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Why potatoes wouldn't exist without tomatoes

为什么没有番茄就没有土豆

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Potatoes and tomatoes taste great together in a stew, don't they? Well, thanks to research, we now know that they not only complement each other in some recipes, they also share a surprising genetic link that makes these two plants relatives.

把土豆和番茄炖在一起吃太美味了，是不是？得益于科学研究，我们现在知道土豆和番茄不但在一些菜肴中能让口味互补，它们之间还有一个令人吃惊的的基因上的联系，让这两种植物成了亲戚。

Their story started millions of years ago, when the ancestor of the wild potato, called etuberosum, naturally interbred with the ancestor of the wild tomato and created the first potato tuber on Earth. Researchers believe that this event likely took place in South America.

它们的故事始于数百万年前，野生土豆的祖先 “类块茎体” 在那时和野生番茄的祖先发生了自然杂交，创造出了地球上的第一个土豆块茎。研究人员认为这一事件可能发生在南美洲。

The reason scientists are so interested in finding out the family history of potatoes is a phenomenon called 'tetraploidy'. Tetraploidy describes cells that carry four copies of chromosomes. Most varieties of potatoes that we eat today have tetraploidy, different from their wild ancestor, which only had two copies of chromosomes.

让科学家们对土豆的家族历史如此感兴趣的原因是一种被称为 “四倍体性” 的现象。四倍体性指的是细胞含有四个染色体组的现象，而如今我们所食用的大多数土豆品种都具有四倍体性，不同于它们仅有两个染色体组的野生祖先。

Using DNA sequencing, researchers have found out about the happy accident that created the tomato-etuberosum hybrid and gave rise to potato as a starchy root vegetable.

通过 DNA 测序，研究人员发现了这场惊喜的意外，这次意外创造了番茄和类块茎体的杂交品种并使得土豆成为了一种淀粉类根茎蔬菜。

In today's world, potatoes have become one of the most important sources of energy and nourishment. A regular potato contains nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, fibre and resistant starch.

在当今世界，土豆已经成为了最重要的能量和营养来源之一。一颗普通的土豆含有维生素C、钾、纤维和抗性淀粉等营养成分。

So, next time you are eating a potato, remember that you are enjoying one of nature's true wonders.

所以，下次你吃土豆的时候，记着你是在享用一个大自然的奇迹。