Innovaciones: Increasing the potato resilience and nutritional value through super pangenome
To create a potato crop that is more nutrient-dense, disease-free, and weather-resistant, scientists have compiled the genome sequences of roughly 300 varieties of spuds and their wild relatives.
Scientists from McGill University are exploring ways to increase the resilience and nutritional value of potatoes as climate change continues to present significant difficulties in guaranteeing sustainable food supplies globally. To find the genetic characteristics that could contribute to the development of the next super spud, Professor Martina Strömvik and her team have built a potato super pangenome.
“Our super pangenome sheds light on the potato’s genetic diversity and what kinds of genetic traits could potentially be bred into our modern-day crop to make it better. It represents 60 species and is the most extensive collection of genome sequence data for the potato and its relatives to date,” Strömvik mentioned.
A pangenome tries to capture all genetic variation within a species, and a super pangenome additionally encompasses many species. A genome is an organism’s entire set of genetic instructions known as the DNA sequence.
Imagining a Disease-free and Drought or Frost-proof Potato
In terms of human consumption, the potato ranks third among the most significant food crops in the world, behind rice and wheat. The potato is a staple diet for many people around the world.
“Wild potato species can teach us a lot about what genetic traits are critical in adapting to climate change and extreme weather, enhancing nutritional quality, and improving food security,” Professor Strömvik added.
The researchers analyzed data from public databanks, including gene banks in Canada, the United States, and Peru, using supercomputers to create the potato pangenome.
The pangenome, according to the researchers, can provide answers to numerous queries regarding the development of this significant crop, which Indigenous peoples in the southern Peruvian mountains domesticated nearly 10,000 years ago. To develop a super potato utilizing conventional breeding or gene-editing techniques, it might also be utilized to help pinpoint certain genes.
“Scientists hope to develop something that can defend against various forms of diseases and better withstand extreme weather like lots of rain, frost, or a drought,” Strömvik concluded.
Fuente: https://www.potatobusiness.com/trends-news/increasing-the-potato-resilience-and-nutritional-value-through-super-pangenome/
