‘Olchanme’ is a new foxtail millet variety developed by Chungcheongbukdo Agricultural Research & Extension Service from 2011 to 2021. This variety was collected in Jecheon and developed through pure-line selection. The culm length of ‘Olchanme’ is similar to that of the standard variety ‘Samdame,’ but its panicle length is longer. The panicle shape differs between ‘Olchanme’ and ‘Samdame,’ but other inherent characteristics (panicle type, grain color, dehusked grain color, and endosperm) are similar. The grain and dehusked grain colors were yellow, and the endosperm was non-glutinous. The heading period is 11 days earlier than that of ‘Samdame,’ indicating that ‘Olchanme’ is an early-maturing cultivar. In local adaptability tests, conducted from 2018 to 2021, excluding 2020, the average grain yield of ‘Olchanme’ is 3.26 MT ha^-1. In terms of physicochemical composition, the crude protein content was 10.5% and amylose content was 18.6%, classifying it as a non-glutinous type. Its potassium and magnesium contents were higher than those of ‘Samdame,’ while radical scavenging activity was similar to that of the standard variety. Overall, the new variety ‘Olchanme,’ characterized by higher grain filling than ‘Samdame,’ is expected to demonstrate wide regional adaptability across the entire country, excluding Jeju Island.

A new barnyard millet variety, ‘Matnajik,’ was developed by the Chungcheongbukdo Agricultural Research and Extension Services from 2014 to 2023 through gamma-ray mutation breeding. Morphologically, ‘Matnajik’ exhibits a semi-straight plant type, conical green panicles, grayish-white seeds, yellowish-brown dehusked grains, and a non-glutinous endosperm. Its heading date is July 29, classifying it as a medium-maturing variety that heads approximately 11 days later than the control variety, ‘Borajik.’ Notably, ‘Matnajik’ has a large panicle type; its average culm length is 138 cm, and its panicle length is 23 cm, both of which are significantly longer than those of the control. In the yield trials conducted from 2022 to 2023, the average grain yield of ‘Matnajik’ was 252 kg⋅10a^-1, a 13% increase over ‘Borajik’ (224 kg⋅10a^-1). Furthermore, physiochemical and biological activity analyses revealed that ‘Matnajik’ contains higher levels of crude ash and essential minerals, including potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Specifically, it showed significantly higher total polyphenol and flavonoid contents as well as greater radical-scavenging activity than the control, indicating its high value as a functional food material. In conclusion, ‘Matnajik’ is a promising variety with a large panicle, high yield, and enhanced functional properties, and it is expected to be widely utilized as a new specialized cash crop in the Chungbuk region (Registration No. 10814).

‘Cheongpungchal,’ a waxy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cultivar, was bred to improve the adaptability of mechanized harvesting, yield potential, and cultivation stability for labor-saving production. It was developed through pure-line selection from a genetic resource (K269609) introduced in 2009, selected in 2019, and registered in 2021. This cultivar is medium-maturing, with a heading time of 68 days. It has an elliptical dense panicle with red-brown grains and a waxy endosperm. The culm length was 109 cm, which is suitable for mechanized harvesting. The panicle length (27.1 cm), number of panicles per plant (1.4), and panicle weight (95 g) were greater than those of the standard cultivar ‘Sodamchal.’ ‘Cheongpungchal’ showed strong lodging resistance and tolerance to major diseases and insect pests, indicating stable field performance. In replicated yield trials (2015-2016), the mean grain yield was 4.42 MT/ha, 22% higher than ‘Sodamchal’. In regional yield trials at seven locations (2017-2018), the mean yield was 3.57 MT/ha, representing a 48% increase. Nutritional composition, functional components, and antioxidant activity were not significantly different from those of the standard cultivar, indicating that ‘Cheongpungchal’ maintained equivalent nutritional quality. This cultivar has been widely adopted in Jecheon and Danyang, accounting for more than 40% of the region’s cultivation area, indicating its high adaptability and farmer preference. These results demonstrate that ‘Cheongpungchal’ maintains nutritional and functional properties equivalent to previously developed waxy sorghum cultivars, while exhibiting superior yield potential and adaptability for mechanized harvesting, contributing to labor-saving sorghum production (Registration No. 8656).