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.

Improvement of winter hardiness, lodging resistance and good quality have been recently received more attention by covered barley(Hordeum vulgare L.) breeders than ever in Korea. ‘Hyeyang’, a new covered barley cultivar with early maturing and high yield was developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2010. It was derived from the cross between‘Milyang87’and‘Wolsung8120’with good quality. The initial cross was done in 1999 and the selected line, ‘Iksan432’ (YB4494-B-B-21-2), showed high yield and good quality characteristics under yield trial test from 2008 to 2010. The following is the characteristics of‘Hyeyang’that is characterized as the vernalization of I, green leaf, compact spike and long rough awns. The heading date of‘Hyeyang’were similar to‘Olbori’. The culm length was 82 cm which was 6 cm shorter than‘Olbori’. It showed the spike length of 4.3 cm, 798 spikes / m², 56 grains / spike and 26.7 g for 1,000 grains weight. It showed similar winter hardiness and stronger resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) compare to‘Olbori’. It showed higher diastatic power 235DP than that of check cultivar, ‘Olbori’. Average yield of ‘Hyeyang’ was 4.44 MT/ha in the regional yield trials carried out in four location at double cropping system in Korea from 2008 to 2010, which was 8 percent higher than ‘Olbori’. ‘Hyeyang’would be suitable for the area above –8°C of daily minimum temperature in January in Korean peninsula.

“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.

A novel auricleless bariey (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivar ‘Jomi’ was developed which shows high biomass yield, good quality and high ruminant-palatability at National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2010. This cultivar was derived from a cross of the ‘Suwon337’ and ‘Suwon355’ in 1999 and a promising line showing both high yield and lodging resistance through the preliminary and advanced yield trials at Iksan in 2006-2007, was designated as the ‘Iksan 438’. ‘Iksan438’ was conducted to regional yield trials (RYT) in seven locations around Korea for three years from 2008 to 2010, and was released as the name of ‘Jomi’. It has erect plant type, growth habit of Ⅰand green and auricleless leaf . Its heading date was April 23 and maturing date was May 25 in paddy field, 3 days and 1 day earlier than ‘Youngyang’, respectively. The cultivar showed 90cm of culm length, 846 spikes per m2, high rate of leaf blades, resistance to BaYMV and better winter hardiness than that of ‘Youngyang’, The average forage yield of ‘Jomi’ was about 10.3 ton ha^-1 in dry matter (28 ton ha^-1 in fresh matter) in paddy field with 8.3% of crude protein content, 26.2% of ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber), 48.3% of NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber), 68.2% of TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients) and grade Ⅱ of silage quality. This cultivar would be suitable for the area above the daily minimum temperature of -8°Cin January in Korean peninsula.

A new naked oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivar ‘Suyang’ was developed by National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2010. It was derived from the cross between ‘Sikyonggwiri’ and ‘Gwiri23’. Subsequent generations were handled in a bulk method and pedigree selection program, and ‘SO96025-B-303-44-2-4’ was selected for agronomic appearance in 2002. The line showed both high yield and good husking rate of seed in the Yield Trial tested at Suwon in 2003 to 2004, being designated as ‘Gwiri56’. The ‘Gwiri56’ was subsequently evaluated for winter hardiness, earliness, and yield in four locations, Gimje, Iksan, Jeongeup and Jinju from 2005 to 2010 and was released as the name of ‘Suyang’. ‘Suyang’ had 11 days earlier heading date and 6 days earlier maturing time than the check cultivar ‘Seonyang’ in field condition. The ‘Suyang’ had 23.7 cm of spike length, 568 spikes per m², 73 grains per spike, 29.2 g of 1,000-grain weight, and 646 g of test weight. ‘Suyang’ showed better winter hardiness than that of the check cultivar ‘Seonyang’, and similar seed quality to the check cultivar in respect to crude protein (11.3%) and β-glucan content (4.7%). However, it showed higher husking rate than that of check cultivar. The grain yield of ‘Suyang’ in the regional yield trial for 4 years was averaged 4.35 MT ha^-1, which was 29% higher than that of the check cultivar ‘Seonyang’. ‘Suyang’ is recommended for fall sowing cropping only in the south area where daily minimum mean temperatures are averaged higher than -4°C in January.