Recent research has settled a long-standing debate regarding the origin of the potato blight that caused the Irish famine. Conducted by a team including Prof Jean Ristaino, the study is one of the largest whole genome analyses of the pathogen Phtytophthora infestans and its relatives. The findings indicate that the pathogen originated in the Andes region, aligning with historical accounts of its existence among indigenous Andean potato cultivators prior to its devastating introduction to Europe in 1845. Despite some ongoing debate, the extensive data presented strongly supports this South American origin.
Prof Jean Ristaino, the co-author of the research from North Carolina State University, noted that the evidence is heavily in favor of a South American origin for the potato blight pathogen.
The researchers found that the modern populations of the potato blight microbe emerged from historic populations from the 19th century, showing a complex relationship between those from Mexico, the Andes, and Europe.
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