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An ancient hybrid of tomatoes and potato-like plants may have given rise to the modern spud, a new study suggests.

By Alexa Robles-Gil

As a foodstuff, the potato can be baked, boiled, mashed, smashed, hashed, roasted, scalloped, fried and more. As a crop, it is among the world’s most important, with more than 350 million tons produced annually. Its efficiency — it requires less land than wheat or rice — and its ability to grow in a variety of environments has made it essential to global food security.