Maize Inbred PH4C3C 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 various conditions and environments.

Innovation Solution

A novel maize variety, PH4C3C, 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 stable, high-yielding hybrids with improved agronomic characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional breeding methods are used to combine desirable traits in maize, then the variety achieves stability and agronomic soundness, but the development process takes six to twelve years

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of maize varietyVSAvoidbreeding development 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, yield potential) before combining them. The inbred lines are prepared and evaluated in advance through systematic breeding programs, allowing the hybrid development phase to proceed more efficiently without compromising the stability and agronomic soundness of the final variety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single maize variety, then the variety achieves maximal yield across different conditions, but the breeding process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveyield of maize varietyVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the complex breeding process into distinct phases: developing individual inbred lines with specific traits, evaluating them separately, and then combining selected lines to form hybrids. This modular approach allows each inbred line to be optimized for particular traits (disease resistance, drought tolerance, yield) independently, then combined systematically to achieve maximal yield across different conditions without overwhelming complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by systematically varying and evaluating multiple parameters of inbred lines including disease resistance levels, drought tolerance thresholds, maturity timing, and yield potential. By characterizing and selecting based on these quantifiable parameters, the breeding process can efficiently combine multiple desirable traits while managing complexity through data-driven selection criteria

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If traditional breeding methods are used to develop new maize varieties, then the varieties achieve agronomic soundness, but the process is slow and prevents rapid response to changing environmental conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagronomic soundness of maize varietyVSAvoidbreeding development speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-characterizing inbred lines for key agronomic traits including disease resistance, drought tolerance, and yield potential before hybrid formation. This advance preparation and systematic evaluation of parental lines enables faster hybrid development while maintaining agronomic soundness, as the parental selection criteria are established beforehand

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter changes by establishing and evaluating multiple quantitative parameters (disease resistance indices, drought tolerance measures, yield metrics, maturity timing) during inbred line development. This parameter-based approach allows for more rapid and objective selection decisions compared to traditional phenotypic evaluation alone, accelerating the breeding process while ensuring agronomic soundness through comprehensive trait assessment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11439099B1Maize inbred PH4C3C
Publication Date: 2022.09.13 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH4C3C and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH4C3C with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH4C3C 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 PH4C3C or a locus conversion of PH4C3C with another maize variety.