International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 83-90 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 83 Review Article Open Access Genetic and Environmental Factors Controlling Tuber Shape in Commercial Varieties Dandan Huang, Zhen Li Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China Corresponding author: Dandan.Huang@hitar.org International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.2 doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2025.15.0009 Received: 16 Feb., 2025 Accepted: 22 Mar., 2025 Published: 05 Apr., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Huang and Li, 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: Huang D.D., and Li Z., 2025, Genetic and environmental factors controlling tuber shape in commercial varieties, International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 15(2): 83-90 (doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2025.15.0009) Abstract Tuber shape is an important agronomic trait in many commercial crops, with a significant impact on the market value and economic benefits. In this study, the genetic and environmental factors controlling tuber shape were systematically analyzed, and the localization and functional annotation of major genes and loci in quantitative traits (QTL) were revealed. We further explored the mechanism of genetic and environmental interaction, and found that gene expression is significantly responsive to environmental signals, and that genetic and environmental factors jointly influence the formation and stability of tuber shape. In polyploid genomic crops, genetic regulation exhibits complexity and requires further resolution of its contribution to phenotypic variation. The results deepen the understanding of the mechanism of tuber shape formation, and provide the theoretical basis and practical guidance for the accurate breeding of tuber shape in commercial crops. The analysis also points out the technical bottlenecks in the current research, and explores the application prospects of high-throughput omics technology and multi-environment data integration in future research, emphasizing the need for international collaboration and data sharing. This study is important to improve the market competitiveness and breeding efficiency of tuber crops. Keywords Tuber shape; Genetic factors; Environmental factors; QTL, Marker-assisted selection (MAS); Gene editing techniques 1 Introduction The shape of potato tubers is an important quality trait that directly affects their market value. The different shapes of potatoes determine their positioning in processing markets such as French fries and potato chips, where certain shapes are most suitable for enhancing efficiency and product quality. If the shape of the tubers is irregular or not good, the processing cost will rise and the consumer acceptance will also decline. Therefore, making the shape of tubers more uniform has become the main goal of potato breeding projects (Fan et al., 2022). The shape of the tuber also affects processing and storage, as well as the appeal of potatoes to buyers, which increases their economic significance (Si et al., 2018). The shape of potatoes is influenced by both genes and the environment. Studies have shown that several loci in DNA (referred to as quantitative trait loci (QTLS)) are associated with shape changes. The most important ones among them are located on chromosomes 2, 4, 6 and 10. A specific locus on chromosome 10, namely the Ro locus, is regarded as the main controller of the round tuber. The growth environment is also of vital importance. Soil type, available nutrients and weather all affect the formation of tubers. For instance, different levels of nitrogen and potassium can alter the depth of the bud eyes and affect the uniformity of the shape. These results suggest that good field management is the key to achieving an ideal tuber appearance (Yusuf et al., 2024). New measurement methods are now very common. Technologies such as 3D imaging and digital analysis make shape measurement more accurate. They can also help scientists better study how genes and the environment work together. This study will explore how genes and the environment jointly shape the tuber shape of commercial potato varieties, and utilize advanced tuber shape measurement and genetic testing methods to identify the main loci and conditions related to tuber morphology. Researchers selected a large number of diploid and tetraploid varieties to cover a wide range of genetic variations. This study focuses on mapping the genetic regions related to tuber shape,
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