Researchers at NRGene and Wageningen University & Research are working on creating multi-genome mapping of commercial food potatoes. Potatoes are known to be the fourth most consumed food crop globally.

Mapping the genome of potatoes is extremely difficult because it is an auto-tetraploid, wherein each potato cell contains four nearly identical copies of each chromosome and gene. To date, the researchers have completed the phased assembly of three commercial potato varieties. According to NRGene, the assembly is built of scaffolds with an N50 of 1.19 Mbp, less than 0.89% unfilled gaps, and BUSCO results of 96.25%, 86% of which are found in more than one copy.

Cracking the genomes of commercial food potatoes would help scientists develop better varieties for farmers and consumers.

Read the press release from NRGene for more details.