Florigen Pathway Toolkit for Tomato Architecture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies for tomato breeding lack the ability to predictably and simply manipulate shoot architecture beyond the self-pruning (sp) mutation, limiting the potential for yield improvement and cost reduction.
Innovation Solution
A florigen pathway toolkit is developed, comprising mutations in genes within the florigen pathway of Solanaceae, such as tomatoes, to quantitatively modulate flowering signals and customize shoot architecture and flowering time. This includes suppressor of sp (ssp) gene mutants, Single Flower Truss (sft) gene mutants, sp gene mutants, and mutants of the SP5G gene, using chemically-induced and CRISPR/Cas9-engineered alleles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the self-pruning (sp) mutation is used to transform indeterminate plants into determinate form, then shoot architecture is modified and yield potential is improved, but the ability to manipulate tomato architecture beyond sp is limited and production costs remain high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the florigen pathway into multiple targetable genes (SP5G, SFT, SP, SSP1) and uses CRISPR/Cas9 to create specific mutations in each gene. This segmentation allows independent manipulation of different architectural traits, enabling breeders to combine specific mutations to achieve desired shoot architectures beyond the single sp mutation, thereby resolving the limitation in architecture manipulation while improving yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the genetic parameters of the florigen pathway by introducing mutations in SP5G, SFT, SP, and SSP1 genes. These parameter changes (gene mutations) quantitatively modulate flowering signals and shoot architecture, providing a spectrum of architectural variations that allow optimization of both yield and production efficiency, moving beyond the binary indeterminate/determinate distinction.
2Productivity
If traditional breeding methods are used for tomato, then shoot architecture remains largely unchanged, but the potential for yield improvement through new architectures is untapped
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical breeding methods (crossing, selection, and phenotypic screening) with a molecular-based CRISPR/Cas9 system. This substitution allows direct genetic modification of florigen pathway genes, enabling precise control over shoot architecture and flowering time. The method simplifies breeding by providing predictable outcomes through targeted gene editing rather than relying on random mutations and extensive phenotypic screening, thereby unlocking yield improvement potential while maintaining breeding efficiency.
3Loss of time
If sp mutation is used to create determinate plants, then flowering is accelerated, but the ability to quantitatively modulate flowering signals and customize architecture is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a universal toolkit of florigen pathway mutations (SP5G, SFT, SP, SSP1) that can be combined in various configurations to achieve different architectural outcomes. This multi-functional system allows the same set of gene mutations to produce a spectrum of shoot architectures and flowering times, enabling customization for different production systems and environmental conditions, thereby resolving the limitation in architecture customization while maintaining accelerated flowering.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a florigen pathway toolkit that comprises mutations in genes in the florigen pathway in Solanaceae, such as mutations in genes in the florigen pathway in tomatoes, that are useful to quantitatively modulate or adjust the balance of opposing flowering signals to customize and improve shoot architecture and flowering (flowering time) for tomato breeding, particularly for fresh market tomato breeding.