Soybean Variety A1037439 Breeding via Marker-Assisted Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current soybean breeding methods face challenges in developing stable, high-yielding varieties with desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and improved nutritional quality, as they rely on conventional breeding techniques that are time-consuming and unpredictable, leading to significant research costs and variability in results.

Innovation Solution

The development of the soybean variety A1037439, which includes methods for crossing and breeding to introduce specific traits like herbicide resistance, disease resistance, and improved nutritional quality through techniques like backcrossing and genetic transformation, allowing for the creation of stable and high-yielding soybean plants with controlled genetic modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional breeding techniques are used to develop soybean varieties, then genetic diversity and trait combination are achieved, but the breeding process becomes time-consuming and unpredictable with high variability in results

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrait combinationVSAvoidbreeding process duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical breeding methods (cross-pollination, selection, and recombination) with genetic engineering techniques. Specifically, it uses backcrossing combined with molecular marker-assisted selection to precisely introduce desired traits (such as disease resistance or herbicide tolerance) into elite soybean backgrounds, thereby achieving the same genetic diversity and trait combination goals but in a more predictable and time-efficient manner.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces molecular markers as intermediaries to track and select for desired traits during the breeding process. These markers serve as proxies for the target genes, allowing breeders to identify and select plants carrying the desired traits at the DNA level rather than waiting for phenotypic expression, thus accelerating the breeding process while maintaining trait accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If conventional breeding techniques are used to develop soybean varieties, then natural genetic recombination occurs, but research costs increase due to unpredictability and extended breeding cycles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic recombinationVSAvoidresearch costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces resource-intensive conventional breeding operations (multiple generations of field testing, phenotypic screening, and manual selection) with molecular marker-assisted backcrossing. This substitution maintains natural genetic recombination where needed while reducing the number of breeding cycles required, thereby lowering research costs and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms through molecular marker analysis at each breeding stage. By continuously monitoring the presence and absence of target traits and linked markers, breeders can make informed decisions about which plants to advance, eliminating unnecessary breeding cycles and reducing overall research costs while maintaining genetic stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If backcrossing and genetic transformation are used to introduce specific traits, then breeding precision and predictability improve, but process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebreeding precisionVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses molecular markers as intermediaries to simplify the complex process of tracking multiple traits during backcrossing. Instead of monitoring numerous phenotypic characteristics, breeders can focus on a small number of diagnostic markers that are closely linked to the target traits, thereby maintaining high breeding precision while reducing procedural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the breeding process into distinct phases: initial cross, backcrossing generations with marker selection, and final evaluation. Each phase has specific marker sets focused on particular traits, allowing breeders to manage complexity by addressing one trait or group of traits at a time rather than attempting to track all traits simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9043966B2Soybean variety A1037439
Publication Date: 2015.06.02 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1037439. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1037439. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1037439 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1037439 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.