Hybrid Corn CH011074 Cytoplasmic Male Sterility

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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 CH011074, which incorporates genetic modifications and cytoplasmic male sterility to prevent self-pollination, along with a method for producing hybrid seeds by crossing specific inbred parent plants, allowing for the introduction of traits like herbicide resistance, disease resistance, and altered metabolism, using techniques like genome editing and tissue culture regeneration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If self-pollination is allowed in corn breeding, then genetic stability is maintained, but hybrid seed production efficiency is reduced due to uncontrollable pollination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid seed production efficiencyVSAvoidgenetic stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of self-pollination (which causes genetic degradation and reduces hybrid vigor) into a beneficial feature by developing male-sterile inbred lines that completely prevent self-pollination. This ensures 100% cross-pollination between different inbred lines, guaranteeing hybrid seed production efficiency while maintaining genetic stability through controlled mating between selected parental lines.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple desirable traits are combined in hybrid corn, then agronomic quality improves, but breeding complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagronomic qualityVSAvoidbreeding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex task of combining multiple desirable traits into manageable components by developing specialized inbred lines, each optimized for specific traits (e.g., one line for disease resistance, another for yield). These segmented parental lines are then crossed to produce hybrids that inherit the combined advantages, making the breeding process more systematic and less complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates universal inbred parental lines that can serve multiple functions: they can be used as parents for different hybrid combinations, maintain their own agronomic qualities, and provide consistent genetic backgrounds for hybrid production. This multi-functionality reduces breeding complexity by reusing proven parental lines across different hybrid programs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If inbred plants are developed through extensive selfing, then genetic uniformity is achieved, but time to maturity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic uniformityVSAvoidtime to maturity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by developing and stabilizing inbred parental lines beforehand through extensive selfing and selection. Once these parental lines achieve the desired genetic uniformity and stability, they can be repeatedly crossed to produce hybrids without needing to re-develop the parental lines each time. This preliminary development phase, though time-consuming, pays off by enabling rapid and consistent hybrid production in subsequent generations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11439074B2Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH011074
Publication Date: 2022.09.13 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH011074. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH011074, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH011074 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 CH011074.