An international team of scientists based in Scotland has decoded¹ the full DNA² sequence of the potato for the first time.

一支由国际科学家组成的位于苏格兰的小组首次解码土豆的全部基因序列。

The breakthrough holds out the promise of boosting harvests of one of the world's most important staple³（主要的） crops.

Researchers at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee say it should soon be possible to develop improved varieties of potato much more quickly.

The genome of an organism is a map of how all of its genes⁵ are put together.

Each gene⁴ controls different aspects of how the organism grows and develops.

Slight changes in these instructions give rise to different varieties.

Each individual has a slightly different version of the DNA sequence for the species.

Professor Iain Gordon, chief executive of the James Hutton Institute, said decoding⁶ the potato genome should enable breeders（饲养员） to create varieties which are more nutritious⁷, as well as resistant⁸ to pests and diseases.

Colour and flavour

He hopes it will help meet the challenge of feeding the world's soaring population.

The research is far from complete. Analysing the genetic⁹ sequence of the plant will take several more years.

At the moment it can take more than 10 years to breed an improved variety.

By locating the genes that control traits（特性） like yield, colour, starchiness（淀粉质） and flavour, the research should make it possible to develop better spuds much more quickly.

Potatoes provide the world's fourth-largest crop, with an annual, global yield of 330m tonnes.