Maize Inbred PH4CRF 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 combining desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and high yield in a stable and agronomically sound manner.

Innovation Solution

A novel maize variety, PH4CRF, 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 characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional breeding methods are used to develop new maize varieties, then stable and agronomically sound varieties are achieved, 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 developing and maintaining a pre-characterized inbred maize line (PH4CRF) with known desirable traits including disease resistance, drought tolerance, and specific agronomic characteristics. This pre-developed inbred line serves as a ready-to-use genetic foundation that eliminates the need to start breeding from scratch, significantly reducing the time required to develop new varieties while maintaining stability and agronomic soundness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single maize variety, then yield and stress resistance are improved, but the complexity of the breeding process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease and stress resistanceVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple desirable traits including disease resistance, drought tolerance, and specific agronomic characteristics into a single integrated inbred maize line (PH4CRF). By combining these traits in one pre-developed genetic foundation, the patent simplifies the breeding process for subsequent variety development, as breeders can start with this consolidated genetic package rather than attempting to combine multiple traits through complex multi-generation breeding programs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If high-yielding maize hybrids are developed, then productivity is increased, but the time required for variety development extends to six to twelve years

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaize yieldVSAvoidvariety development time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-developing the PH4CRF inbred line with optimized genetic characteristics for high yield potential, disease resistance, and stress tolerance. This pre-characterized genetic foundation enables breeders to rapidly develop high-yielding hybrids by crossing PH4CRF with other complementary inbred lines, significantly reducing the time required to bring high-yielding varieties to market compared to traditional breeding approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11419295B1Maize inbred PH4CRF
Publication Date: 2022.08.23 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH4CRF and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH4CRF with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH4CRF 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 PH4CRF or a locus conversion of PH4CRF with another maize variety.