Multipurpose utilization, including as rope, pulp, and filtration media, is what makes kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) special. This experiment was conducted to select elite pedigrees with high biomass production through backcrosses. The agronomic performance, fuel characteristics, and histological analysis of the elite lines were investigated at the BC₁F₂ generation in comparison with the Control. Significant differences were observed in 12 evaluations of variety and pedigrees. Five plants, including the two Controls (Jangdae and Hongma300) and three pedigrees, showed a large difference in the number of flowering days from July 5 to September 30. The plant height of BC100-10 (447 cm) was the highest among the genotypes. Regarding branch number, BC100-15 showed the best performance with 29 branches. Stem dry weight was found to be the lowest in Jangdea at 792 g, whereas BC100-17 showed the highest dry weight. Hongma did not set seeds owing to late flowering. However, with 34 g/plant on average, three elite lines had more seeds than Jangdae (16 g/plant), which are vulnerable to decay owing to viviparous germination. In the fuel characteristics analysis, the heating value of the three elite lines ranged from 4,510 to 4,930 kcal/kg, which was much higher than that of the two Controls (4,320 kcal/kg). The ash content analysis indicated the lowest value at 3.2% for the line BC100-10, which was similar to Korea’s 3^rd-grade. Based on the histological analysis of the stem, the pedigrees were close to Hongma. Taken together, these three elite lines would be useful as genetic resources for high biomass production.

Hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) exceeds about 30% of the world’s cereal production and cultivated over 220 million ha worldwide. Heat stress during the grain filling period gives detrimental effect on crop yields and has emerged as a serious problem throughout the world. Korean wheat cultivars that were released since 1960s were developed for various aims such as winter hardness, earliness, and pest resistance, etc. However, heat stress resistance is an emerging target for wheat breeding nowadays. Selected 11 Korean wheat cultivars (“Baegjoong”, “Dajung”, “Goso”, “Hanbaek”, “Jokyung”, “Joeun”, “Jopum”, “Keumgang”, “Olgeuru”, “Sinmichal”, “Uri”) were exposed to high temperature from DAF (days after flowering) 9~13. In this study, plant responses to heat stress as measured by reduction ratios of total chlorophyll contents, 100 seed weight, shoot dry weight can be translated into degree of tolerance. Therefore, these parameters can be used in wheat breeding for heat tolerance during grain filling period. The obtained results allow us to classify cultivars for heat stress tolerance. Pedigree information of Korean cultivars was shown that wheat line of either tolerant, moderate tolerant, or susceptible trait is succeeded to their descendent, which enable breeders to develop heat stress tolerant wheat by appropriate parental choice.