DALSA 0605 St. Augustinegrass Cultivar Drought and Disease Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current St. Augustinegrass cultivars lack sufficient tolerance to gray leaf spot disease, drought resistance, and are susceptible to Southern chinch bugs, with limitations in adaptability and turf quality across varying environmental conditions in the Southern and Southeastern United States.

Innovation Solution

The development of 'DALSA 0605', a sterile, embryo rescue-derived interploid hybrid St. Augustinegrass cultivar, which exhibits enhanced tolerance to gray leaf spot disease, reduced fecundity and juvenile development of Southern chinch bugs, superior drought resistance, and adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, achieved through a combination of genetic traits including deep rooting potential and rapid recovery from drought.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current St. Augustinegrass cultivars are used, then they are easy to propagate and maintain, but they lack sufficient tolerance to gray leaf spot disease and are susceptible to Southern chinch bugs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisease toleranceVSAvoidgray leaf spot disease susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite genetic structure by developing an interploid hybrid (6x Stenotaphrum secundatum) that combines desirable traits from different parental lines. The hybrid incorporates disease resistance genes from resistant parents while maintaining turf quality, effectively creating a genetically composite material that addresses multiple limitations of existing cultivars simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the ploidy parameter from diploid (2n) to hexaploid (6n), which fundamentally alters the genetic composition and disease resistance profile. This parameter change in chromosome number enables the expression of resistance traits that are not present or not fully expressed in conventional diploid cultivars, providing enhanced tolerance to gray leaf spot disease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If current St. Augustinegrass cultivars are used, then they establish quickly, but they show poor drought resistance and limited adaptability to varying environmental conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental adaptabilityVSAvoiddrought resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The hexaploid hybrid cultivar is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides drought resistance, disease tolerance, and adaptability to various soil and climate conditions simultaneously. The enhanced root system architecture and osmotic adjustment capabilities enable the single cultivar to function effectively across diverse environmental conditions from sandy to clay soils and varying precipitation regimes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent describes selection procedures that identify and propagate individuals with pre-existing drought adaptation traits. By selecting plants that naturally exhibit deeper rooting and better water-use efficiency before stress conditions occur, the breeding program prepares cushioning genetic traits that protect the cultivar when drought conditions arise, rather than attempting to induce resistance after stress begins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Stability of the object's composition

If fertile cultivars like Palmetto are used, then they can reproduce sexually, but they produce viable seeds that can lead to off-type contamination in sod production fields

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegenetic uniformityVSAvoidoff-type contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of sexual reproduction and seed set into a benefit by deliberately creating a sterile hexaploid hybrid. The sterility, which might seem like a disadvantage, actually becomes a valuable trait that prevents seed production and eliminates the risk of off-type contamination in commercial sod fields, while the hybrid vigor and uniformity are maintained through vegetative propagation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUSPP27393P3St. Augustinegrass plant named ‘DALSA 0605’

Publication Date: 2016.11.15 TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

AI summary

‘DALSA 0605’ is a new variety of St. Augustinegrass distinguished by having high tolerance to grey leaf spot disease, significantly reduced levels of fecundity and juvenile development of Southern chinch bugs, and superior drought resistance conferred through a combination of tolerance to drying soil, deep genetic rooting potential, and rapid recovery following drought, as disclosed herein.