Inbred Corn Line MO4 Yield Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for stable, high-yielding corn hybrids that are agronomically sound to maximize ear or kernel production, which current breeding methods struggle to achieve consistently.
Innovation Solution
The development of a novel inbred corn line, MO4, with specific physiological and morphological characteristics, including methods for producing seeds, plants, and variants through mutagenesis, TILLING screening, and genetic modification to enhance traits like disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, and nutritional quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional breeding methods are used to develop corn hybrids, then some yield improvement may be achieved, but consistency and stability of high yields cannot be reliably achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by developing and stabilizing inbred lines (such as MO4) through multiple generations of selective breeding before hybridization. This preliminary stabilization of parental lines ensures that the resulting hybrids consistently express desired traits including high yield, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving yield improvement and ensuring its consistency.
2Stability of the object's composition
If inbred lines are developed through repeated selfing to achieve homozygosity, then trait stability is improved, but inbreeding depression occurs reducing vigor and yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two previously developed inbred lines (such as MO4 and another stabilized line) to create a hybrid that combines the advantages of both parents. This hybridization allows the offspring to exhibit heterosis (hybrid vigor), thereby recovering the productivity and vigor lost during the inbreeding process while maintaining trait stability from the homozygous parental lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of inbreeding depression into a benefit by deliberately using inbred lines with stabilized traits as parents, then exploiting hybrid vigor in the F1 generation. The harm of reduced vigor during inbreeding is transformed into the benefit of predictable, stable trait expression in the parental lines, which then produce vigorous hybrids.
3Measurement precision
If extensive phenotypic screening is performed to identify superior plants, then selection accuracy is improved, but time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by conducting extensive phenotypic screening and selection during the inbred line development phase (before hybridization). By investing time and resources early to stabilize parental lines with desirable traits, the need for extensive screening is reduced in later hybrid evaluation stages, thereby improving overall efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the breeding program into distinct phases: (1) inbred line development with intensive screening, (2) hybridization, and (3) hybrid evaluation. This segmentation allows concentrated screening efforts to be applied where they are most effective (during parental line stabilization), reducing overall time and resource requirements compared to screening at all stages equally.
Data Source
AI summary
Inbred corn line, designated MO4, are disclosed. The disclosure relates to the seeds of inbred corn line MO4, to the plants and plant parts of inbred corn line MO4 and to methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing inbred corn line MO4 with itself or another corn line. The disclosure also relates to products produced from the seeds, plants, or parts thereof, of inbred corn line MO4 and/or of the hybrids produced using the inbred as a parent. The disclosure further relates to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other corn lines derived from inbred corn line MO4.