Variegated Cornus Hybrid Tree Propagation via Grafting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for a dogwood tree cultivar that exhibits desirable variegated foliage and maintains its characteristics through asexual reproduction, offering commercial attractiveness and resistance to diseases and insects, similar to existing hybrid progenitors but with unique floral displays and hardiness.

Innovation Solution

A Cornus hybrid, designated as 'KV10-105V1', resulting from the interspecific hybridization of Cornus kousa and Cornus florida 'Sweetwater', which is asexually reproduced by grafting and exhibits vigorous, upright growth, distinctive variegated foliage, and comparable disease and insect resistance, with a floral display in Hardiness Zones 6-7.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If asexual reproduction by grafting is used to propagate the cultivar, then the variegated foliage characteristics are maintained true-to-type, but the propagation process requires skilled horticultural techniques

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevariegated foliage characteristicsVSAvoidpropagation process

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asexual reproduction through grafting to create copies of the parent plant that faithfully replicate the distinctive variegated foliage characteristics. This copying process ensures that the unique leaf coloration and patterns are maintained true-to-type in subsequent generations, resolving the contradiction by prioritizing characteristic stability over propagation simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If the plant is grown in Hardiness Zones 6-7, then the floral display is optimally produced, but the adaptability to other regions is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloral displayVSAvoidregional adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies Hardiness Zones 6-7 as the optimal growing region, indicating that the plant's physiological parameters (cold hardiness, bloom timing, growth rate) are calibrated for these specific temperature ranges. This parameter specification resolves the contradiction by defining the optimal productivity zone while implicitly limiting adaptability to regions outside this range.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If the plant exhibits vigorous and upright growth habit, then the overall size and structure are improved, but the space required for cultivation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrowth vigorVSAvoidcultivation space

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent describes the plant as having a multi-stemmed growth habit with branches spreading from the trunk, creating a segmented structure that distributes the plant's volume more efficiently. This segmentation allows the vigorous growth to be expressed without requiring a single large continuous space, resolving the contradiction between growth vigor and cultivation space requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUSPP24952P3Interspecific Cornus hybrid tree named `KV10-105v1`

Publication Date: 2014.10.07 RUTGERS THE STATE UNIV

AI summary

An interspecific hybrid of Cornus kousa and Cornus florida, comprising a bud mutation of the tree covered by U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,207. The mutation is a vigorous dogwood tree, exhibiting variegated foliage comprising green leaves with a white margin and dispersed green and mottled hues of green and white in several shades during the growing season and brilliant fall foliage with multiple shades of brilliant red-purple margins with dispersed shades of violet blue.