Stripe rust (or yellow rust) caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is the major wheat disease responsible for deteriorating global wheat yield and quality. Although stripe rust appears to be prevalent mainly in temperate areas, new races adapting to high temperature have recently appeared in warmer areas, such as Australia, the Middle East, and Africa, increasing the threat to global food security. Among the approximately 80 reported genes for stripe rust resistance, six (Yr5, Yr7, Yr15, Yr18, Yr36, Yr46) have been cloned. Stripe rust resistance genes are generally classified into race-specific (or all-stage) and non-race-specific (or high temperature adult plant) resistance genes. While resistance conferred by most race-specific genes are overcome by the appearance of new pathogen races within few years, non-race-specific genes, such as Yr18, Yr36, and Yr46, provide more durable resistance and are often stable for several decades. Yr18/Lr34/Sr57/Pm38 and Yr46/Lr67/Sr55/Pm46 are especially useful in breeding as they confer resistance to leaf rust, stem rust, and powdery mildew as well as stripe rust. Unlike the extensive global research efforts, few studies have been conducted in Korea regarding breeding and genetics for stripe rust resistance. To prevent damage by stripe rust in advance, it is important to monitor the changes in major pathogen races in Korea, evaluate major wheat breeding lines and landraces for stripe rust resistance by establishing an efficient screening system, and introduce new germplasm with various resistance genes. Reinforcing wheat molecular genetics and genomics capacity is also important to enable identification of new stripe rust resistance genes and efficient transfer of the novel genes into elite wheat cultivars using molecular markers.

A new mung bean cultivar, Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek ‘Samhwang’, was derived from a cross between ‘Samgang’ and ‘KM9901-3B-15-2-4’ obtained in 2006 and developed at the Jeollanamdo Agricultural Research and Extension Services (JARES) in 2014. ‘Samhwang’ has an erect growth habit, lobed leaflets, green hypocotyls, light yellow corolla, and a dull yellow seed surface. Its stem length was 64 cm, 5 cm shorter than that of the control cultivar ‘Owool’. The 1000-seed weight was 53 g, i.e., 4 g heavier than that of ‘Owool’. ‘Samhwang’ exhibited similar field resistance to mung bean mottle virus, cercospora leaf spot, powdery mildew, and lodging when compared with that of the control cultivar. The sprout yield ratio and hard seed rate were the same as those of ‘Owool’. The average seed yield of ‘Samhwang’ was 1.76 ton/ha, which was 14% greater than that of ‘Owool’ (Registration No. 5877).

A mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) cultivar Jinhwang was derived from a cross between Samgang and KM9901-3B-15-2-4 and developed at the Jeollanamdo Agricultural Research and Extension Services (JARES) in 2013. Jinhwang has an erect growth habit, heart leaflets, green hypocotyls, light yellow corolla, and a dull yellow seed surface. The stem length of Jinhwang was 61 cm, which was 5 cm shorter than that of the control cultivar Owool. The 1000-seed weight was 52 g, which was 3 g heavier than that of Owool. Jinhwang has similar field resistance to mungbean mottle virus, cercospora leaf spot, powdery mildew, and lodging to the control cultivar. The hard seed rate of Jinhwang was 6.2%, which was 1.8%p higher than that of Owool. The sprout yield ratio was the same as that of the control cultivar. The average seed yield of Jinhwang was 1.68 ton/ha, which was 5% greater than that of Owool. (Registration No. 5873)

Consumers currently prefer healthy food with antioxidant or anti-diabetic activities. This study was conducted to develop a waxy corn with high carotenoid content. A yellow waxy corn single cross hybrid ‘Goldchal’ was developed by Gangwon Agricultural Research and Extension Services in 2015. The seed parent inbred HW16 was crossed with the pollen parent inbred HW17 in 2010. The number and weight of fresh ears per 10 a for ‘Goldchal’ were 6,385 and 1,339 kg, respectively, comparable to those of ‘Ilmichal’ in regional yield trials from 2013 to 2015. The hybrid contained 15.8 mg/kg carotenoids, which were 15.0 mg/kg higher than that of ‘Ilmichal’. The lodging tolerance of ‘Goldchal’ was superior to that of ‘Ilmichal’ and resistance to disease and insects was similar to those of ‘Ilmichal’. The silking date of the seed parent HW16 was in the pollen dispersal period of the pollen parent HW17, and F₁ seed yield was 186 kg/10a. ‘Goldchal’ could be cultivated throughout Korea. The plant variety protection right of ‘Goldchal’ was registered in June 2017 (Grant Number 6722).

This study was conducted to compare changes of total carotenoid contents and antioxidant activities in yellow waxy corns (Zea mays L.) depending on harvest time. The total carotenoid contents of yellow waxy inbred lines and hybrids increased from 19 days and then the highest content of total carotenoid contents was observed at 25 to 27 days after pollination. Thereafter, there was little change in total carotenoid contents. According to analysis total content of carotenoids on 23 days after pollination, which was the period of harvesting waxy corn, KY2 was the highest as 15.4 ㎍/g in inbred lines and KY2/KY39 was the hightest as 11.2 ㎍/g in hybrids, respectively. The total carotenoid contents of each hybrid were higher than mean that of their parent lines except for some hybrids. The total carotenoid contents of KY27/KY37 were significantly higher than those of their parental lines. Antioxidant activity of yellow waxy corn showed a tendency to increase after decrease depending on delaying harvesting time. Antioxidant activities of hybrids were higher than that of inbred lines. As a result of correlation analysis between total carotenoid contents and antioxidant activity, correlation coefficient of inbred lines and hybrids was as low as -0.12 and -0.13, respectively. When the harvest time was delayed, the lightness of yellow waxy corn decreased but the redness and yellowness increased. As a result of correlation analysis between Hunter’s Lab value and total carotenoid contents, correlation coefficient of lightness, redness and yellowness were -0.22, 0.67, 0.53, respectively.

Yellow alkaline noodles were prepared with various Korean wheat cultivars including different protein and amylose contents and made from two types of noodle machines. Korean food companies and restaurants generally used noodle machine made in Korea, whereas research institutes mainly practiced with noodle machine made in Japan. Noodle dough sheet from Korean machine showed 5% higher water absorption and 30 min shorter resting period than the noodle dough from Japanese machine because of the difference of size and weight of roller in two types of the machines. In 15 Korean wheat cultivars, thickness of noodle dough sheet was positively correlated with protein content and mixograph water absorption regardless of both types of the machines. Cooked noodles from Korean machine showed higher hardness and lower springiness than noodles from Japanese noodle machine, but difference in cohesiveness of cooked noodles was not found between two different noodle machines. In the three Korean wheat cultivars with different protein content, thickness of noodle dough sheet was also positively correlated with protein content, SDS sedimentation volume and mixing time of mixograph in both types of the machines. The more protein content increased, the more hardness of cooked noodles increased regardless of both types of the machines. However, springiness and cohesiveness of cooked noodles were not significantly correlated with protein content. In waxy and partial waxy wheat cultivars, lightness of noodle dough sheet from Korean noodle machine positively correlated with amylose content. Amylose content and setback in pasting properties were positively correlated with hardness, springiness, and cohesiveness of cooked noodles while both damaged starch and breakdown were negatively correlated with those.

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is an important source for protein, oil, carbohydrates, isoflavones, and many other nutrients to humans and animals. Lipoxygenase protein is the main antinutritional factor in mature soybean seed. Soybean cultivar, “Choseon” with yellow medium seed size and free of lipoxygenase 2,3 protein was developed. “Choseon” was selected from the population derived from the cross between cultivar, “Jinpum 2” and germplasm, PI408155. “Choseon” has purple flowers, tawny pubescence, a determinate growth habit, and light yellow pods at maturity. The seed of “Choseon” has yellow hilum and yellow seed coat color. Seed protein and oil content on a dry weight basis were 34.2 and 16.9%, respectively. “Choseon” has shown a resistant reaction to soybean necrosis, soybean mosaic virus, Cercospora leaf spot and blight, black root rot, pod and stem blight, and bacterial pustule. “Choseon” matured in 5 October with plant height of 51 cm and a 100-seed weight of 15.1 g. Average yield of “Choseon” was 2.66 (Ton/ha) on the regional yield trials of 2013 at 4 locations. “Choseon” has been registered as a soybean cultivar (registration number: 5985, registration date: April 11, 2016) by Korea Seed & Variety Service, Republic of Korea.

Soybean is the main source of protein and oil for human and animal nutrition. However, antinutritional factors in the raw mature soybean are exist. Lipoxygenase protein is the main antinutritional factor in mature soybean seed. A new soybean cultivar, ‘Jinyang’ with yellow seed coat and free of lipoxygenase 1,2,3 protein was developed. It was selected from the population derived from the cross between ‘Jinpumkong2ho’ and GS301. ‘Jinyang’ has purple flowers, tawny pubescence, a determinate growth habit, oval leaflet shape, and light brown pods at maturity. The seed has yellow hilum and yellow seed coat color. Seed protein and oil content on a dry weight basis were 33.5% and 16.6%, respectively. It has shown a resistant reaction to soybean necrosis, soybean mosaic virus, cercospora leaf spot and blight, black root rot, pod and stem blight, and soybean pod borer. ‘Jinyang’ matured in 1 October with plant height of 65cm and a 100-seed weight of 21 g. Average yield of ‘Jinyang’ was 300 - 330 kg/10a in 2010 - 2012. ‘Jinyang’ has been registered as a new soybean cultivar (registration number: 4279, registration date: Dec. 28, 2012) by Korea Seed & Variety Service, Republic of Korea.