Hybrid Corn CH889077 Uniformity via Cytoplasmic Male Sterility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Corn breeding techniques face challenges in developing uniform hybrid varieties with desirable traits such as high yield, disease resistance, and uniformity, as existing methods often result in unpredictable performance due to genetic non-uniformity among hybrid plants.

Innovation Solution

The development of the hybrid corn variety CH889077, which incorporates cytoplasmic or nuclear factors for male sterility and desired traits like herbicide resistance, insect resistance, and disease resistance, using genetic loci introduced through backcrossing or genetic transformation, and tissue culture techniques to regenerate plants with specific characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional breeding methods are used to develop hybrid corn varieties, then genetic diversity is achieved, but uniformity and predictability of performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic diversityVSAvoiduniformity of hybrid plants
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The breeding process is segmented into distinct phases: developing homozygous inbred parent lines through multiple generations of self-pollination, then crossing these standardized parents to produce uniform F1 hybrids. This segmentation ensures genetic stability in parents while achieving desired diversity in the hybrid combination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the genetic parameter state by using cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) systems, where specific cytoplasmic genes interact with nuclear genes to control fertility. This parameter change enables automatic prevention of self-pollination and ensures uniform hybrid production without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If self-pollination is used to develop homozygous inbred lines, then genetic uniformity is achieved, but time to reach stable varieties increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehomozygosity of parent linesVSAvoidgenerations required for inbreeding
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Homozygous inbred parent lines are developed in advance through multiple generations of self-pollination and selection before the hybrid crossing stage. This preliminary preparation ensures that when hybrids are produced, both parents have stable, uniform genotypes, reducing the time needed for subsequent stabilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Cytoplasmic male sterility acts as an intermediary mechanism that facilitates the breeding process. The CMS trait prevents self-pollination in the hybrid production stage, ensuring that all offspring are true F1 hybrids from the cross between two specific inbred parents, thereby maintaining uniformity without requiring continuous inbreeding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If cross-pollination is used to produce hybrid varieties, then genetic variability and adaptability are improved, but control over pollination and uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid vigor and adaptabilityVSAvoidcontrol of pollination process
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Cytoplasmic male sterility serves as a biological intermediary that controls pollination. The CMS cytoplasm in the female parent prevents self-pollination, while the male parent (with normal cytoplasm and restorer genes) provides pollen. This intermediary mechanism ensures controlled cross-pollination and uniform hybrid production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of controlling pollination through mechanical means or manual emasculation, the patent inverts the approach by using genetic manipulation of fertility itself. The female parent is made sterile through cytoplasmic genes, and fertility is restored only through specific nuclear-gene-cytoplasm interactions with the male parent, thereby controlling the cross-pollination process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Reliability

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single variety, then overall performance and resistance are improved, but breeding complexity and difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease and pest resistanceVSAvoidbreeding program complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple desirable traits are merged into the inbred parent lines through conventional breeding and selection before the hybrid crossing stage. The F1 hybrid then inherits and expresses these combined traits uniformly across all plants, achieving high reliability without increasing the complexity of the hybrid production process itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8207429B2Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH889077
Publication Date: 2012.06.26 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH889077. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH889077, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH889077 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 CH889077.