Viola Sunny Jim Breeding for Fragrance and Branching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current Viola varieties lack consistent and uniform flower production with strong fragrance, vigorous growth, and self-branching habit, as well as require vernalization for flowering, limiting their horticultural performance.
Innovation Solution
The development of Viola×hybrida 'Sunny Jim', a hybrid seedling selection with a naturally basally self-branching habit, medium to large pure yellow blooms without petal veining, heavy fragrance, and continuous flowering from spring to fall, which does not require vernalization, and is hardy to USDA Zone 5.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional Viola varieties are used, then they can produce flowers, but they lack consistent and uniform flower production with strong fragrance and vigorous growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and breeding Viola seedlings with specific genetic parameters that produce consistent uniform flowers. The inventor examined multiple seedling parameters including flower size, color uniformity, fragrance intensity, and growth rate to identify plants with stable, reliable flowering characteristics that consistently produce uniform blooms across multiple cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs self-service through the natural self-branching habit of the selected Viola variety. The plant automatically produces multiple stems and branches without requiring external intervention or pruning, enabling self-sustained flower production across numerous stems while maintaining uniformity in flower characteristics throughout the growing season.
2Duration of action of moving object
If Viola varieties require vernalization for flowering, then they can initiate flowers, but this limits their horticultural performance and flowering duration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by removing the vernalization requirement from the Viola variety's cultivation needs. The selected variety is bred to flower without requiring the cold treatment typically necessary for Viola species, thereby eliminating this operational constraint and enabling continuous flowering from spring through fall without external environmental triggers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamics by enabling the Viola variety to adapt its flowering cycle to seasonal temperature changes rather than requiring specific vernalization conditions. The plant dynamically responds to ambient temperatures, initiating and maintaining flowers throughout the growing season from spring to fall, thereby extending the flowering duration beyond the limitations of vernalization-dependent varieties.
3Adaptability or versatility
If Viola varieties are grown in outdoor conditions, then they can naturalize, but they lack self-branching habit and vigorous growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service through the natural self-branching habit of the selected Viola variety. The plant automatically produces multiple stems and branches without requiring external intervention or pruning, enabling self-sustained flower production across numerous stems while maintaining uniformity in flower characteristics throughout the growing season.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and breeding Viola seedlings with specific genetic parameters that produce consistent uniform flowers. The inventor examined multiple seedling parameters including flower size, color uniformity, fragrance intensity, and growth rate to identify plants with stable, reliable flowering characteristics that consistently produce uniform blooms across multiple cycles.
4Productivity
If Viola varieties produce flowers, but they lack strong fragrance and vigorous growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and breeding Viola seedlings with specific genetic parameters that produce consistent uniform flowers. The inventor examined multiple seedling parameters including flower size, color uniformity, fragrance intensity, and growth rate to identify plants with stable, reliable flowering characteristics that consistently produce uniform blooms across multiple cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
A new cultivar of Viola plant named ‘Sunny Jim’ that is distinguishable by compact basally branching habit, medium to large pure yellow flowers with absence of veining, and flowers which are heavily pleasantly fragrant. ‘Sunny Jim’ is hardy in USDA Zone 5 and blooms from early spring through fall.