Maize Variety PH4D9T Breeding for Yield and Stability

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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

The introduction of the novel maize variety PH4D9T, which involves crossing with other maize plants to introduce desired traits through backcross conversion, genetic manipulation, and transformation, including cytoplasmic male sterility and locus conversions, to produce stable, high-yielding hybrids.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional maize breeding methods are used to combine desirable traits, then the resulting varieties have improved agronomic characteristics, but the development process takes six to twelve years

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagronomic soundnessVSAvoidbreeding development time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a comprehensive germplasm repository containing diverse maize genetic material with predetermined desirable traits. This pre-prepared genetic resource bank allows breeders to immediately access and combine specific traits without undergoing lengthy traditional breeding cycles, thus reducing development time while maintaining agronomic soundness through systematic trait combination protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

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

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaximal yieldVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the complex task of combining multiple desirable traits into manageable modules. Each module represents a specific trait or group of linked traits that have been pre-characterized and validated. Breeders can selectively assemble these modular trait combinations based on specific breeding objectives, reducing overall process complexity while achieving maximal yield through systematic trait integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by systematically varying genetic parameters within the germplasm repository to optimize trait combinations. By adjusting genetic diversity parameters, trait expression levels, and genomic composition, the breeding process efficiently achieves maximal yield across different environmental conditions without proportionally increasing process complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If extensive germplasm screening and selection is performed to ensure trait stability, then the variety achieves stable performance across environments, but the time required for variety development increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrait stabilityVSAvoidvariety development time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by conducting extensive germplasm characterization, trait validation, and stability testing during the initial repository establishment phase. This upfront preliminary work ensures that when specific traits are selected and combined for variety development, their stability across environments is already verified, eliminating the need for prolonged testing during subsequent breeding stages and thus reducing overall development time while maintaining trait stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11432505B1Maize inbred PH4D9T
Publication Date: 2022.09.06 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH4D9T and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH4D9T with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH4D9T 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 PH4D9T or a locus conversion of PH4D9T with another maize variety.