Maize Inbred PH1TRA Breeding for Disease Resistance and Yield

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current maize breeding techniques face challenges in combining desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and uniformity, which are essential for efficient crop production and mechanical harvesting.

Innovation Solution

Development of a novel maize variety, PH1TRA, through a breeding process that involves crossing inbred lines, selfing, and ear-to-row selection to produce a substantially homozygous line with improved traits, and subsequent use in hybrid production to enhance yield and agronomic quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional plant breeding methods are used to combine desirable traits, then disease resistance and drought tolerance can be achieved, but uniformity of plant characteristics and yield are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease resistanceVSAvoidyield
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The breeding process is segmented into distinct generations (P, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10) with specific selection objectives for each stage. Early generations focus on trait introduction and segregation, while later generations emphasize uniformity and yield optimization, allowing systematic accumulation of desirable traits without compromising productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary trait combination in early generations through controlled crosses between inbred lines with complementary traits. Disease resistance and drought tolerance are introduced and stabilized before the final hybridization stage, ensuring these traits are firmly established in the genetic background before yield optimization becomes the primary focus

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If traditional plant breeding methods are used to combine desirable traits, then drought tolerance can be achieved, but uniformity of plant characteristics is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrought toleranceVSAvoiduniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The breeding program divides the selection process into generations with progressively stricter uniformity requirements. F1-F4 generations allow broader phenotypic variation for trait segregation, while F5-F10 generations implement intensive selection for uniform plant characteristics, ensuring drought tolerance is maintained while achieving the uniformity required for mechanical harvesting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous phenotypic evaluation and selection feedback across all generations. Plants exhibiting desired drought tolerance traits are identified and selected in early generations, then their progeny are continuously evaluated and selected for improved uniformity in later generations, creating a feedback loop that simultaneously maintains stress tolerance and achieves uniformity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Stability of the object's composition

If intensive selection for uniformity is applied, then mechanical harvesting suitability is improved, but breeding time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveuniformityVSAvoidbreeding time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the breeding program into two parallel tracks: F1-F4 generations focus on genetic stabilization and trait fixation, while F5-F10 generations focus on uniformity selection. This segmentation allows uniformity improvement to occur systematically without extending the core breeding timeline, as the genetic foundation is already established by F4

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary genetic stabilization and trait fixation in F1-F4 generations before intensifying uniformity selection. By establishing the genetic foundation early with complementary inbred lines and selecting for key traits in intermediate generations, the program reduces the time required for later uniformity selection, as the genetic variation to be eliminated is already minimized

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9226463B1Maize inbred PH1TRA
Publication Date: 2016.01.05 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH1TRA and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1TRA with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1TRA through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1TRA or a locus conversion of PH1TRA with another maize variety.