Hybrid Corn Pollination Control for Uniform and Stable Seed Lines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing corn breeding techniques struggle to develop hybrids with uniformity and stability, incorporating desirable traits such as yield, disease resistance, and drought tolerance, while maintaining genetic diversity and avoiding self-pollination.

Innovation Solution

The development of the hybrid corn variety CH010462, which includes cytoplasmic or nuclear factors for male sterility, genetic modifications for traits like herbicide resistance, and a method of controlled cross-pollination using emasculation and bagging to produce uniform hybrid seeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If self-pollination is allowed in corn breeding, then genetic uniformity is improved, but genetic diversity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic uniformityVSAvoidgenetic diversity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The breeding population is divided into distinct inbred lines that are genetically uniform within themselves but differ from each other. This segmentation allows each line to maintain genetic uniformity through self-pollination while the collection of lines preserves overall genetic diversity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Male sterility factors (cytoplasmic or nuclear) are introduced as intermediaries to prevent self-pollination in the female parent. This intermediary mechanism ensures that the female parent can only receive pollen from the male parent, thereby maintaining genetic diversity while achieving controlled crossing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If male sterility factors are introduced to prevent self-pollination, then controlled cross-pollination is improved, but device complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrolled cross-pollinationVSAvoidbreeding system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The male sterility trait enables the plant to self-regulate pollination control without human intervention. The sterile female parent automatically prevents self-pollination and only accepts pollen from the fertile male parent, simplifying the breeding process despite the genetic complexity introduced.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The breeding system utilizes changes in genetic parameters (male sterility traits) to control pollination. By altering the fertility parameter through cytoplasmic or nuclear factors, the system achieves precise control over cross-pollination without requiring mechanical or manual emasculation procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If hybridization is performed to achieve heterosis, then yield is improved, but uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveyieldVSAvoiduniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Inbred lines are developed and stabilized through multiple generations of self-pollination before hybridization. This preliminary action ensures that both parental lines are genetically uniform and true-breeding, so that their F1 hybrid progeny will be uniformly heterozygous and express consistent heterotic traits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The breeding program uses homozygous inbred lines as parents, which are genetically homogeneous within themselves. When these homogeneous lines are crossed, they produce F1 hybrids that are uniformly heterozygous, maintaining phenotypic uniformity while achieving heterosis for improved yield.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentUS12582064B2Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH010462
Publication Date: 2026.03.24 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

According to the disclosure, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH010462. The disclosure thus relates to the plants, seeds, and tissue cultures of the variety CH010462, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH010462 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The disclosure further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH010462.