PHO1;2 Gene Modulation for Phosphorus Efficiency and Yield

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for increasing crop yields are limited by the inefficient use of phosphorus, a non-renewable resource, and lack of research on genes that regulate grain filling in rice, which is crucial for maximizing yield on limited arable land.

Innovation Solution

The up-regulation of the PHO1;2 gene in crops to enhance phosphorus transport and utilization, promoting grain filling, increasing yield, and improving tolerance to low-phosphorus environments, thereby reducing the demand for phosphorus fertilizers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional breeding methods are used to increase crop yield, then yield improvement is achieved, but the method is no longer effective due to limited arable land and resource constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop yieldVSAvoidadaptability to limited arable land

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical breeding methods with molecular biology techniques, including gene cloning, molecular marker-assisted breeding, and transgenic technology. This substitution enables precise manipulation of genetic material to enhance phosphorus efficiency and yield without requiring additional arable land, directly resolving the contradiction between yield improvement and land scarcity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If large amounts of chemical fertilizers are used to increase yield, then crop productivity increases, but phosphorus utilization efficiency decreases and environmental sustainability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop yieldVSAvoidphosphorus utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs molecular marker-assisted breeding to identify and select crop varieties with inherent high phosphorus utilization efficiency. This self-service approach allows crops to efficiently absorb and utilize phosphorus from the soil without requiring excessive fertilizer input, thereby maintaining high yield while improving phosphorus utilization efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If phosphorus fertilizer application is increased to improve grain filling, then yield increases, but the cost and environmental burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrain filling qualityVSAvoidphosphorus fertilizer demand

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes molecular markers to identify genetic parameters associated with high phosphorus efficiency and improved grain filling. By selecting and breeding varieties with favorable genetic parameters, the crop's inherent ability to utilize phosphorus for grain filling is enhanced, achieving better grain filling quality and yield without increasing phosphorus fertilizer application, thus reducing both cost and environmental burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Loss of substance

If research on phosphorus-related genes is conducted to improve efficiency, then phosphorus utilization improves, but the complexity of molecular biology research increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephosphorus utilization efficiencyVSAvoidmolecular biology research complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex molecular biology research into manageable components: identifying specific phosphorus-related genes (such as PHO1, PHO2, PHO3), developing molecular markers linked to these genes, and applying marker-assisted selection. This segmentation simplifies the research process and makes it applicable to conventional breeding programs, reducing the overall complexity while achieving improved phosphorus utilization efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Significantly increases grain weight, tiller number, and yield while improving phosphorus utilization efficiency, allowing crops to thrive in low-phosphorus conditions without increased phosphorus application, thus addressing environmental sustainability concerns.

Implementation Method 1

PHO1;2 encodes a plasma membrane-localized phosphate transporter with strong efflux activity, which is specifically expressed in the nucellar epidermis and ovular vasculature of seeds, and mainly regulates the redistribution of Pi and filling of crop kernels during the filling stage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhosphate transport:

Data Source

PatentUS20230323380A1Phosphorus-Efficient and High Yield Gene of Crops, and Application Thereof

Publication Date: 2023.10.12 CAS CENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN MOLECULAR PLANT SCI

AI summary

Provided are a phosphorus-efficient and high-yield gene of crops, and an application thereof. It is first disclosed that a PHO1;2 gene has a regulating function on filling of crop kernels. Up-regulating the expression of the gene in crops can significantly promote filling of the crop kernels, increase the kernel weight of the crop kernels, the kernels per spike, the tiller number and the kernel thickness, and/or promote thickening of the crops. The PHO1;2 gene plays a two-way phosphorus transport effect which mainly conveys phosphorus to the extracellular domain, can regulate intracellular phosphorus accumulation, increase the utilization rate of phosphorus in crops, and improve the duration of crops to a low-phosphorus environment.