Field Crop 2025, Vol.8, No.1, 32-40 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 32 Case Study Open Access Genetic Control of Tuber Size and Yield in Potatoes Xuming Lv, Yeping Han Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: yeping.han@jicat.org Field Crop, 2025, Vol.8, No.1 doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0004 Received: 10 Dec., 2024 Accepted: 21 Jan., 2025 Published: 12 Feb., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Lv and Han, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Lv X.M., and Han Y.P., 2025, Genetic control of tuber size and yield in potatoes, Field Crop, 8(1): 32-40 (doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0004) Abstract Potato (Solanum tuberosumL.) tuber size and yield are influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors. This study reviews key genes and regulatory networks affecting tuber traits, including quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis and transcription factor networks involved in tuber development. The application prospects of gene-editing technologies for improving tuber yield and quality are also explored. Existing research highlights the significant gene-environment interactions on tuber traits, while high-throughput genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and marker-assisted selection (MAS) have become effective tools for optimizing breeding strategies. The study further analyzes the impact of different genetic mechanisms on polygenic traits and the integration potential of traditional and modern molecular breeding techniques to address challenges in yield improvement and stress-resistant breeding. By reviewing recent research progress, this work aims to provide theoretical support for cultivating high-yield and high-quality potato varieties and proposes future research directions. Keywords Potato; Tuber traits; Genetic control; Molecular breeding; Gene editing 1 Introduction Potatoes (Solanum tuberosumL.) are staple foods in many places, especially in developing countries. Many of the carbohydrates, vitamins and even minerals people eat come from them. This is not only because they are delicious and have high nutritional value, but also because they have strong adaptability to the environment and a short growth cycle. Moreover, the yield is not low. For this reason, potatoes have become the world's third largest food crop after rice and wheat. However, if you want to make it produce more and have better quality, you still have to rely on genetic improvement. The yield of tubers, the amount of starch, and the size of tubers are actually quite complicated. They are not determined by a single gene, but are related to the interaction of a large number of genetic factors and environmental factors. Some studies have been done in more detail. For example, QTL analysis has found several key locations-such as on chromosomes 3, 4, 5 and 10, which control important traits such as tuber size and yield. Of course, how these genetic loci were found is inseparable from the credit of genetic maps and association studies. Through these methods, researchers have identified many gene regions that affect trait expression. This opens a window for understanding the genetic control mechanism of potatoes and provides an entry point for precision breeding. This study mainly revolves around these traits, focusing on finding the key genetic loci that affect tuber size and yield. The research team used advanced technologies such as GWAS, hoping to find truly useful genes and alleles. The goal is actually very practical: to help breed potato varieties with high yield, more uniform size, and better resistance to stress. 2 Factors Affecting Potato Tuber Size and Yield 2.1 Environmental factors (light, soil, climate, etc.) Whether potatoes grow well or not, the environment is the key. This is actually not difficult to understand. The amount of sunlight, the quality of the soil, and whether the climate is suitable will affect whether the tubers can develop smoothly. For example, light. Once the sunshine time becomes shorter, tubers are easier to form. This
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==