A 'chip' off the old block: Scientists make breakthrough in potato crop cultivation

"Overcoming the deleterious mutations is the most difficult task in this research," says Huang Sanwen, leader of the research team.

The researchers collected and compared genomic information from 100 Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae materials with an accumulated evolution history of 1.2 billion years. Potato belongs to the Solanaceae family, while sweet potato belongs to the Convolvulaceae family.

"We observed that after 1.2 billion years of evolution, if a gene or a piece of DNA of plants remains unchanged, it indicates that it is particularly important. We have identified the most conserved and unchanging sites in the genome," Huang says.

"If these gene sites mutate, it is more likely to have adverse effects on potatoes, that is, deleterious mutations. We have explored the whole picture of deleterious mutations at the genome-wide level, and created the first two-dimensional map of potato deleterious mutations. Therefore, we can search for, and eliminate, deleterious mutations more comprehensively and efficiently," Huang says.

The research team also developed a new whole-genome prediction model, incorporating deleterious mutation information, which could significantly improve the prediction accuracy of traits such as yield, plant height and tuber shape by 25 to 45 percent. The model could assist breeders in making early cultivation decisions, thereby reducing costs and shortening the breeding process of potatoes.

The research could increase the efficiency of potato breeding by about 50 percent, providing a basis for variety improvement. The technology could also be applied in improving other crops, such as sweet potatoes, fruits, sugarcane, as well as many tropical crops, Huang adds.