Hybrid Squash Macaria Breeding via CRISPR Genome Editing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current plant breeding methods face challenges in developing stable, high-yielding squash hybrids with improved fruit quality and agronomic traits, such as yield, fruit appearance, and disease resistance, which are not adequately addressed by existing technologies.

Innovation Solution

The development of the hybrid squash plant Macaria, which combines specific physiological and morphological characteristics through crossing and backcrossing techniques, including the use of New Breeding Techniques like CRISPR/Cas, to produce seeds and plants with enhanced traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and improved nutritional quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional plant breeding methods are used to develop squash hybrids, then the breeding process is simpler and less costly, but the resulting hybrids do not achieve sufficient improvement in yield, fruit quality, and disease resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveyieldVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying genetic parameters through CRISPR/Cas technology to achieve superior hybrid traits. The breeding process transitions from conventional methods to genome editing, changing the fundamental parameter of genetic modification to resolve the contradiction between improved productivity and increased complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical breeding methods (crossing and selection) with molecular biology techniques (CRISPR/Cas genome editing). This substitution enables precise genetic modifications that conventional mechanical breeding cannot achieve, thereby improving yield and disease resistance despite the increased technical complexity.

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

2Reliability

If advanced genetic modification techniques like CRISPR/Cas are used, then disease resistance and nutritional quality are improved, but the breeding process becomes more complex and technologically demanding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease resistanceVSAvoidbreeding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes genetic parameters by introducing specific gene edits through CRISPR/Cas technology to enhance disease resistance and nutritional quality. This parameter change approach allows precise modification of traits related to reliability while managing the complexity through targeted genetic interventions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making specific, targeted genetic modifications at particular loci using CRISPR/Cas technology. Rather than genome-wide changes, the approach focuses on specific genes or regions responsible for disease resistance and nutritional quality, thereby improving reliability while controlling the overall complexity of the breeding process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If multiple breeding cycles including backcrossing are performed, then desirable traits are stabilized in the hybrid, but the breeding time and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid stabilityVSAvoidbreeding time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces multi-generational mechanical breeding cycles with direct genome editing using CRISPR/Cas technology. This substitution achieves trait stabilization in fewer generations by directly introducing desired genetic modifications, thereby reducing the time loss associated with conventional backcrossing and multiple breeding cycles.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing genome editing to pre-establish desired traits before hybridization. By using CRISPR/Cas to pre-modify parental lines with target traits, the breeding process achieves stable hybrid composition more quickly, reducing the time required for multiple stabilization cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10512232B2Hybrid squash plant named <i>Macaria </i>
Publication Date: 2019.12.24 HM CLAUSE

AI summary

A novel hybrid squash plant, designated Macaria is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of squash hybrid Macaria, to the plants and plant parts of hybrid squash Macaria, and to methods for producing a squash plant by crossing the hybrid squash Macaria with itself or another squash plant.