ThexTriticosecale Wittmack ‘Shinjoseong’ variety was developed for use as a whole-crop silage obtained from a cross between CTSS93Y00058S-5Y-0Y-0B with early heading, lodging, and resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus and Suwon24 with winter-hardy and lodging-resistance traits by the National Institute of Crop Science (Wanju, Korea) in 2019. Shinjoseong has medium-sized green leaves, slightly short-length spikes with a light-yellow color, and slightly large seeds with a light yellow-brown color. Compared to the comparable cultivar, Shinyoung, Shinjoseong had a heading date of three days earlier (April 22^nd, nationwide), stronger cold and lodging resistances, and the same level of disease resistance. Its average dry matter yield was 17.18 t/ha, 5% higher than that of the comparable cultivar. The crude protein, acid and neutral detergent fiber, and total digestible nutrient contents of Shinjoseong were 6.5%, 34.9%, 58.8%, and 61.3%, respectively, slightly higher than those of the comparable cultivar. However, the silage grade of Shinjoseong was 2, the same as that of the comparable variety. The grain yield of Shinjoseong was 7.36 t/ha, 13% higher than that of Shinyoung (Grant No. 9757).

‘Gowoo’, a mid-late flowering, high yielding rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar with glabrous leaf and hull and resistant to multiple diseases and insects, was developed for forage use. It was developed for use as a whole crop silage obtained from a cross between ‘Kusahonami’ with high biomass, smooth leaf and hull, lodging resistance and Japonica high yielding line ‘Iksan514,’ which showed resistance to bacterial blight (BB) (race K1, K2, K3) and rice stripe virus (RSV). In the central plain region of Suwon, ‘Gowoo’ cultivar exhibited a growth period of approximately 120 days from seeding to heading, 111 cm culm length, 22 cm panicle length, 12 panicles per hill, 140 spikelets per panicle, and 1,000-grain weight of 23.4 g as brown rice. This hairless forage rice variety was weak in response to cold stresses, similar to ‘Nokyang’. However, it was resistant to lodging in the field and showed a strong response to viviparous germination. In addition, ‘Gowoo’ was resistant to leaf and neck blast, BB, RSV, and small brown planthopper. Its average dry matter yield for three years reached 18.2 MT/ha, which was 21% higher than that of ‘Nokyang’. This glabrous cultivar had 5.3% crude protein and 68.2% total digestible nutrients, a little low compared to ‘Nokyang’. In Korea peninsular, ‘Gowoo’ grows well in central and southern plain and is good to harvest between 15 to 30 days after heading to improve its feeding value and digestion rate of livestock (Grant No. 8681).

Barley and wheat are a major food crop of humans, along with rice, soybean and corn. A systematic breeding program for Korean barley began in 1906 with selection and introduction breeding. In 1908, landrace barley was collected, and breeding focused on selection and introduction for high yielding varieties until the 1970s. In the 1980s and 1990s, breeding was carried out for diversity; thereafter, we aimed to improve quality, productivity and lodging tolerance that can be applied to the paddy field in Korea. Since 2010, the major result of breeding was shortening cultivation to approximately 6–12 days, making a double cropping system possible in the paddy field in Korea. Yield has increased by 1.2 times from 438 kg/10 a in the 1960s to 536 kg/10 a in the 2010s, and farm yield has increased by 1.7 times. In addition, as cultivation safety has been enhanced, the varieties have also improved, such as the covered barley used in making tea and other processing products. In case of wheat, up to now forty cultivars have been developed in Korea. In the early stage, we developed a domestic wheat variety that was early maturing and high yielding. As a result, the maturation time of wheat planted in the 1970s to 2010 was shortened (from 13 to 30 days), while productivity increased by 30% from 408 kg/10 a in the 1970s to 532 kg/10 a in 2010. In recent years, there have been remarkable efforts for a more stable production by focusing on increasing disaster and pest resistance due to climate change. In addition, a wheat variety discrimination marker was developed using a variety-specific marker, and selection was made using a trait-specific marker at the early stage of breeding to enhance breeding efficiency. In the 2000s, winter cereals for forage have been promoted to expand forage production and to replace imported feed grains. Therefore, winter cereal that is useful for feed, such as rye, oat, and triticale, have had various varieties and safe production techniques developed. Currently, our research goal for winter cereals for feed is to develop a double-cropping adaptation and abiotic stress tolerance cultivar, and safe production in paddy field. Hence, aggressive action is needed to support the strategic survival of the Korean wheat and barley industry. Barley is a health food that requires a multifaceted effort to improve breeding efficiency, develop varieties that contain large amounts of functional components and are more resistant to stronger biotic and abiotic stresses in response to climate change. It is necessary to recognize the role of wheat and barley as the second main crop after rice, and to improve the self-sufficiency rate of these crops for the health and food industry crisis of Korea.

Soybean has a high protein content in both its hay and seed. Studies have shown that the mixed cropping of corn and soybean improved forage yield and quality. The
objective
of this study was to select soybean germplasm suitable for mixed cropping with corn on the same row to produce better forage yield and quality. Eleven soybean lines selected from previous evaluations were used in this study. Soybeans were planted with corn on the same row at 10 cm intervals. The planting rate in hills was one corn plant and three soybean plants. The fertilization and time of forage harvest were based on the recommendations for forage corn production. The results showed that in corn–soybean mixed cropping, the forage yield increased by about 19%, the silage protein content increased by 1%–2%, the percentage of acid detergent fibers and neutral detergent fibers decreased, the total digestible nutrients increased, and the acetic acid content decreased. Therefore, the selected soybean lines were suitable for mixed cropping with corn to produce high quality forage and/or as breeding material for the development of forage soybean varieties. Based on this study, we suggest that the agronomic traits of soybean needed for mixed cropping with corn on the same row for forage are as follows: soybean should 1) have the ability to grow well under the corn canopy, 2) have lodging tolerance for ease of mechanical forage harvest, 3) develop to the full pod stage at the time of harvest for increased protein content, and 4) have no adverse effects on corn growth to maintain a high forage yield.

‘Jungmo2501’ (Avena sativa L.), a winter oat for forage use, was developed by the breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2010. The following is the characteristics of ‘Jungmo2501’ that is characterized as light green leaf, yellow brown culm and whitish yellow grain. The heading date of ‘Jungmo2501’ was about 3 days earlier than that of check cultivar ‘Samhan’(May 7 and May 10, respectively). Its plant height was 11 cm longer than 103 cm of the check, and the leaf blade ratio of aerial parts was 26 % higher than the check (11.8% and 9.4%, respectively). The cold tolerance, resistance to lodging and wet injury of ‘Jungmo2501’ were similar to those of the check. The average forage dry matter yield of ‘Jungmo2501’ harvested at milk-ripe stage was 5% higher than the check (15.5 ton ha -1 and 14.7 ton ha -1 , respectively). ‘Jungmo2501’ was higher than the check in terms of protein content (6.6% and 5.9%, respectively), neutral detergent fiber (58.5% and 57.6%, respectively), and acid detergent fiber (34.5% and 32.1%, respectively), while total digestible nutrients was lower than the check (61.6% and 63.6%, respectively), and TDN yield was 0.37 ton ha -1 more than that of the check (9.71 ton ha -1 and 9.34 ton ha -1 , respectively). The silage grade of ‘Jungmo2501’ estimated by Flig score showed level Ⅱ, meaning good quality. Fall sowing cropping of ‘Jungmo2501’ is recommended only for areas where average daily minimum mean temperatures in January are higher than －6°C.

“Cheongwoo”, a white winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar was developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, RDA. It was derived from the cross “Kanto75/8/Tapdong/4/Bb#1/Jangkwang// STRAMCHO/3/Suwon220/5/Suwon185/ CI12703//Kanto75///Suwon219/7/F1277” and “Keumkang” in 1998 at RDA. “Keumkang” is a semi-hard white winter wheat with high yield. And mother plant is a winter wheat with long culm length, high yield. “Cheongwoo” was evaluated as “Iksan326” in Advanced Yield Trial Test in 2007. It was tested in the regional yield trial test between 2008 and 2009. “Cheongwoo” is first whole crop wheat with long culm length, high-yield. The Heading date of “Cheongwoo” was similar to “Keumkang”. The average forage yield of “Cheongwoo” was about 14.8 ton ha^-1 in dry matter in paddy field. This dry matter was higher than dry matter of “Keumkang” (13.2 ton ha^-1). The cultivar had 97 cm of culm length, 1,070 spikes per m² and it showed better rate of culm. Culm length of “Cheongwoo” were longer than “Keumkang”. This cultivar would be suitable for the area above the daily minimum temperature of -10°C in January in Korean peninsula. Our research will improve good-quality of silage by using winter cereal crops.

This study was conducted to evaluate forage yield and quality for the accessions derived from inter-specific cross between wild and cultivated soybeans. First of all, three soybean lines (W02, W09 and W11) derived from PI483463 (Glycine soja) x Hutcheson (G. max) and three cultivated soybeans (Daewon, Pungsannamul and Bosug) were evaluated to determine forage yield and quality at the R2 (full bloom stage), R4 (full pod stage) and R6 (full seed stage) stages of development. Based on forage yield and quality, R6 was determined the optimal harvest stage to provide forage of high quality and adequate quantity for animals in both lines derived from G. soja × G. max and cultivated soybean.

Second, 25 selected lines from PI483463 × Hutcheson or S-100 (G. max) × PI483463 and four common seed-type cultivars (Bosug, Pungsannamul, Taekwang and Hutcheson) were evaluated to determine forage yield and quality at stage R6 in 2010. Hutcheson had the highest forage yield with 24.7 t/ha in fresh weight (FW) and 6.6 t/ha in dry matter (DM) among cultivated grain soybeans. A selected line W11 had highest FW (25.7 t/ha) and DM (6.2 t/ha) among G. max × G. soja selections. Five selected lines (W02, W06, W11, W13 and W18) had similar forage yield compared to Hutcheson. Generally the 25 selected lines derived from G. soja × G. max had thinner main stems and branches which lead to get more edible forage than cultivated soybeans. When selected lines were evaluated for their feed quality as per forage grade by American Forage and Grassland Council, 23 lines had a crude protein with more than 19%; 9 lines had a neutral detergent fiber below 40%; 23 lines had an acid detergent fiber below 31%; 24 lines had a digestible dry matter of more than 65%; 13 lines had a dry matter intake of more than 3.0%, and 17 lines had an relative feed value higher than 151 or were equivalent to prime grade. And all of 25 inbred lines were equivalent to Grade 1. Therefore, inter-specific cross between G. max and G. soja will be an excellent way to develop forage soybean with good yield and quality.