modern potato may have originated from an ancient hybrid of tomatoes and potato-like plants dating back to around 9 million years ago. The research, published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, analyzed the genetic makeup of various wild and cultivated potato species, as well as their close relatives, to trace the evolutionary history of the potato. The findings indicate that the common ancestor of potatoes and tomatoes was a plant that resembled a potato in terms of its underground tubers, but had the above-ground characteristics of a tomato plant. Over time, this ancient hybrid species gradually evolved into the modern potato we know today. This discovery provides new insights into the complex evolutionary history of one of the world's most important food crops, and highlights the remarkable adaptability and resilience of plant species over millions of years.