Teff Lodging Resistance via Hormone Pathway Modification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current teff varieties are susceptible to lodging, which significantly reduces yield and grain quality, and decades of conventional breeding approaches have been ineffective in developing lodging-resistant teff plants.
Innovation Solution
Genetically modified Eragrostis plants with reduced hormone activities, specifically auxin transport, gibberellic acid biosynthesis, and brassinosteroid signaling, achieved through nucleic acid modifications using a programmable nucleotide modification system, resulting in a synergistic reduction in plant height and enhanced lodging resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional breeding approaches are used to improve lodging resistance in teff, then some genetic gains are achieved, but lodging resistance remains insufficient and all improved varieties are still susceptible to lodging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying hormone-related parameters through nucleic acid modifications. Specifically, it reduces auxin transport activity, gibberellic acid biosynthesis activity, and brassinosteroid signaling activity to achieve synergistic reduction in plant height and improve lodging resistance, moving beyond conventional breeding parameter adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/conventional breeding system with a genetic engineering approach using programmable nucleotide modification systems. This substitution enables precise modification of hormone pathway genes (Sd1, Dw1, Dw3) to achieve lodging resistance that conventional breeding cannot accomplish
2Reliability
If plant height is reduced to improve lodging resistance, then lodging resistance increases, but yield potential may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes hormone activity parameters (auxin transport, GA biosynthesis, BR signaling) to achieve a balanced reduction in plant height that maintains yield potential. The synergistic effect of modifying multiple hormone pathways allows for optimized height-yield relationship
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines modifications of multiple hormone pathways (auxin, gibberellic acid, and brassinosteroid) to create a composite genetic modification effect. This composite approach to height reduction maintains structural integrity and yield potential while achieving lodging resistance
3Reliability
If multiple hormone activities are reduced through nucleic acid modifications, then synergistic reduction in plant height is achieved, but genetic modification complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal programmable nucleotide modification system that can target and modify multiple hormone-related genes (Sd1, Dw1, Dw3) simultaneously. This multi-functional system handles auxin transport, GA biosynthesis, and BR signaling modifications through a single platform, managing the complexity of multiple hormone pathway modifications
Data Source
AI summary
Genetically modified lodging resistant Eragrostis plants and methods of producing lodging resistance in an Eragrostis plant, part thereof, or plant cell thereof are disclosed. Methods of improving the yield of an Eragrostis plant are also disclosed.