Maize Inbred PH41ZZ Breeding Acceleration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The development of new maize varieties and hybrids is a time-consuming process, taking six to twelve years, and existing technologies face challenges in creating stable, high-yielding maize varieties with desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and improved agronomic characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A novel maize variety, PH41ZZ, is developed through careful breeding and selection, incorporating traits like male sterility, disease resistance, and drought tolerance, achieved through backcross conversion, genetic manipulation, and transformation, allowing for the creation of hybrid seeds with enhanced agronomic properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional breeding methods are used to develop new maize varieties, then stable and high-yielding varieties can be achieved, but the development process takes six to twelve years

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of maize varietyVSAvoiddevelopment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing inbred lines with desirable traits through multiple generations of self-pollination and selection before the actual hybrid development. This allows the breeding program to start with ready-to-use genetic material, reducing the overall development time while maintaining variety stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses inbred lines as intermediaries between the original germplasm and the final hybrid varieties. These inbred lines serve as stable genetic platforms that can be quickly combined to produce hybrids, accelerating the development process without compromising the reliability of the final varieties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single variety, then agronomic performance improves, but the breeding complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveyieldVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the breeding process into distinct phases: developing inbred lines with specific traits, maintaining those lines through standardized protocols, and then combining them to produce hybrids. This segmentation reduces overall complexity by breaking down the multi-trait combination process into manageable, sequential steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes in the breeding strategy, such as adjusting pollination ratios, selection intensities, and generation numbers to optimize trait combination. By systematically varying these parameters, the patent achieves high productivity without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If inbred lines are developed through multiple generations of self-pollination, then genetic uniformity increases, but the time required for development increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic uniformityVSAvoidbreeding duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by performing a limited number of self-pollination generations (typically 2-4) rather than complete inbreeding. This partial action is sufficient to achieve the required genetic uniformity for hybrid development while significantly reducing the time required compared to traditional multi-generational inbreeding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10398112B1Maize inbred PH41ZZ
Publication Date: 2019.09.03 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH41ZZ and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH41ZZ with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH41ZZ through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby are provided. Hybrid maize seed, plants or plant parts are produced by crossing the variety PH41ZZ or a locus conversion of PH41ZZ with another maize variety.