how many chromosomes do potatoes have

how many chromosomes do potatoes have

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Nature

Potatoes, specifically the common cultivated species Solanum tuberosum, typically have 48 chromosomes. This is because they are usually tetraploid, meaning they have four sets of chromosomes (2n = 4x = 48)

. However, other cultivated potato species can have different chromosome counts depending on their ploidy level:

  • Diploid potatoes have 24 chromosomes (2n = 2x = 24)
  • Triploid potatoes have 36 chromosomes (2n = 3x = 36)
  • Tetraploid potatoes have 48 chromosomes (2n = 4x = 48)
  • Pentaploid potatoes have 60 chromosomes (2n = 5x = 60)

Wild potato relatives mostly have 24 chromosomes (diploid)

. In summary, the most common cultivated potato has 48 chromosomes, but chromosome numbers can vary among different potato species and ploidy levels.

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