Cymbidium ‘Sodam’, derived from a cross between ‘Baek Un’ and ‘Lapin Rose’ in 2000, was bred by the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration in 2015. After artificial crossing, 120 seedlings were obtained through in vitro seed germination and seedling acclimatization in a greenhouse. On the basis of mature plant characteristics, including flower color, plant size, leaf shape, flower stalk, and vigorous growth, three lines were initially selected. The first and second trials for characteristics were conducted from 2009 to 2014, which enabled confirmation of the stability and uniformity of the three lines. Amongst these, the final line, with the code ‘00-1023-20’, was selected as ‘Wongyuo F1-58.’ After evaluating consumer preferences, the line was subsequently named ‘Sodam’. This hybrid is a small- to medium-sized cultivar with more than 10 pink flowers per stalk and an average number of 3.8 stalks. The relatively compact flower has an incurved shape with a width and length of 6.0 and 5.0 cm, respectively. Furthermore, the plants have short erect stalks and leaves (length 51.7 and 69.5 cm, respectively), showing good properties with respect to potting. The flowers have a fragrance similar to that of the female parent ‘Baek Un’. ‘Sodam’ commences flowering in early December. The proliferative ability of ‘Sodam’ is comparable to that of the control cultivar, and it is anticipated that this will facilitate mass proliferation for commercial use (Registration No. 6749).

Rehmannia glutinosa, one of the major medicinal crops in Korea, can be classified into three types: fresh, dried and prepared Rehmannia root. In this study, the quality characteristics of prepared rehmannia root were evaluated using four different cultivars that are commonly used in the market. In making prepared rehmannia root, roots of Jihwang 1, Kokang, Togang, and Dagang were dried, soaked in rice wine, and steamed nine times. At each stage, physiochemical properties were analyzed, including yield, which is one of the most important industrial factors to consider. The yield was the highest in Togang at 23.61% and the lowest in Dagang at 21.16%. These yield values showed a highly negative correlation with the moisture content of roots. The fructose and glucose contents were increased during the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th steaming but then decreased. The sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose content gradually decreased during the first three steaming and were not detected during the 4^th steaming. Additionally, the catalpol content was not detected after the 4^th steaming. On the contrary, the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content was not detected in the raw root but increased during the steaming. Jihwang1 and Togang exceeded the 0.1% Korean Pharmacopoeia standard after the 5^th steaming, reaching it faster than did the other cultivars. Overall, Togang was the optimal cultivar considering the overall characteristics of its high yield and short steaming time. These results could provide useful information for the industrial use of prepared Rehmannia root based on the requirements and characteristics of each cultivar.