Brachytic Locus Markers for Machine-Harvestable Tomato Plants
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The field production of fresh-market tomatoes relies heavily on manual labor due to their large fruits and upright growth habit, which leads to yield and quality issues from human activities and soilborne pathogens, and there is a need for compact growth habit varieties that can be machine-harvested without stakes, maintaining fruit size and quality.
Innovation Solution
Development of genetic markers for the brachytic locus, allowing for marker-assisted selection and introgression of the brachytic trait into tomato plants, resulting in shortened internodes that do not require staking, while retaining marketable fruit size and quality, enabling machine harvesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If tomato plants have upright growth habit with large fruits, then fruit size and quality are maintained, but manual labor requirement increases and machine harvesting becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the plant's growth habit parameters through the brachytic locus. The brachytic trait changes the internode length parameter, creating a compact growth habit that enables machine harvesting while maintaining fruit size parameters through selective breeding and marker-assisted selection
2Extent of automation
If tomato plants have compact growth habit with shortened internodes, then machine harvesting becomes possible, but fruit size is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between different parts of the plant. The brachytic locus specifically affects internode length (local structural parameter) while leaving fruit development parameters unaffected. This allows the plant to have compact stature for automation compatibility while maintaining large fruits for marketability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the plant traits into independent selectable characteristics: growth habit (controlled by brachytic locus) and fruit size (controlled by separate loci). This segmentation allows independent selection and combination of traits through breeding programs, enabling machine-harvestable plants with large fruits
3Reliability
If tomato plants require staking support, then fruit quality is maintained, but labor requirement and production complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the plant architecture parameter through the brachytic locus, creating a compact growth habit that eliminates the need for external support structures. The shortened internodes and concentrated fruit setting create a self-supporting plant structure that maintains fruit quality without staking
Data Source
AI summary
Molecular markers associated with Solanaceae brachytic locus, methods of their use, and compositions having one or more marker loci are provided. Methods comprising detecting at least one marker locus, detecting a haplotype, and/or detecting a marker profile are provided. Methods and compositions are described for breeding tomato plants containing quantitative trait loci that are associated with brachytic phenotype and monitoring introgression of brachytic locus. Methods and compositions are also described for modifying a brachytic locus using CRISPR/Cas.