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A Canadian-led team has assembled the most extensive genetic roadmap of the potato to date, along with its closest relatives, in order to bolster the plant鈥檚 ability to cope with聽climate change聽and protect its future as a mainstay of global food security and sustainability.

"Fundamentally, our work tells us where in the (potato) family tree we should be looking for genetic diversity that growers could use to produce better harvests," explained聽Martina Str枚mvik, Chair of 69热视频's Department of Plant Science and a senior author on , published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Mapping the genes of the potato allows scientists to understand the potential for genetic variation and resilience. By uncovering the secrets hidden within potato varieties and their relatives' DNA sequences, or super-pangenome, they hope to develop new varieties that can withstand diseases and thrive under changing environmental conditions.

"Let's take the example of the ice storm we had here in Quebec in the spring," Dr. Str枚mvik told . "If the potatoes had already been planted, would they have survived, or would they have died? These are really things we need to look at."

The super-pangenome can also be mined for genetic variations that help defend against various forms of disease, which are expected to increasingly affect Canadian potato crops as winters become warmer on average and pathogens that are more prevalent in the U.S. migrate northward.聽

Incorporating the relevant genes could also lead to the creation of potatoes that keep longer or are more nutritious for the millions of people whose diets depend on them.

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