Caladium White Marble Cultivar Segmentation and Tolerance

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium×hortulanum that exhibits unique characteristics such as upright and arching plant habit, vigorous growth, undulate strap-like leaves, and specific leaf coloration, which are not met by existing cultivars like Grey Ghost and Lance Whorton.

Innovation Solution

The cultivar 'White Marble' is developed through cross-pollination of Caladium×hortulanum cultivar Grey Ghost as the female parent and Lance Whorton as the male parent, showcasing compact, more undulate, and rugose leaves with green and white coloration, differing from its parents and other cultivars like White Wing in size and leaf venation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If cross-pollination is performed between Grey Ghost and Lance Whorton cultivars, then unique leaf coloration and plant habit are achieved, but genetic stability must be maintained through asexual reproduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleaf coloration and plant habitVSAvoidgenetic stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs tuber division to segment the plant into propagating units, allowing the unique genetic combination from cross-pollination to be replicated and stabilized across multiple plants while maintaining the distinctive leaf coloration and plant habit characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Through asexual reproduction via tuber divisions, the patent creates genetic copies of the hybrid plant, preserving the unique combination of traits from the cross-pollination of Grey Ghost and Lance Whorton cultivars without genetic variation in successive generations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If the cultivar is bred for vigorous growth and large size, then productivity and visual impact are improved, but susceptibility to pathogens may increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevigorous growthVSAvoidpathogen susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent acknowledges the cultivar's susceptibility to certain pathogens and provides beforehand cushioning by noting its tolerance to Pythium root rot and Xanthomonas leaf spot, creating a buffer against these harmful factors while maintaining vigorous growth characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Shape

If the cultivar is selected for specific leaf characteristics (strap-like, undulate, rugose), then aesthetic value is improved, but environmental adaptability may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleaf morphologyVSAvoidenvironmental tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains the distinctive leaf morphology parameters (strap-like shape, undulate margins, rugose texture) while demonstrating that the cultivar can tolerate variations in environmental parameters such as temperature and light intensity, achieving both aesthetic value and environmental adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUSPP18819P2Caladium plant named `White Marble`

Publication Date: 2008.05.20 HARTMAN ROBERT DALE

AI summary

A new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant named ‘White Marble’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching plant habit; vigorous growth habit; undulate strap-like leaves; and green and white-colored leaves.