Hybrid Corn CH821068 Cytoplasmic Male Sterility Breeding

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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 CH821068, which incorporates genetic modifications and cytoplasmic male sterility to prevent self-pollination, along with specific traits like herbicide resistance and disease resistance, achieved through genetic transformation and backcrossing techniques, allowing for controlled cross-pollination and stable trait introduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional self-pollination breeding methods are used, then genetic uniformity can be maintained, but self-pollination limits the efficiency of trait introduction and hybrid seed production

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

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the self-pollination capability from the corn plant by introducing cytoplasmic male sterility, extracting the harmful self-pollination function while preserving cross-pollination. This allows efficient hybrid seed production without compromising genetic stability, as the sterile cytoplasm prevents unwanted self-fertilization but permits controlled cross-fertilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a restorer gene as an intermediary element that mediates between the sterile cytoplasm and pollen production. The restorer gene, when introduced into the sterile line, restores male fertility temporarily for controlled pollination purposes, then can be removed in subsequent generations to maintain sterility. This intermediary mechanism enables precise control over hybrid seed production while maintaining genetic purity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If cross-pollination is used to introduce desirable traits, then genetic diversity and trait combination improve, but controlling self-pollination becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrait combination capabilityVSAvoidpollination control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the plant's own cytoplasm provides the sterility function. The cytoplasmic male sterility is an intrinsic property of the plant that automatically prevents self-pollination without requiring external intervention or complex monitoring systems. This simplifies pollination control while enabling efficient cross-pollination for trait introduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If multiple breeding generations are performed to develop hybrid varieties, then desirable traits can be combined, but time and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrait combination reliabilityVSAvoidbreeding cycle duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing cytoplasmic male sterility in the breeding lines before hybridization. This preliminary sterility setup eliminates the need for time-consuming emasculation procedures and self-pollination prevention measures during subsequent breeding generations. The sterility is already in place, allowing direct cross-pollination and significantly reducing the breeding cycle time while maintaining reliable trait combination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20190357490A1Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety ch821068
Publication Date: 2019.11.28 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH821068. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH821068, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH821068 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 CH821068.