Red Rocket Pennisetum Stem Length and Bloom Timing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for a stable and uniform Pennisetum alopecuroides cultivar with distinct greyed-purple inflorescences that blooms in early September, addressing the limitations of existing varieties in terms of height, inflorescence length, and bloom time.

Innovation Solution

The 'Red Rocket' cultivar, characterized by 75 cm stems with thick greyed-purple inflorescences that start in early September, achieved through asexual vegetative division propagation, offering a stable and identical reproduction method, and comparing favorably in height and inflorescence length to other Pennisetum alopecuroides cultivars like 'Red Head', 'Hameln', and 'Mondry'.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head' is used, then inflorescence length is increased to 20 cm, but plant height becomes excessive at 120 cm

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinflorescence lengthVSAvoidplant height

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies parameter changes by selecting and breeding for specific quantitative traits: reducing plant height from 120 cm to 75 cm while maintaining inflorescence length at 15 cm. This involves changing the physical parameters of the plant through controlled breeding to achieve the desired proportion between stem length and inflorescence length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Shape

If Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' is used, then inflorescence color is tan, but inflorescence length is insufficient at only 10 cm

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinflorescence colorVSAvoidinflorescence length

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by focusing on the specific characteristic of the inflorescence: maintaining the desirable greyed-purple coloration while improving the insufficient length. The breeding program targets the inflorescence region specifically to achieve both color (145 A) and length (15 cm) requirements, rather than treating the entire plant uniformly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Length of moving object

If Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Mondry' is used, then plant height is reduced to 60 cm, but bloom time is delayed to October

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplant heightVSAvoidbloom time

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies preliminary action by selecting parent plants and breeding conditions that pre-determine early bloom timing. The breeding program establishes genetic traits that cause the plant to bloom in early September rather than October, preparing the plant's developmental schedule in advance through selective breeding of parents with appropriate phenological characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Stability of the object's composition

If asexual vegetative division propagation is used, then reproduction stability is improved with identical plants, but genetic diversity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereproduction stabilityVSAvoidgenetic diversity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies copying by using asexual vegetative division to produce exact genetic copies of the selected parent plant. This ensures that every propagated plant is an identical replica with the same 75 cm height, 15 cm inflorescence length, and greyed-purple coloration, providing complete reproduction stability and uniformity for commercial production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUSPP28715P2<i>Pennisetum alopecuroides </i>plant named ‘Red Rocket’

Publication Date: 2017.11.28 HORVATH BRENT

AI summary

A new, distinct Pennisetum alopecuroides plant as shown and described, characterized by thick greyed-purple inflorescences on 75 cm stems that start in early September in northern Illinois.