Maize Inbred PH2F4B 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 yield improvement.

Innovation Solution

Development of a novel maize variety, PH2F4B, which is bred to incorporate traits like resistance to diseases, insects, heat, and drought, along with improved agronomic qualities through specific breeding processes and genetic manipulation, including backcrossing and transformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional plant breeding is used to combine desirable traits, then disease resistance and drought tolerance can be achieved, but the time required for breeding and the complexity of the breeding process increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease resistanceVSAvoidbreeding time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-selecting and characterizing inbred lines with specific desirable traits (disease resistance, drought tolerance, uniformity) before hybridization. The inbred line PH2F4B was developed through preliminary breeding steps including backcrossing and selection to concentrate desired traits, allowing the final hybrid to inherit these pre-validated characteristics without requiring additional breeding time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If traditional plant breeding is used to combine desirable traits, then agronomic quality can be improved, but the complexity of the breeding process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagronomic qualityVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the breeding process into distinct stages: developing inbred lines with specific traits, testing them individually for desired characteristics, and then combining them in hybridization. The inbred line PH2F4B was segmented through multiple backcrossing generations to isolate and fix specific traits, allowing systematic evaluation and combination of disease resistance, drought tolerance, and uniformity without overwhelming complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If mechanical harvesting is implemented, then productivity increases, but uniformity of plant characteristics becomes more critical

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharvest efficiencyVSAvoidplant uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by ensuring uniformity in specific critical plant characteristics (maturity timing, plant height, ear position) that are essential for mechanical harvesting while allowing variation in other traits. The inbred line PH2F4B was selected for uniformity in these key parameters, enabling synchronized harvest operations and efficient mechanical processing without requiring complete uniformity across all plant traits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9565817B1Maize inbred PH2F4B
Publication Date: 2017.02.14 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH2F4B and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH2F4B with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH2F4B 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 PH2F4B or a locus conversion of PH2F4B with another maize variety.