Leguminous Extract for Perennial Fruit Dormancy Breaking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Climate change, particularly milder winters, disrupts the cold requirements for dormancy breaking in perennial fruit plants, leading to delayed, incomplete, and non-uniform budbreak, resulting in lower yields and poorer fruit quality.

Innovation Solution

The use of extracts from leguminous plants of the family Fabaceae, such as soy extracts, to stimulate dormancy breaking in perennial fruit plants by activating the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene and repressing the DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-box 4 (DAM4) gene.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If hydrogen cyanamide (DORMEX) is applied to stimulate dormancy breaking, then budbreak is accelerated, but the product is toxic and requires application at a very precise date

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebudbreak speedVSAvoidtoxicity to buds

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the toxic hydrogen cyanamide with a natural extract from leguminous plants (Fabaceae family) that contains compounds capable of stimulating dormancy breaking. This natural extract serves as a temporary, biodegradable alternative that achieves the same physiological effect without the harmful toxicity to bursting buds, allowing for a broader application window.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary substance - the extract from leguminous plants - that mediates the dormancy breaking process. This extract contains natural compounds that can trigger the physiological changes needed for budbreak without the direct toxic effects of hydrogen cyanamide, thus serving as a safer intermediary agent in the dormancy breaking process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If new varieties are developed through genetics to adapt to climate change, then long-term adaptation is achieved, but the process takes up to thirty years

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclimate adaptationVSAvoidvariety development time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a preliminary treatment - the leguminous plant extract - that can induce dormancy breaking and improve budbreak uniformity in the current season. This preliminary action provides immediate relief against climate change effects without waiting for the long-term genetic adaptation process to complete, bridging the gap between current vulnerability and future adaptation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes a natural extract from leguminous plants that contains compounds which can naturally stimulate dormancy breaking. This self-service approach leverages natural compounds already present in the plant kingdom to address the dormancy issues caused by climate change, providing a sustainable solution that does not require extensive human intervention or long-term genetic modification programs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Temperature

If milder winters occur due to climate change, then energy requirements are reduced, but cold requirements for dormancy breaking are no longer met

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewinter temperatureVSAvoiddormancy breaking reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physiological parameters of the plant by applying the leguminous plant extract, which contains compounds that can trigger dormancy breaking at higher temperatures. This parameter change allows the plant to break dormancy reliably even when winter temperatures are milder and do not provide sufficient cold accumulation, thus compensating for the reduced cold requirements met due to climate change.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 application of leguminous plant extracts effectively promotes uniform and timely budbreak, improving flowering and fruit quality, and enhancing yield, while avoiding the toxicity issues associated with existing dormancy-breaking products like hydrogen cyanamide.

Implementation Method 1

activating the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGene activation:

Implementation Method 2

repressing the DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-box 4 (DAM4) gene

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGene repression:

Data Source

PatentUS20250176561A1Stimulation of dormancy breaking in a plant

Publication Date: 2025.06.05 AGRO INNOVATION INT

AI summary

The invention relates to the use of an extract of a leguminous plant of the family Fabaceae in order to stimulate the breaking of dormancy in a perennial fruit plant and a method for stimulating the breaking of dormancy in a perennial fruit plant, in which an extract of a leguminous plant of the family Fabaceae is supplied to said plant in a sufficient quantity to stimulate the breaking of dormancy in said plant.