Timed Male-Pollen Delivery for Cereal Hybrid Seed Purity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing hybrid seeds, particularly in crops like soybeans and wheat, are inefficient and costly due to the need for physical isolation, male sterility, and planting male and female parent plants in close proximity, leading to high resource consumption and low genetic purity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving intentional pollination of female plants with male pollen during a specific window when undesirable pollen is not shed, eliminating the need for male sterility and isolation, and allowing for hybrid seed production without the use of traditional isolation techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hybrid seed production methods are used (physical isolation, male sterility, close proximity planting), then genetic purity can be maintained, but resource consumption increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by collecting and preserving male pollen before the pollination window, then applying it intentionally during the optimal time when female flowers are receptive. This advance preparation eliminates the need for continuous presence of male plants and physical isolation measures, thereby maintaining genetic purity while improving resource efficiency and productivity.
2Reliability
If male sterility and physical isolation are implemented, then genetic purity is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of male plants (pollen production) and separates it from the female plants spatially and temporally. By collecting pollen from male plants and preserving it, then applying it to female plants at the appropriate time, the system eliminates the need for complex isolation infrastructure and male sterility mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining genetic purity.
3Reliability
If intentional pollination is performed during the pollination window when undesirable pollen is not shed, then genetic purity increases, but the precision of timing control is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by collecting and preserving male pollen before the pollination window opens. This advance preparation allows for intentional application at the precise moment when female flowers are receptive and undesirable pollen is not yet shed, ensuring high genetic purity without requiring complex real-time timing control mechanisms during the actual pollination event.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention describes a new method to generate cereal crop seed. The process involves the delivery of pollen of the male parent at will, as available either in a preserved pollen bank, or using real-time collection from male plants as they become available. Desired pollen is delivered to fertile females during the period when viable pollen from the females and locally proximal unrelated plants is not being released. The delivered male pollen is in such amounts and fortuitously timed that it preferentially pollinates the females. Such fortuitous timing may involve the intentional application of pollen to females a day or two prior to female parent pollen becoming viable, and/or during several periods wherein female parent pollen and/or other proximal plant pollen is not being shed.