The nature and extent of past and current hybridization between cultivated potato and wild relatives in nature is of interest to crop evolutionists, taxonomists, breeders and recently to molecular biologists because of the possibilities of inverse gene flow in the deployment of genetically-modified (GM) crops. This research proves that natural hybridization occurs in areas of potato diversity in the Andes, the possibilities for survival of these new hybrids, and shows a possible way forward in case of GM potatoes should prove advantageous in such areas. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.