Innovation Cache™: University of Missouri
Below you will find a listing of the top technology transfer abstracts from University of Missouri.
Title: A Novel Clinical Test to Determine the Fertility in Boars
About the technology: Pork is the most consumed meat in the world. Over 100 million tons pork meat is produced every year and there are two billion living domestics pigs at any given time. The US and the EU constitute a third of the production, and almost all piglets born there are the result of artificial insemination. It is critical that the boars selected for breeding have high quality sperm, so that the success rate of fertilization is high and insemination results in frequent and large litters. An invention that improves the success rate has the potential to increase profitability.
The current invention developed by researchers at the University of Missouri, is a specific sperm binding test that will enable the user to better predict the fertility of boars. The test will enable the technician to identify boars with a high count of functional sperm able to bind the egg and is a step up in sensitivity to tests that focus on sperm motility and morphology. Thus, this test will not only decrease the amount of effort and expenses spent on identifying animals with low fertility, but it will also increase litter frequency and size, thereby increasing profitability and competitiveness in the pork industry.
Potential areas of applications:
- Fertility testing of boars for the pork industry
- Might be adapted for other species
Main advantages of invention:
- Identifies pigs with subtle fertility defects
- Saves time and money wasted on low fertility animals
- Makes it easier to select highly productive boars for breeding
- Easy, practical, fast and reproducible test
State of development: Prototype has been developed
Licensing potential: University seeks development partner or licensee with potential to commercialize.
Patent status: Patent application planned.
Technology innovators: Gary F. Clark, Peter Sutovsky
Technology manager contact:
Harriet F. Francis, MS, JD; francish@missouri.edu; 573-884-0374
Per Stromhaug, PhD, MBA; stromhaugpe@missouri.edu; 573-884-3553
Title: Crop Resistance to Nematodes
About the technology: Parasitic nematodes that attack the roots of plants are estimated to cause an annual worldwide crop damage of over $100 billion. For soybean, the most important pathogen is the nematode Heterodera glycines, which in the US causes an annual loss of more than 120 million bushel valued at over $1.2 billion. Other Heterodera species can cause significant damage to corn, while potato nematodes of the Globodera genus can result in up to 60% reduction in potato yield. Crops resistant to nematodes are therefore of great economic interest.
The current invention developed by researchers at the University of Missouri is a genetic approach to make plants resistant to infestation from cyst nematodes attacking soybean, corn and potato. The nematodes secrete effector proteins in order to connect with the plant’s root cells, and plants lacking the receptors these effector proteins interact with have increased nematode resistance. Disruption of the plant receptors did not result in obvious changes to root growth in the plant and can be employed to develop a novel management tactic to reduce cyst nematode parasitism of crop plants.
Potential areas of applications:
- Nematode resistant crops of soybean, corn and potato
Main advantages of invention:
- Genetically modified plants
- Normal root phenotype
- Increased crop yields
- Decreased use of pesticides
State of development: Partial resistance has been achieved in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana and strategies for improving the resistance are being researched. Nematode resistant soybean and potato are under development.
Licensing potential: University seeks development partner or licensee with potential to commercialize.
Patent status: Patent application submitted
Technology innovators: Melissa G Mitchum, Amy Replogle, Jianying Wang, Xiaohong Wang, Shiyan Chen, Ping Lang, Eric L Davis, Thomas J Baum, Richard S Hussey
Technology manager contact:
Harriet F. Francis, MS, JD; francish@missouri.edu; 573-884-0374
Per Stromhaug, PhD, MBA; stromhaugpe@missouri.edu; 573-884-3553
Title: Field Management Tool for Agrochemical Application
About the technology: With increasing costs of inputs and rising concerns over environmental contamination, effective management tools are required for the application of fertilizers and other agrochemicals to maximize efficiency and reduce environmental losses. For example, enhanced efficiency fertilizer, such as slow-release fertilizers, can reduce the risks of nutrient loss compared to conventional fertilizers, but at a higher cost. One strategy to overcome in-field differences in potential nutrient loss is to apply the enhanced efficiency fertilizer to the high risk nutrient loss areas of a field while applying conventional fertilizer to the low risk areas. An invention that would assist farmers to identify and map the low and high risk areas of a field and then facilitate the application of multiple agrochemicals in a field based on those identified areas would help to increase profits and lower environmental losses.
The current invention developed by researchers at the University of Missouri is a software tool and algorithm to determine and apply different types and amounts of agrochemical sources to predetermined zones within a field. The tool takes into account spatial differences in intrinsic soil properties that affect agrochemical efficiency including soil drainage and water content. It allows for storage of historical data so that better management practices can be achieved and thus increasing productivity while reducing negative environmental impact.
Potential areas of applications:
- Maps zones vulnerable to agrochemical loss or reduced efficiency based on spatial differences in soil and environmental properties
- Field management and control of variable source agrochemical application
- Establishes geographically-referenced application history
Main advantages of invention:
- Makes field management easy
- Optimizes the use of agrochemical applications
- Reduces potential negative environmental impact of agrochemical application
State of development: Partial resistance has been achieved in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana and strategies for improving the resistance are being researched. Nematode resistant soybean and potato are under development.
Licensing potential: Needs to be adapted for target end-user audience
Patent status: Patent application submitted
Technology innovators: Peter P. Motavalli, Kelly A. Nelson
Technology manager contact:
Harriet F. Francis, MS, JD; francish@missouri.edu; 573-884-0374
Per Stromhaug, PhD, MBA; stromhaugpe@missouri.edu; 573-884-3553
Title: Engineered Minichromosomes in Plants
About the technology: The use of genetically modified crops is constantly finding new areas of application, including the production of compounds with therapeutic value. Current technology for producing transgenic crops relies on random integrations that can have variable expression and could potentially disrupt the endogenous genes. Also, combining multiple transgenes requires a lengthy crossing scheme and can bring along linked genes from one variety into another.
The current invention developed by researchers at the University of Missouri is a technology that will allow continued addition of transgenes as the need arises using engineered plant minichromosomes. Artificial chromosome platforms were produced by telomere-mediated truncation while simultaneously adding DNA sequences that will permit amendments to the chromosome indefinitely. These minichromosomes can be used as a vector for efficient stacking of multiple genes for insect, bacterial and fungal resistances together with herbicide tolerance and crop quality traits unlinked to endogenous genes in a circumstance that would foster faithful expression.
Potential areas of applications:
- Genetically engineered crops
Main advantages of invention:
- No limit to number of genes stacked
- Can be combined with haploid breeding procedures
- Can be used for most plant species
- Can be used for dosage manipulation
State of development: Gene-stacking studies ongoing
Licensing potential: Needs to be adapted for target end-user audience
Patent status: Patent application submitted
Technology innovators: James A. Birchler, Weichang Yu, Juan M. Vega
Technology manager contact:
Harriet F. Francis, MS, JD; francish@missouri.edu; 573-884-0374
Per Stromhaug, PhD, MBA; stromhaugpe@missouri.edu; 573-884-3553
Title: Crop Yield Loss Prediction from Aerial Images
About the technology: Crop production is increasingly becoming dependent on technology to maximize crop yield at minimum cost and labor. Crop yield loss can occur for various reasons, one of which is nitrogen deficiency caused by wet weather. Nitrogen loss is often patchy and many crop producers do not apply rescue nitrogen when nitrogen loss has occurred due to uncertainty and expense. Good information will reduce uncertainty and help producers decide whether and where the expense of rescue N is justified.
The current invention developed by researchers at the University of Missouri is a technology that will predict crop yield loss potential due to N deficiency at mid-season. Predictions are provided in actual yield units to allow corn, wheat, rice, cotton, and potato producers to assess economic loss and make sound business decisions about mid-season fertilizer application. This technology can also be used to produce applicator-ready N rate maps, with higher rates where more stress is seen and more yield response is expected. Producers will be able to maximize the crop’s yield potential with minimum labor and fertilizer inputs.
Potential areas of applications:
- Predict yield loss of corn, wheat, rice, cotton, and potato
- Detect areas for mid-season fertilizer application
- Provide fertilizer rate maps so that response action is proportional to stress
Main advantages of invention:
- Provides easy-to-read color coded yield loss maps
- Provides applicator-ready variable-rate fertilizer maps
State of development: Ready to use for corn
Licensing potential: Needs to be adapted for target end-user audience
Patent status: Patent application submitted
Technology innovators: Peter C Scharf and Vicky Hubbard
Technology manager contact:
Harriet F. Francis, MS, JD; francish@missouri.edu; 573-884-0374
Per Stromhaug, PhD, MBA; stromhaugpe@missouri.edu; 573-884-3553
Title: Predicting and Increasing Feed Efficiency of Livestock
About the technology: The efficiency that animals convert feed into cellular energy for maintenance and tissue accretion has a major impact on production efficiency and profitability. The more efficiently animals convert ingested feed into cellular energy, the more work the animal would be expected and perform, and the more efficiently feed will be converted into body mass. Currently, the only way to categorically determine the efficiency of an animal was to phenotype its feed intake and performance over time within a contemporary group.
The current invention developed by researchers at the University of Missouri is a simple blood test that ranks an animal within the population as high, mid, or low in feed efficiency. The invention provides a tool to identify animals that are genetically superior in feed efficiency and spur developments that later increase the feed efficiency.
Potential areas of applications:
- Selection programs for animal species where feed efficiency is important, such as cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry programs
- Determination of best practices for animals based upon their feed efficiency
Main advantages of invention:
- Easy to use test kit
- Provides predictability of an animal’s rank in feed efficiency
- Improves profitability of animal production
- Reduces feed intake and excreted waste
State of development: Repeated experiments show correlation between oxygen uptake rate and residual feed intake. An antibody based test kit using blood samples are being assembled and tested.
Licensing potential: University seeks licensee with the potential to commercialize.
Patent status: US patent 7,906,702
Technology inventors: Monty S. Kerley, William Kolath, Joseph Golden
Technology manager contact:
Harriet F. Francis, MS; J.D.; francish@missouri.edu; 573-884-0374
Per Stromhaug, Ph.D., MBA; stromhaugpe@missouri.edu; 573-884-3553
Back to Innovation Cache home.