Maize Inbred PH46AR Breeding for Disease Resistance and Yield

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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 combining desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and high yield in a single variety that is agronomically sound across different conditions and environments.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of the novel maize variety PH46AR, which involves crossing with other maize plants to introduce desired traits like male sterility, disease resistance, and improved agronomic characteristics through backcross conversion, genetic manipulation, and transformation, along with specific breeding and cultivation processes to produce stable and high-yielding hybrids.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional maize breeding processes are used to combine desirable traits, then disease resistance and yield improvement are achieved, but the development time becomes excessively long (6-12 years)

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

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by pre-selecting and characterizing inbred lines with specific desirable traits (disease resistance, yield potential) before combining them. The inbred PH46AR is developed with predetermined characteristics including resistance to diseases like northern corn leaf blight and gray leaf spot, allowing faster hybrid development without extensive field testing of new trait combinations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single variety, then agronomic performance and yield are improved, but the complexity of the breeding program increases

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

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the breeding program into distinct components: developing inbred lines with specific traits (PH46AR with disease resistance, other inbreds with yield traits), characterizing them separately, and then combining them in hybrid crosses. This modular approach allows systematic management of multiple traits without overwhelming program complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inbred PH46AR serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides disease resistance, contributes to yield potential, and can be used in multiple hybrid combinations. This multi-functional inbred line reduces the number of separate breeding programs needed to achieve various trait combinations.

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

3Reliability

If stable and high-yielding maize hybrids are developed, then agronomic soundness across different conditions is achieved, but the time required from first cross to finished seed delivery increases to 6-12 years

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagronomic soundnessVSAvoidtime from first cross to seed delivery
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses preliminary action by extensively characterizing and testing inbred lines (including PH46AR) for agronomic performance, stress tolerance, and yield potential before combining them in hybrid programs. This pre-characterization allows faster progression from hybrid cross to finished seed while maintaining agronomic soundness across different environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10709095B1Maize inbred PH46AR
Publication Date: 2020.07.14 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH46AR and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH46AR with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH46AR 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 PH46AR or a locus conversion of PH46AR with another maize variety.