Maize Inbred PH46AP Breeding for Trait Stability

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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 from the first cross to delivering finished seed to farmers, and existing technologies face challenges in combining desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and high yield in a stable and agronomically sound manner.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of the novel maize variety PH46AP, which involves crossing with other maize plants to introduce desired traits through backcross conversion, genetic manipulation, and transformation, incorporating cytoplasmic or nuclear factors for male sterility and other beneficial characteristics like disease resistance and improved yield, using specific breeding and genetic techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional maize breeding processes are used to combine desirable traits, then stable and agronomically sound varieties are achieved, but the development time is excessively long (6-12 years)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of varietyVSAvoidbreeding development time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a diverse panel of inbred lines with known genetic characteristics and desirable traits before the actual breeding program begins. This preparatory work allows for more efficient selection and crossing decisions, reducing the overall breeding timeline while maintaining variety stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single variety, then agronomic performance and resistance are improved, but the breeding process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagronomic performanceVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the breeding process into distinct phases: (1) development and characterization of individual inbred lines with specific traits, (2) systematic crossing of complementary lines, and (3) evaluation of hybrid combinations. This segmentation allows parallel development of multiple inbred lines with different traits, which are then combined in controlled crosses, reducing overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal panel of inbred lines that can be used across multiple breeding programs and crossed with various partners to produce different hybrid combinations. This multi-functional resource base allows the same inbred lines to contribute to multiple varieties with different trait combinations, simplifying the breeding process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If yield and resistance traits are maximized, then agronomic soundness is improved, but consistency across different environments becomes harder to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveyieldVSAvoidenvironmental consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent systematically varies environmental parameters across multiple locations and seasons when evaluating hybrid performance. By testing under diverse environmental conditions and selecting hybrids that maintain stable performance across these variations, the patent identifies combinations that achieve both high yield and environmental consistency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10701884B1Maize inbred PH46AP
Publication Date: 2020.07.07 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH46AP and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH46AP with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH46AP 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 PH46AP or a locus conversion of PH46AP with another maize variety.