Polyploid Plant Breeding via Triparental Crossing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current plant breeding methods face challenges in generating high-yield, genetically improved polyploid plants efficiently, as hybridization often results in sterile or inviable offspring due to hybrid incompatibility and polyspermy barriers, and traditional methods require multiple breeding cycles with uneven genetic distribution.

Innovation Solution

A marker-assisted method, known as the High-throughput Polypaternal Breeding Design (HIPOD) method, allows for the generation of polyploid plants by crossing more than two parent plants within one generation, using selectable markers to ensure viable offspring and subsequent marker-free plants, overcoming hybrid incompatibility and polyspermy barriers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If hybridization of two parental lines is performed to combine different germ plasms, then genetic diversity is improved, but hybrid incompatibility occurs leading to impaired growth, sterility or inviability of offspring

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic diversityVSAvoidoffspring viability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple paternal genomes (tripaternal or multipaternal) with a maternal genome to create polyploid plants. This merging of more than two parental genomes overcomes hybrid incompatibility by distributing genetic material from multiple parents, thereby maintaining genetic diversity while improving offspring viability through balanced genomic contribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the ploidy parameter by generating polyploid plants (triploid, tetraploid, or higher) through crossing with more than two parental lines. This parameter change from diploid to polyploid state resolves hybrid incompatibility issues while preserving the benefits of genetic diversity from multiple parents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple breeding cycles are used to establish and combine favorable genes from different plant sources, then genetic combination is improved, but breeding time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic combinationVSAvoidbreeding cycle duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by directly crossing plants with more than two parental lines in a single generation to achieve multipaternal inheritance. This preliminary combination of multiple favorable genes eliminates the need for successive hybridization cycles, thereby reducing breeding time and cost while maintaining effective genetic combination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If polyspermy barriers are present to prevent genomic imbalance, then fertility is maintained, but polyploid plant generation is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefertilityVSAvoidpolyploid plant generation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the ploidy parameter by intentionally inducing polyploidy through controlled crossing of more than two parental lines. By using selectable markers and systematic selection, the method overcomes natural polyspermy barriers and generates viable polyploid plants efficiently, transforming a previously harmful condition into a productive breeding outcome.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3485020A1Method of generating polyploid plants
Publication Date: 2019.05.22 UNIV OF BREMEN

AI summary

Polyploid plants obtainable by crossing of more than two parent plants within one generation as well as a novel high-throughput polypaternal breeding design (HI POD) method allowing such polypaternal crossing are provided. In particular, triparental plants are described.