Hybrid Corn CH702044 Male Sterility Breeding

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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 trait introduction and hybrid seed production.

Innovation Solution

The development of the hybrid corn variety CH702044, which incorporates cytoplasmic or nuclear factors for male sterility and genetic loci conferring traits like herbicide resistance, disease resistance, and altered metabolism, using techniques like backcrossing and genetic transformation to introduce desired traits and prevent self-pollination through cytoplasmic-male sterility systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional self-pollination breeding methods are used, then genetic uniformity can be maintained, but self-pollination limits the efficiency of trait introduction and hybrid seed production

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid seed production efficiencyVSAvoidself-pollination interference
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the harmful self-pollination capability by introducing male sterility genes (cms-M1, cms-E, or nuclear male sterility genes) that eliminate pollen production or fertilization ability. This extraction of the self-pollination function allows for efficient cross-pollination-based hybrid seed production without self-fertilization interference, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining genetic uniformity and improving hybrid seed production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces restorer genes (Rf1, Rf2, Rf3, Rf4, Rf5, Rf6) as intermediary elements that control the expression of male sterility. These restorer genes act as mediators between the male sterility system and the desired cross-pollination outcome, allowing breeders to control self-pollination prevention while facilitating efficient hybrid seed production through controlled cross-fertilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single hybrid variety, then agronomic quality and resistance improve, but genetic stability becomes more difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesirable traits combinationVSAvoidgenetic stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the genetic information into distinct functional modules: male sterility genes (cms-M1, cms-E, or nuclear male sterility genes) for self-pollination prevention, restorer genes (Rf1-Rf6) for fertility control, and separate trait genes (herbicide resistance, disease resistance, insect resistance, quality traits). This segmentation allows each trait to be independently bred and combined through controlled crosses, maintaining genetic stability while achieving multi-trait combinations in the final hybrid variety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by placing specific genes at particular loci with known inheritance patterns. Each desirable trait is associated with specific chromosomal locations and inheritance characteristics, allowing breeders to predict and control the transmission of individual traits independently. This localized genetic organization maintains overall genetic stability while enabling the combination of multiple desirable traits through selective breeding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If cytoplasmic male sterility systems are used to prevent self-pollination, then hybrid seed production efficiency improves, but the complexity of the breeding system increases

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

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs self-service mechanisms where the male sterility system automatically prevents self-pollination without requiring manual intervention. The cytoplasmic male sterility genes (cms-M1, cms-E) or nuclear male sterility genes inherently eliminate pollen production or fertilization ability, and the restorer genes (Rf1-Rf6) automatically restore fertility when present. This self-regulating system improves hybrid seed production efficiency while reducing the complexity of manual emasculation and pollination control procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10219479B2Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH702044
Publication Date: 2019.03.05 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH702044. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH702044, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH702044 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 CH702044.