Protein Hydrolysate Treatment for Maize Pollen Viability Under Heat Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pollen viability in maize plants is negatively impacted by heat stress, leading to reduced pollination success.
Innovation Solution
Applying a protein hydrolysate, such as ISABION, to maize plants or their loci to improve pollen viability, especially under heat stress conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat stress conditions occur, then maize plants experience higher temperatures, but pollen viability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies protein hydrolysate to maize plants before heat stress occurs (during vegetative growth stages V9-V11), preparing the plants in advance to withstand subsequent thermal stress during pollination. This preliminary treatment enhances pollen viability when heat stress later occurs, resolving the contradiction by proactively strengthening plant resilience before the harmful condition arises.
Solution Approach 2:
Protein hydrolysate acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between heat stress and pollen viability. The hydrolysate contains amino acids and peptides that serve as signaling molecules and nutritional supplements, enabling the plant to maintain pollen viability despite high temperatures. This intermediary substance facilitates the plant's response to thermal stress without directly altering the temperature itself.
2Reliability
If protein hydrolysate is applied to maize plants, then pollen viability is improved under heat stress, but application cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protein hydrolysate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a biostimulant to enhance pollen viability, provides nutritional supplementation to the plant, and improves stress tolerance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate treatments and justifies the application complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the application parameters of protein hydrolysate, including application timing (vegetative stages V9-V11), concentration (0.1-1 g/l in final spray solution), and dosage (1-2 litre/ha). By establishing specific parameter ranges, the complex application process becomes standardized and manageable, reducing operational complexity while maintaining effectiveness.
3Productivity
If conventional fertilizers and pesticides are used, then crop growth is supported, but they do not mitigate heat stress effects on pollen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines protein hydrolysate with conventional fertilizers and pesticides in an integrated treatment approach. The protein hydrolysate composite provides biostimulant and stress-mitigation properties that complement the growth-support functions of conventional inputs. This composite application strategy addresses both productivity maintenance and heat stress protection simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of heat stress into a manageable condition by using protein hydrolysate to prime the plants before stress occurs. The hydrolysate enables plants to utilize heat stress conditions less severely, transforming what would be purely harmful into a condition where productivity can be maintained through appropriate preparatory treatment.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of preserving the pollen viability of maize, especially under heat stress, comprising treating the maize plants with a protein hydrolysate.