Maize Variety PH48MF Breeding via Cytoplasmic Male Sterility

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Solution Overview

Problem

The development of new maize varieties and hybrids is a time-consuming process, requiring six to twelve years from the first cross to delivering finished seed to farmers, 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, PH48MF, 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 processes are used to develop new maize varieties, then desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and high yield can be combined, but the process takes six to twelve years and is time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of desirable traitsVSAvoidbreeding development time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by using male sterile lines and cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) systems to prevent self-pollination before hybrid seed production. This ensures that only cross-pollinated seeds are produced, eliminating the need for time-consuming verification of hybrid status and maintaining trait stability from the outset of the breeding process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) as an intermediary mechanism to control pollination. The CMS trait acts as a mediator that prevents self-fertilization and ensures cross-fertilization between specific parental lines, thereby guaranteeing hybrid vigor and trait stability without requiring lengthy verification periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If backcross conversion and genetic manipulation are used to introgress traits into PH48MF, then disease resistance and drought tolerance can be incorporated, but the process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrait combination capabilityVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the breeding process into distinct stages: developing male sterile lines, creating maintainer lines, producing hybrid seed, and verifying traits. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, reducing overall process complexity while maintaining the ability to incorporate multiple desirable traits through systematic backcrossing and selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If male sterility traits are introduced into PH48MF to prevent self-pollination, then hybrid seed production is improved, but the breeding process requires additional genetic manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid seed production efficiencyVSAvoidgenetic manipulation requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs self-service through the use of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) where the plant's own cytoplasm determines its fertility status. The CMS lines automatically prevent self-pollination without requiring external intervention or complex genetic manipulation during the actual hybrid seed production, as the sterility is inherent in the cytoplasm and is maintained through simple backcrossing to maintainer lines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10709081B1Maize inbred PH48MF
Publication Date: 2020.07.14 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A novel maize variety designated PH48MF and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH48MF with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH48MF 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 PH48MF or a locus conversion of PH48MF with another maize variety.