HPPD Tolerant Plants for Selective Weed Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current herbicide-tolerant crop systems lack flexibility and adaptability to varying weed species and regional conditions, necessitating improved methods for weed control that can differentiate between crop plants and weeds while providing extended residual control and increased crop yield.
Innovation Solution
Development of polynucleotides and polypeptides with 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) activity that confer insensitivity to HPPD inhibitors, allowing for the creation of plants tolerant to these herbicides, enabling targeted weed control while maintaining crop health.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If herbicides are applied to eliminate weeds from crop fields, then weed control effectiveness is improved, but crop plants are damaged or killed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the plant population into two distinct groups: herbicide-tolerant crop plants and non-tolerant weeds. This is achieved by introducing a specific gene (such as EPSPS) into crop plants that confers tolerance to particular herbicides, allowing selective elimination of weeds while preserving crops
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the biochemical parameter of herbicide sensitivity in crop plants by introducing modified enzymes (such as glyphosate-resistant EPSPS or glufosinate-resistant PAT) that alter the target site's interaction with herbicides, thereby changing the sensitivity parameter from susceptible to tolerant
2Ease of operation
If a single herbicide treatment system is used, then application simplicity is improved, but adaptability to varying weed species and regional conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates crop plants with universal herbicide tolerance mechanisms that can function across different weed species and environmental conditions. Multiple gene variants are provided that confer tolerance to different herbicide modes of action, allowing a single tolerant crop variety to respond to various herbicide treatments
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables dynamic weed management by allowing growers to switch between different herbicides targeting the same tolerant crop. The crop's tolerance mechanism remains constant while the herbicide mode of action can be changed to adapt to evolving weed resistance patterns or regional weed species composition
3Reliability
If herbicide-tolerant genes are engineered into crops, then crop tolerance to herbicides is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses natural gene sequences from microorganisms (such as the EPSPS gene from Agrobacterium tumefaciens or the PAT gene from Streptomyces hygroscopicus) and copies them into plant genomes. This copying approach simplifies the engineering process by using well-characterized, naturally occurring sequences rather than requiring de novo gene design
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs vector systems and promoter sequences as intermediaries to facilitate the introduction and expression of herbicide-tolerance genes. Standardized promoter elements (such as CaMV 35S promoter) and termination sequences serve as mediators that simplify the integration process and ensure reliable gene expression in transformed plants
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The HPPD-tolerant plants demonstrate enhanced tolerance to HPPD inhibitors, allowing for effective weed management with reduced impact on crops, thereby improving weed control options and adaptability to diverse weed species and regional conditions.
Implementation Method 1
polynucleotides and polypeptides having 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) activity
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and methods comprising polynucleotides and polypeptides having 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) activity and having insensitivity to an HPPD inhibitor are provided. Further provided are nucleic acid constructs, plants, plant cells, explants, seeds and grain having the HPPD sequences. Various methods of employing the HPPD sequences are provided. Such methods include, for example, methods for producing an HPPD inhibitor tolerant plant, plant cell, explant or seed and methods of controlling weeds in a field containing a crop employing the plants and/or seeds disclosed herein. Methods are also provided to identify additional HPPD variants. Further provided are various methods and compositions that allow the various HPPD polypeptides and variant and fragments thereof to be expressed in a chloroplast or transported to a chloroplast.