Hybrid Corn CH273349 CMS Breeding for Seed Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current corn breeding techniques face challenges in developing hybrid varieties that combine desirable traits such as high yield, disease resistance, and uniformity, while maintaining genetic stability and avoiding self-pollination, which limits the efficiency of hybrid seed production.

Innovation Solution

The development of the hybrid corn variety CH273349, which incorporates genetic modifications and cytoplasmic male sterility traits to prevent self-pollination, along with specific genetic loci conferring herbicide resistance, disease resistance, and other desirable characteristics, using advanced breeding methods and genetic transformation techniques like CRISPR-Cas systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional self-pollination breeding methods are used, then genetic stability is maintained, but hybrid seed production efficiency is limited due to inability to prevent self-pollination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid seed production efficiencyVSAvoidgenetic stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing cytoplasmic male sterility traits before hybrid seed production. The female parent is pre-modified with CMS genes that prevent pollen formation, thereby preemptively blocking self-pollination before it can occur. This allows efficient hybrid seed production while maintaining genetic stability through controlled cross-pollination only.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses genetic modification systems as intermediaries to control pollination. Specific genetic loci and cytoplasmic factors act as mediators between the parental lines, enabling precise control over which pollen fertilizes which ovule. This intermediary mechanism ensures hybrid seed production efficiency while maintaining genetic stability through controlled inheritance patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple desirable traits are combined in hybrid varieties, then yield and resistance improve, but maintaining genetic stability and preventing self-pollination becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease resistance and yield consistencyVSAvoidbreeding program complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the breeding program into distinct modular components: CMS-based male sterility systems, specific genetic loci for trait inheritance, and controlled cross-pollination protocols. Each segment handles a specific function (preventing self-pollination, conferring resistance, ensuring uniformity), making the overall complex breeding program more manageable while achieving multiple desirable traits simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes key breeding parameters by introducing cytoplasmic male sterility and specific genetic modifications. These parameter changes fundamentally alter the pollination dynamics and inheritance patterns, enabling reliable production of hybrids with multiple desirable traits while maintaining genetic stability through controlled genetic architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If genetic modifications are introduced to prevent self-pollination, then hybrid seed production efficiency improves, but the complexity of breeding programs increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid seed production efficiencyVSAvoidbreeding program complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by using the plant's own biological systems to prevent self-pollination. Cytoplasmic male sterility utilizes the plant's mitochondrial genome and natural development processes to autonomously prevent pollen formation. This self-service mechanism improves hybrid seed production efficiency without requiring complex external intervention, thereby limiting the increase in breeding program complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20190364793A1Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety ch273349
Publication Date: 2019.12.05 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH273349. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH273349, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH273349 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH273349.