Watermelon Line WML-EJ11-2553 Breeding for Uniformity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current plant breeding methods face challenges in developing uniform and stable watermelon varieties with desirable traits such as herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, and disease resistance, often resulting in unpredictable performance due to genetic non-uniformity in hybrid plants.

Innovation Solution

The development of the watermelon line WML-EJ11-2553, which is a diploid inbred line with specific physiological and morphological characteristics, including herbicide tolerance and resistance traits, achieved through pedigree breeding and genetic transformation techniques, ensuring uniformity and stability across environmental influences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If pedigree breeding and recurrent selection methods are used to develop inbred plants, then genetic diversity is increased through combining backgrounds from multiple plants, but uniformity and predictability of the resulting varieties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic diversityVSAvoiduniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The breeding process is segmented into distinct phases: first developing uniform homozygous inbred lines through self-pollination and selection, then crossing these standardized lines to produce uniform F1 hybrids. This segmentation allows genetic diversity to be captured in the inbred line development phase while maintaining uniformity in the final hybrid product phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the genetic parameter state by advancing from heterogeneous breeding populations through multiple generations of selfing to produce homozygous inbreds, and then to heterozygous F1 hybrids. This parameter transformation (from heterogeneity to homogeneity to controlled heterogeneity) resolves the contradiction between diversity and uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If cross-pollination is used to produce hybrid plants from heterozygous parents, then genetic diversity is increased, but uniformity and performance predictability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenetic diversityVSAvoidperformance predictability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by first developing homozygous inbred lines with stable, uniform genetics before performing the cross-pollination to create hybrids. This preliminary standardization ensures that when diversity is introduced through crossing, the resulting F1 hybrids maintain uniformity and predictable performance because they originate from standardized parental lines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If self-pollination is used to produce homozygous inbred plants, then uniformity is improved, but genetic diversity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveuniformityVSAvoidgenetic diversity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple homozygous inbred lines with different genetic backgrounds through cross-pollination to produce F1 hybrids. This combining step restores genetic diversity while maintaining uniformity because the cross between standardized inbreds produces uniform heterozygous offspring, thus resolving the contradiction between uniformity and diversity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9066479B2Watermelon variety WML-EJ11-2553
Publication Date: 2015.06.30 SEMINIS VEGETABLE SEEDS INC

AI summary

The invention provides seed and plants of the watermelon line designated WML-EJ11-2553. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of watermelon line WML-EJ11-2553, and to methods for producing a watermelon plant produced by crossing a plant of watermelon line WML-EJ11-2553 with itself or with another watermelon plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of watermelon line WML-EJ11-2553, including the fruits and gametes of such plants.