Plant Extract Small RNAs for Nutrient-Efficient Crop Yield
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current agricultural systems face challenges in producing enough food sustainably to meet the growing global population's needs while minimizing environmental impact, with existing small RNA-based approaches often relying on synthetic and GMO systems that pose health risks.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing naturally produced microRNAs (miRNAs) from donor plants, applied at specific dosages to target crop plants, to enhance agronomic traits such as nutrient use efficiency and yield, avoiding synthetic dsRNAs and GMOs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If synthetic dsRNAs and GMO systems are used to improve crop productivity, then agronomic traits can be enhanced, but health risks and environmental harm increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses naturally occurring small RNA molecules that are transient and degrade naturally in the environment, replacing persistent synthetic dsRNAs and GMO systems. These natural small RNAs provide the desired agronomic effects without long-term environmental accumulation or health concerns associated with synthetic alternatives.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the plant's own natural RNAi machinery and endogenous small RNA pathways to achieve the desired agronomic improvements. By applying natural small RNAs, the plant's inherent biological systems are activated to regulate gene expression and improve traits, eliminating the need for external synthetic interventions.
2Productivity
If increased use of agrochemicals is applied to boost agricultural production, then crop yield increases, but environmental degradation and resource depletion worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical agrochemical inputs with biological small RNA molecules that regulate plant gene expression. This substitution eliminates the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, using instead naturally occurring RNA that degrades environmentally benignly while achieving the desired productivity improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of agricultural input from synthetic chemicals to natural biological molecules. By using small RNAs that are naturally present in plants and degrade into harmless components, the system achieves productivity enhancement without the environmental degradation associated with conventional agrochemical use.
3Productivity
If natural small RNA molecules from donor plants are applied to target plants, then nutrient use efficiency and yield improve, but the complexity of extraction and application increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts small RNA molecules from donor plants and applies them to target plants to achieve the desired agronomic effects. This extraction approach allows for the isolation of active components while maintaining their natural biological function, providing a simpler alternative to complex GMO systems while achieving improved nutrient use efficiency and yield.
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
Improves crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency, reducing the need for fertilizers and minimizing environmental harm, with enhanced yield and improved agronomic traits observed in treated plants.
Implementation Method 1
the artificial, dsRNA approach, instead, is based on spraying exogenously artificially designed dsRNA sequences, either chemically synthesized or produced utilizing a bacterial expression system, which—if taken up by the receiving plants—are then processed into the cell nucleus/cytosol by the RNAi machinery to generate siRNAs
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a method for improving an agronomic performance of a receiving/target crop plant, such as corn, soybean, wheat, rice, tomato, melon, lettuce, and strawberry, said method being based on treating a receiving crop plant with an extract comprising small RNAs said small RNAs being produced by a donor plant. When said small RNAs comprising extract is applied to the receiving crop plant at specific rates/dosages, the extract improves the agronomic performances of the receiving plant, especially in terms of nutrients use or crop yield.