Maize COP1 Nucleic Acid for Shade Avoidance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crop plants grown at high population densities experience reduced light levels, triggering a shade avoidance response that leads to accelerated stem elongation and thin stems, resulting in yield loss due to the redistribution of energy and resources for height extension.
Innovation Solution
The use of a recombinant DNA construct containing a light-inducible promoter and a COP1 nucleic acid sequence from Zea mays, which reduces the levels of the COP1 protein, thereby minimizing the shade avoidance response and enhancing yield by modifying plant architecture to be more dense and sturdy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If crop plants are grown at high population density, then land use efficiency is improved, but light availability per plant is reduced triggering shade avoidance response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physiological parameter of photomorphogenic response by introducing transgenic modifications that alter light signal perception. The transgenic plants exhibit modified shade avoidance responses, maintaining compact growth architecture even under low light conditions typical of high-density planting, thereby decoupling population density from stem elongation
2Adaptability or versatility
If plants respond to low light by accelerating stem elongation, then light competition ability is improved, but yield is reduced due to resource redistribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful shade avoidance response into a beneficial trait by engineering plants that suppress elongation under low light. Instead of allowing resources to be wasted on non-productive stem extension, the transgenic plants redirect energy toward reproductive development and yield components, transforming the adverse light competition scenario into a yield-enhancing situation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-programming the plants with transgenic modifications that counteract the natural shade avoidance response before it occurs. The engineered photomorphogenic pathways are modified in advance to prevent excessive elongation, allowing plants to maintain resource allocation toward yield even when planted at high densities where light competition would normally trigger harmful elongation
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 reduction of COP1 protein levels in transgenic crop plants results in shorter stems and improved density tolerance, allowing for higher planting densities without yield loss, thereby enhancing crop yield and maintaining harvest index.
Implementation Method 1
a light-inducible promoter and a COP1 nucleic acid sequence from Zea mays, which reduces the levels of the COP1 protein
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence from a maize plant and the isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence is named as ZmCOP1. The present invention also relates to a method of using the ZmCOP1 nucleic acid sequence to control the shade avoidance response of a crop plant for high density farming and yield enhancement.