Maize Inbred PH472K Breeding for Disease Resistance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

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 stable and agronomically sound manner.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of the novel maize variety PH472K, which involves crossing with other maize plants to introduce traits like male sterility, disease resistance, and improved agronomic characteristics through backcross conversion, genetic manipulation, and transformation, along with specific breeding processes to achieve desired phenotypic and genotypic stability.

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 can be 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 applies preliminary action by pre-selecting and characterizing inbred line PH472K with desired traits (disease resistance, yield potential, agronomic performance) before hybrid development. This preliminary characterization allows breeders to start hybrid breeding with a pre-validated parent line, reducing the time required for trait validation in later breeding stages.

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 breeding process complexity increases

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

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the breeding process into distinct stages: inbred line development (producing PH472K with specific traits), hybrid development (combining PH472K with other inbreds), and trait introgression (adding specific characteristics). This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, managing complexity while achieving multi-trait combinations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by focusing on specific trait combinations in specific breeding contexts. PH472K is developed with particular strengths (disease resistance, yield) that can be combined with other inbreds having complementary traits. This approach allows tailoring hybrid combinations to specific agronomic needs rather than attempting to combine all possible traits in every variety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of time

If genetic manipulation and transformation are used to introgress traits, then breeding time is reduced, but genetic integrity may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrait introgression timeVSAvoidgenetic integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses backcrossing as an intermediary approach between traditional breeding and genetic manipulation. PH472K serves as a recurrent parent in backcross programs, allowing gradual introgression of desired traits while maintaining the genetic background and integrity of the base variety. This intermediary approach balances speed with genetic stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11395466B1Maize inbred PH472K
Publication Date: 2022.07.26 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH472K and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH472K with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH472K 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 PH472K or a locus conversion of PH472K with another maize variety.