Maize PH42T9 Breeding via Marker-Assisted Selection

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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 the delivery of finished seed, 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

The introduction of the novel maize variety PH42T9, which involves crossing with another maize plant to introduce desirable traits through backcross conversion, genetic manipulation, and transformation, including cytoplasmic or nuclear factors for male sterility and other beneficial characteristics, to produce stable, high-yielding maize plants with improved agronomic traits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional maize breeding processes are used to combine desirable traits, then the resulting varieties have improved agronomic characteristics, but the development time becomes excessively long (6-12 years)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagronomic characteristicsVSAvoidbreeding development time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by using molecular marker technology to pre-identify and select parent lines that possess desired traits before actual crossing. This allows breeders to predict offspring characteristics in advance, eliminating the need for lengthy field testing of each generation and significantly reducing the 6-12 year development timeline while maintaining trait combination effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple desirable traits are combined in a single variety through extensive breeding, then the variety becomes more versatile, but the breeding process complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrait combinationVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces molecular markers as an intermediary tool that mediates between parental traits and offspring selection. These markers serve as genetic signposts that allow breeders to track and combine multiple desirable traits simultaneously through marker-assisted selection, transforming a complex multi-trait breeding process into a series of manageable, marker-guided selection steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If traditional breeding methods are used to ensure variety stability across environments, then the varieties are agronomically sound, but the time required for multi-environment testing extends the development cycle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental stabilityVSAvoidtesting duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms through molecular marker analysis that provides real-time genetic information about offspring trait inheritance. This feedback allows breeders to make informed selection decisions at each generation without waiting for lengthy field performance data, enabling early identification of stable trait combinations that will perform consistently across environments, thereby reducing multi-environment testing duration while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10721887B1Maize inbred PH42T9
Publication Date: 2020.07.28 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH42T9 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH42T9 with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH42T9 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 PH42T9 or a locus conversion of PH42T9 with another maize variety.