Corn Plants with Brown Midrib and Gt1 Genes for Digestible Fodder
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in corn breeding is to combine desirable traits such as increased yield, disease resistance, and improved nutritional value while avoiding undesirable characteristics like increased lignin content, which complicates the introgression of genes like bm3 and gt1, leading to unpredictable phenotypes and reduced commercial value.
Innovation Solution
Developing corn plants that are homozygous for the brown midrib (bm) and gt1 genes, specifically utilizing the WGRCOMP C2 population, which exhibits reduced lignin content and enhanced regrowth after cutting, and incorporating additional heritable traits like male sterility or disease resistance through genetic loci conversions and cytoplasmically-inherited traits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If brown midrib and gt1 genes are introgressed into corn plants, then reduced lignin content and enhanced regrowth are achieved, but unpredictable phenotypes and linkage drag occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the genetic material by separating the desired genes (bm3 and gt1) from their original genetic background through repeated backcrossing. This divides the complex genetic problem into manageable parts: first transferring specific genes, then systematically removing unwanted linked genes through multiple generations of backcrossing with selection, ultimately achieving a clean genetic background with predictable phenotype.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by conducting extensive backcrossing (BC1, BC2, BC3, BC4 generations) before final variety development. This preliminary phase establishes the desired genetic background and removes linkage drag in advance, ensuring phenotype predictability before commercial deployment. The repeated backcrossing with selection预先 eliminates unwanted genetic elements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple genes are combined in corn breeding, then agronomically superior traits are achieved, but linkage drag and epitasis complicate the breeding process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by treating each desired trait (bm3 for reduced lignin, gt1 for enhanced regrowth) as a separate genetic component that can be independently transferred and fixed. Through systematic backcrossing, each gene is segregated from its original genetic context and recombined into a uniform superior background, simplifying the management of multiple traits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the genetic parameters by systematically altering allele frequencies through repeated backcrossing and selection. Each backcross generation increases the proportion of the superior genetic background while decreasing unwanted linked genes, quantitatively transforming the genetic composition from complex and unpredictable to simple and predictable.
3Reliability
If bm3 gene is used to decrease lignin content, then fodder digestibility is improved, but breeding complexity increases due to additional complications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bm3 gene from its original genetic background through repeated backcrossing. By continuously backcrossing to the superior variety and selecting for the bm3 phenotype, the gene is separated from unwanted linked genes and epitatic interactions, isolating its beneficial effect on lignin content and digestibility while removing breeding complications.
Data Source
AI summary
According to the invention, there is provided seed and corn plants comprising brown midrib and gt1 genes conferring increased digestibility of plants and regrowth following cutting. The invention thus relates to corn plants, seeds and tissue cultures comprising brown midrib and gt1 genes, and to methods for producing a corn plant by crossing a corn plant comprising the brown midrib and gt1 genes with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants comprising brown midrib and gt1 genes with plants of another variety, such as an inbred line.