On Jul. 10, 2011, members of the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium (PGSC) announced publication of the complete potato genome in Nature. As the first genome sequence of an asterid, the potato genome revealed 2,642 genes specific to this large angiosperm clade.

Outside of its natural range in South America, the cultivated potato is considered to have a narrow genetic base resulting originally from limited germplasm introductions to Europe. The PGSC, initiated in Jan. 2006 by the Plant Breeding Department of Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre) in the Netherlands, developed into a global consortium of 29 research groups from 14 countries.