A new soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar, ‘Dadrim,’ was developed by the National Institute of Crop and Food Science (NICS). ‘Dadrim’ is characterized by its superior suitability for tofu processing and high adaptability to mechanized cultivation. This cultivar ‘Milyang374’ was developed using the pedigree method from an artificial cross made in 2012 between ‘Milyang231’ and ‘Chamol.’ Its agronomic characteristics and production stability were verified through regional adaptation trials conducted over three years (2020- 2022). ‘Dadrim’ exhibits a determinate growth habit, white flowers, and spherical seeds with a yellow seed coat and yellow hilum. It is a large-seeded variety with a 100-seed weight of 30.9 g. As a late-maturing variety, it reaches maturity around October 22. Despite a relatively short plant height, it features a high first pod height of 16 cm, making it advantageous for mechanical harvesting. ‘Dadrim’ is resistant to bacterial pustule and soybean mosaic virus and possesses excellent lodging resistance. Notably, ‘Dadrim’ demonstrates a high tofu yield of 283%, which is 67% points higher than ‘Daewonkong’. The resulting tofu has a soft texture, making it suitable for soft and silken tofu. It also received high preference scores for taste and texture in sensory evaluations. ‘Dadrim’ yielded 3.37 tons/ha, an 8% increase compared to ‘Daewonkong.’ This new variety is expected to increase farm income and advance the domestic tofu industry (Registration No. 10461).

‘Ganghan’ is a high-yielding soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) cultivar developed for improved shattering resistance and suitability for mechanized harvesting. It was bred through pedigree selection after an artificial cross between ‘Taeseon’ (female parent) and ‘Cheonga’ (male parent) in 2015. ‘Ganghan’ is a determinate type with an average main stem length of 65 cm and first pod height of 19.6 cm, which is favorable for mechanical harvesting. Compared to the control cultivar ‘Daewonkong,’ it showed stronger lodging tolerance and carried a genetic allele associated with pod shattering resistance. In disease resistance evaluations, it exhibited higher resistance than ‘Daewonkong’ to soybean mosaic virus (G6H), bacterial pustule, and black root rot. Regarding seed quality, it contained 38.8% protein, 17.6% oil, 86.1% unsaturated fatty acids, and 3,124 μg/g total isoflavones. The tofu yield was 232%, with mechanical properties and color comparable to ‘Daewonkong.’ In fermentation processing tests, ‘Ganghan’ recorded a γ-PGA content of 11.4 mg/g and amino nitrogen content of 390 mg%, indicating potential use in traditional fermented soy foods. In regional yield trials (RYT) conducted across 10 locations from 2020 to 2022, ‘Ganghan’ had an average yield of 3.58 tons/ha, 14% higher than that of ‘Daewonkong’. The adoption and expansion of ‘Ganghan’ is expected to contribute to increased domestic soybean productivity, harvest efficiency, and cultivation stability under changing climate conditions, thereby improving the domestic soybean self-sufficiency rate (Registration No. 10459).

‘EePi No.1’, a new mid-ripening cultivar of chestnut (Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc.) was developed in 2000 by cross-pollinating two cultivars, viz., ‘Riheiguri’ and ‘Ganne’ at Korea National Institute of Forest Science. Line selection among the seedlings of ‘Riheiguri’ and ‘Ganne’ was carried out in 2007, followed by comprehensive evaluations of fruit morphological traits and tree growth characteristics conducted during 2008-2015. The harvest time of ‘EePi No.1’ was the first week of October. It is characterized by excellent nut quality, suitable for both raw consumption and processing. The average fruit weight was 24.0 g, which is significantly higher than that of the cultivar ‘Daebo’ (20.0 g). Moreover, the soluble solids content was 14.26%, and pellicle removability was 93.5%. This cultivar produces large, firm fruits with high sugar content, making it ideal for consumption. It is also characterized by excellent nut quality, suitable for both raw consumption and processing. Moreover, the easily peelable inner skin makes it ideal for processing and roasting, thereby enhancing its commercial value. These qualities are expected to bolster the diversification of income derived from forest products in the future (Registration No. 337).

Rapid climate change has diversified the dynamics of brown planthoppers, necessitating the development of rice cultivars with enhanced resistance. Brown planthoppers contribute to reduced grain yield and quality, and the rapid ecological changes caused by global warming are expected to exacerbate this damage. In Korea, rice cultivars resistant to brown planthoppers have primarily been bred using Bph1, bph2, and Bph18. Despite the known resistance of Bph3 to brown planthoppers, this gene is underutilized in rice breeding programs. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the association between brown planthopper resistant genes and rice agronomic traits by breeding segregated populations incorporating Bph3, Bph18, and BPH26. Segregated populations were derived from crosses between ‘Jeonju686’ (carrying Bph3 and BPH26) and ‘JJ621MR’ (carrying Bph18). Our analysis revealed that Bph18 was significantly associated with a reduced fertility rate. However, Bph3 did not significantly affect fertility-related traits. As Bph3 has been reported to confer strong resistance to brown planthoppers, it is expected to be actively utilized in future resistance breeding programs. Ultimately, maximizing the efficiency of molecular breeding techniques is expected to provide valuable insights into the development of rice cultivars with enhanced resistance to brown planthoppers.

‘Gowon1’ is a large-sized and high-yielding peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. ssp. hypogaea var. hypogaea), which was developed at the Department of Southern Area Crop Science, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), Miryang, and approved for release in 2019. For the harvest of vegetable peanuts, a large-sized pod and comparatively early maturation with high fresh-pod yield are required. ‘Gowon1’ was developed through pedigree selection from a single cross between the large-grain, short-stem variety ‘Pungsan’ and ‘Miryang47’, the early-maturing elite line. ‘Gowon1’ has 11 branches with the main stem and branch lengths of 43 cm and 49 cm, respectively. Each pod contains two seeds with a brown testa and a long ellipse-shape. ‘Gowon1’ exhibits 42 pods per plant, a 100-seed weight of 98 g and 80% mature pod ratio. Seed composition includes 30.2% protein, 47.0% crude fat, and 45% oleic acid, among other fatty acids. In regional yield trials conducted at four locations (2016-2018), ‘Gowon1’ demonstrated enhanced productivity, with an average fresh pod yield of 12.25 MT per hectare, which was 28% higher than the reference variety, ‘Palkwang’. It also exhibited higher resistance to early and late leaf spot and lodging compared to the reference variety in trials (Registration No. 9196).

Recently, crossbreeding between Asian rice (O. sativa) and African rice (O. glaberrima) has become an important solution for hunger refugees and food problems in Africa by improving grain yield. O. glaberrima exhibits important traits such as stress tolerance, and genetic diversity evaluation and structural analysis of agronomic traits have been conducted. In this study, 11 yield-related agricultural traits were analyzed in 45 lines of O. sativa and 28 lines of O. glaberrima under Korean climatic conditions. Through cluster analysis using the investigated yield-related traits, O. sativa and O. glaberrima were grouped into clusters by characterizing the remaining traits, except for the number of spikelets, grain width, and grain thickness. The number of spikelets was highly influenced by the environment and had the greatest variation, whereas grain width showed the least variation. In addition, rice yield components are quantitative traits, and in breeding to improve yield, it is important to analyze the interaction of agricultural traits and the influence of the environment to maintain an optimal balance and improve plant potential. Although O. sativa was found to exhibit different agricultural traits depending on its ecotype, it still belonged to the same group when clustered. The results of this study provide basic information on the yield-related agronomic characteristics of O. sativa and O. glaberrima under Korean climatic conditions, suggesting that O. glaberrima can be used as breeding material to diversify Korean rice genetic resources.

The rice cultivar ‘Baekokhyang,’ a high-quality late maturing aromatic rice developed by Chungcheongnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, was developed to cope with rising temperatures due to global warming and the market demand for various rice cultivars. ‘Baekokhyang’ was derived from a cross between ‘Ungwang,’ a multi-disease-resistant early-maturing rice cultivar as the maternal parent, and ‘Okhyangheugchal,’ an aromatic black rice as the paternal parent. Subsequently, a pedigree breeding method was used and yield trials were conducted from 2017 to 2018, followed by local adaptability tests from 2018 to 2019. ‘Baekokhyang’ is a late-maturing rice cultivar with the heading date of August 25th, demonstrating a slower maturation tendency compared to other medium-maturing cultivars, and this trait enables it to be ripened at an appropriate temperature after the heading date. ‘Baekokhyang’ exhibited tolerance to lodging, indicating high cultivation stability and more grains per panicle than ‘Samgwang. ’ Yield of milled rice was approximately 6.42 MT/ha under normal fertilizer levels in the local adaptability tests, which was 0.38 MT/ha higher than that of ‘Samgwang’. Additionally, the weight of 1,000 brown grains was 26 g which was 4.4 g heavier than that of ‘Samgwang’. The width/length ratio was 1.97, indicating the characteristic of long grains.The new rice cultivar ‘Baekokhyang’ is expected to enhance the competitiveness of rice production in Chungnam Province by diversifying the rice market which is currently dominated by non-glutinous and short-grain rice (Registration No. 8608).

The rice cultivar ‘Namchan’ was developed to achieve high yields under low-nitrogen fertilizer conditions and enhance cultivation stability. ‘Namchan’ was derived from a cross between ‘Nikomaru’, a Japanese rice cultivar known for its excellent ripening ability in high-temperature conditions, and ‘Saenuri’, a Korean mega rice cultivar renowned for its high cultivation stability. To shorten the breeding period, anther culture was applied to F1 plants. ‘Namchan’ was selected through the pedigree method, yield trials, and local adaptability tests, with high selection pressure for ripening ability and cultivation stability. The heading date of ‘Namchan’ was August 16, four days later than that of ‘Nampyeong’. ‘Namchan’ exhibited strong tolerance to lodging and preharvest sprouting, indicating high cultivation stability. Despite having more grains and panicles compared to that in ‘Nampyeong’, ‘Namchan’ exhibited excellent ripening ability, presumed to be inherited from ‘Nikomaru’. ‘Namchan’ showed intermediate resistance to rice blast and resistance to bacterial blight and rice stripe virus. ‘Namchan’ had excellent grain appearance, improved milling performance, and superior taste compared to ‘Nampyeong’. ‘Namchan’ exhibited a yield of 6.34 MT/ha under normal nitrogen fertilizer conditions, and its index at 115%, when compared to that of ‘Nampyeong’, is the highest among Korean japonica rice varieties. It exhibited a high yield of 5.45 MT/ha even under low-nitrogen fertilizer conditions. ‘Namchan’ is promising as an outstanding cultivar that can contribute to carbon neutrality through the reduction of nitrogen fertilizers and greenhouse gases (Registration No. 8134).

‘Dahongmi’ was developed to enhance the quality of colored rice by crossing ‘Jeogjinju’, Korea’s red-brown colored rice variety, with ‘Junam’, a variety known for excellent cultivation characteristics. ‘Dahongmi’ is a mid-maturing cultivar harvested approximately 15 days later than ‘Jeogjinju’, suitable for the mid-central plains. Each ‘Dahongmi’ plant bears 14 panicles, similar to that in ‘Jeogjinju’ but with an additional 22 grains per panicle and a heavier 1000-grain weight compared to that of ‘Jeogjinju’. ‘Dahongmi’ exhibited superior low-temperature germination rate (85.1%) and a higher percentage of fertile grains at a cold-water irrigated nursery (36.2%) compared to ‘Jeogjinju’. The stem height of ‘Dahongmi’ is 89.7 cm, similar to that of ‘Jeogjinju’. However, ‘Dahongmi’ has a third node height 9 cm shorter than that of ‘Jeogjinju’, enhancing its resistance to lodging. Furthermore, it displayed resistance to leaf blast, bacterial leaf blight (K1, K2, and K3 strains), and rice stripe virus, ensuring stability during cultivation. The protein and amylose content of ‘Dahongmi’ are 5.5% and 18.9%, respectively, similar to that of ‘Jeogjinju’ (5.9%, 18.3%). The levels of antioxidant components such as total polyphenols and flavonoids are comparable to that of ‘Jeogjinju’. However, ‘Dahongmi’ does not exhibit resistance against bacterial leaf blight strain K3a and delphacidae, underscoring the importance of timely and balanced fertilization for effective early-stage management. ‘Dahongmi’ exhibits better yield, straw strength, and plant architecture compared to ‘Jeogjinju’. It has immense potential for augmenting the yield of high-antioxidant-pigmented rice varieties. In addition, it could provide valuable foundational data for the brown rice processing industry (Registration Number: 8680).

‘Dabokchal, a glutinous rice variety (Oryza sativa L.) with a medium late maturation period was developed by the Department of Crops and Food, JARES in 2020. It was derived from a cross between the glutinous cultivar ‘Shinmyeongheugchal’ with the good glutinous properties and ‘Hwangkumnodeul’ as a high yielding source. The progenies of the cross were selected by bulk and pedigree breeding method until the F₈ generation. As a result, a promising line, JR53-28-4-10-5-3, was advanced and designated as the name of ‘Jeonbuk12’ in 2018. The ‘Jeonbuk12’ local adaptability test was carried out at four locations during 3 years from 2018 to 2020. This variety headed on August 13, which was eight days later than ‘Sinseonchal’ in Honam plane. The culm and panicle length of this variety was 70 cm and 22 cm, respectively. This variety has about 16 tillers per hill and 92 spikelets per panicle. The ratio of ripened grain is approximately 84.9% and 1000-grain weight was 24.9 g in brown rice. This variety has a higher amylose content compared to that of ‘Sinseonchal’. The yield performance of brown rice was 591 kg/10a in the local adaptability test. This cultivar is considered to be adaptable to the Honam plain area of Korea (Registration No. 9602).

The cultivated area of glutinous rice in the Homan Plain of Korea is increasing to diversify the cropping system. Depending on the time of transplanting, glutinous rice can be divided into early, ordinary, and late cultivation. Eight glutinous rice cultivars (Baegseolchal, Baekogchal, Boramchal, Boseogchal, Dongjinchal, JJ644wx, Nunbora, and Sinseonchal) were used to evaluate yield, pasting properties, and texture according to cultivation time and to analyze the genotype-environment relationship. There were nine yield-related, six pasting-related, and four texture-related traits studied. Heading date and culm length were shortened as cultivation time increased, while panicle length, number of spikelets, and 1,000-grain weight increased. Furthermore, late cultivation time also reduced pasting properties, peak viscosity, trough viscosity, and final viscosity. Hardness and adhesiveness among the texture properties increased with cultivation time, but stickiness decreased. The variation in 1,000-grain weight is mostly dominated by genotype, whereas heading date and yield are heavily influenced by environmental factors. All pasting property characteristics varied with environment changes, and genotype variation was dominant for all texture properties. Boramchal yielded the most in early and ordinary cultivation and Sinseonchal, together with Boramchal, yielded the most in late cultivation. Cultivars with excellent grain quality were Sinseonchal in early cultivation and Baegseolchal and Baekogchal in ordinary and late cultivation. A comparative analysis of characteristics based on cultivation time can assist in the selection of glutinous rice suitable for the Honam Plain and in the breeding of cultivars with improved yield and excellent grain quality.

“JJ603Balck” is a mid-late maturing high-yielding black rice having multiple-disease resistance. It was developed to increase the yield and disease resistance of Korean black rice. “JJ603Black” was derived from a cross between “Heughyang” and BC₂F₁ plants (Hopum*3/SR30075-1-12-6-1-1-1). “Heughyang” is a mid-late black rice with a short culm, while “Hopum” is a mid-late maturing rice cultivar with high yields and premium quality, and “SR30075” is a pyramid line carrying three bacterial blight resistance genes. “JJ603Black” was selected through the pedigree method, yield trials, and local adaptability tests, with a high selection pressure for black pericarp, resistance to bacterial blight K3a race, and high yield performance. The heading date of “JJ603Black” was August 19, 8 d later than that of “Heugnam,” which is the standard cultivar for black rice. “JJ603Black” is a cultivar tolerant to lodging with erect plant architecture. It showed multiple-disease resistance against bacterial blight and rice stripe virus owing to introgression resistance genes, Xa3+Xa21+Stvb-I; moreover, its yielding performance was high. The average brown rice yield of "JJ603Black" from 2016 to 2018 was 6.02 MT/ha, which was 14% more than that of “Heugnam” (5.30 metric/ha). Further, the anthocyanin content of “JJ603Black” (58 mg/100 g) was higher than that of “Heugnam” (51 mg/100 g). Therefore, “JJ603Black,” a high-yielding black rice cultivar with multiple-disease resistance, can be utilized for enhancing the disease resistance and yield of Korean black rice (Registration No. 7274).

Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world, but brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens stal) causes a significant loss of rice yield. Due to climate change, different races of rice-damaging species are evolving at an accelerated pace, thus, creating a need to breed multi-resistant rice cultivars for a stable food supply. In 2001, “Samgang” and “Nagdong” were crossed at the Plant Molecular Breeding Laboratory of the Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School, Kyungpook National University, Daegu Korea. “Drimi3ho” is a resistant and high-quality rice cultivar that was bred by backcrossing a line having excellent agronomic traits with “Ilmi.” The heading date of “Drimi3ho” was August 12 (104 d after sowing), and it was a medium-maturing cultivar that matured 3 d earlier than “Ilmi” (August 15, 107 d after sowing). Its culm length was 81 cm, panicle length was 18 cm, panicle number per hill was 16, spikelet number per panicle was 113, ripened grain ratio was 93.2%, and 1,000-grain weight was 24.3 g. “Drimi3ho” was highly resistant to blast disease and bacterial blight (K₁, K₂, and K₃), rice stripe virus, rice dwarf virus, rice black-streaked dwarf virus, and BPH. When “Drimi3ho” was milled, the milled grain was clear and transparent; moreover, the grains were semi-round and short-type. Moreover, “Drimi3ho” had lower protein and amylose content and tasted better than “Ilmi.” When “Drimi3ho” was grown on an ordinary plantation in the southern mountainous area, the yield was 563 kg/10a (Registration No. 5621).

‘Sinhwangok2’ is a single cross maize F₁ hybrid (Zea mays L.) that was developed by the maize breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA, in 2018. This yellow high-yielding intermediate maize hybrid was obtained by crossing between two inbred lines― KS214 and KS215. After advanced yield trials over two years in Suwon, a regional yield trial for ‘Sinhwangok2’ was conducted to evaluate its growth and yield at three different locations, from 2016 to 2018. ‘Sinhwangok2’ requires 72 days for silking and its plant height is 243 cm, similar to that of ‘Jangdaok’; its ear height ratio is 49%, like that of ‘Jangdaok’, and the hybrid shows resistance to lodging. The number of ears per 100 plants was found to be 100 and the ear length of ‘Sinhwangok2’ is 19.5 cm, which is shorter than that of ‘Jangdaok’. The weight of 100 seeds of ‘Sinhwangok2’ is 30.8 g, similar to that of ‘Jangdaok’. This hybrid shows moderate resistance to southern leaf blight (Bipolaris maydis). It has moderate resistance to European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). The grain yield (i.e., 9.41 ton/ha) of ‘Sinhwangok2’ was found to be 13%, which is higher than that of ‘Jangdaok’. Seed production of ‘Sinhwangok2’ was 2.36 ton/ha and was considered acceptable due to a good synchronization of flowering period during crossing between the seed parent, KS214, and the pollen parent, i.e., KS215, in Yeongwol and F₁ seed yield. ‘Sinhwangok2’ can thus be a suitable cultivar for all plain areas in Korea and can possibly be cultivated via double cropping with winter forage crop because of their early maturity. (Registration No. 8963).

‘Sunmyoung’ is a high-yielding variety that is resistant to damage from lodging and high temperatures. Out of the 30 lines collected from a farmhouse in Yeoju in 2001, individual plants of ‘Sunmyoung’ were selected from a testing plot with artificial high-temperature stress and were further bred using the pure line separation breeding method. Preliminary and advanced yield trials were conducted in Suwon and Yeoju from 2005-2013, and regional adaptability trials were conducted in Yeoju and Anseong from 2014-2016. The rates of high-temperature stress for two- and three-year old ‘Sunmyoung’ were lower than those of the ‘Sunil’ variety by 46.2% and 34.1%, respectively. The length of the stem and small leaflets of Sunmyoung were 6.2 cm and 5.1 cm shorter than those of Sunil, and the width of the leaflets was shorter than that of Sunil by 3.9 cm-indicating a higher resistance of ‘Sunmyoung’ against lodging damage. In the regional adaptability test, the yield of Sunmyoung was 523 kg/10a, which was 5% higher than that of ‘Sunil’ (498 kg/10a). The content of ginsenoside in ‘Sunmyoung’ was 19.2 mg/g, which was lower than that of ‘Sunil’ (22.38 mg/g). Since ‘Sunmyoung’ is more resistant to high temperature stress (than ‘Sunil’), lodging stress, Rhizoctonia solani, and Alternaria panax leaf spot, and has a decent production stability with higher yields, it is expected to contribute towards the quality improvement of raw materials in ginseng production (Registration No. 7495).

In this study, composition and agronomic traits, including yield-related traits, were investigated and compared among 35 Korean landrace germplasm for two years (2019 and 2020). The contents of 12 isoflavones were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography, and agronomic trait data were collected according to the Rural Development Administration criteria. Comparing isoflavone composition between the two years, all isoflavones, except glycitein, were generally higher in 2019. The values of yield-related and major agronomic traits decreased in most accessions in 2020. ANOVA showed highly significant differences (p<0.001) in genotypes, years, and genotype-by-year interaction for all isoflavones, the number of pods per plant, and 100-seed weight. The number of seeds per pod, days to flowering, and days to maturity also showed significant differences among genotypes, as well as between the two years. Correlation analysis revealed that daidzin and genistin were positively correlated with their malonylated form. Malonyl daidzin was also positively correlated with malonyl genistin levels. The accessions with the least variation in the total isoflavone content were IT 153844 (907.5 µg/g, 898.6 µg/g) and IT 252252 (663.2 µg/g, 636.4 µg/g). Some of the evaluated landraces will be a promising genetic source for developing soybean varieties with high levels of environmental stability in isoflavone content and agronomic traits.

‘Joan’, a rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) F₁ hybrid cultivar suitable for producing cooking oil developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, is early maturing with characteristically high yield and oleic acid content. It was bred in 2009 by crossing the male sterile line ‘Mokpo-CGMS’ as the female parent with the restorer line ‘8630-B-6-5-3-6’ as the male parent. The average flowering and maturation dates of ‘Joan’ were April 10^th and June 1^st, respectively, 3 and 4 days earlier, respectively, than that of the control cultivar ‘Sunmang’. The yield of ‘Joan’ obtained in regional adaptation trials was 279 kg/10 a, which is 6% higher than that obtained for ‘Sunmang’. ‘Joan’ is resistant to stem rot disease and more tolerant to lodging than ‘Sunmang’. Moreover, the total oil content of ‘Joan’ is 44.5%, whereas the oleic acid content is 69.5%, which is 2.3% higher than that of ‘Sunmang’. However, erucic acid has not been detected. ‘Joan’ can be grown in paddy fields located in Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jeju-do in Korea (Registration No. 6896).

A peanut cultivar ‘Sewon’(Arachis hypogaea ssp. fastigiata L.) was developed at the Department of Southern Area Crop Science, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS) in Milyang, Korea, in 2017. The cultivar is a cross between the Shinpung-type red skin ‘Charmwon’ and the Virginia-type large grain ‘Milyang27’. ‘Sewon’, which is a Shinpung type of plant, had 13 branches per plant, main stem length of 35 cm, and branch length of 51 cm. Each pod contained two grains with red testa and a large and long ellipse-shaped kernel. The cultivar yielded 38 pods per plant, 113 g of 100-seed-weight (dry), and 1.73 seeds per pod in the regional yield trials (RYT). Crude oil accounted for 35.2% and protein 31.7% of the seed. This cultivar was resistant to early leaf spot, and it was more resistant to late leaf spot, stem rot, and lodging when compared with that of the reference cultivar ‘Palkwang’. In the three-year-long regional yield trials, ‘Sewon’ was more productive than the reference cultivar; it yielded 11.97 MT/ha of fresh pod and 5.23 MT/ha of dry grain, corresponding respectively to 21% and 16% increase compared with those of ‘Palkwang’. ‘Sewon’ is a promising high yielding peanut with early maturing and cultural stability (Registration No. 7926).

The cultivation of early maturing rice in the Honam plain area of Korea is increasing to diversify the cropping systems. The cropping systems of this rice are usually classified as early, ordinary, and late cultivations based on transplanting time. The characteristics of varieties vary depending on the cultivations. To evaluate the performance of varieties and interpret the relationships between genotype and environment, nine yield and 17 panicle-related traits of six early maturing rice varieties (Jopyeong, Odae, Unkwang, Haedamssal, Jinkwang, and Haedeul) were characterized on early, ordinary, and late cultivations. Heading date was longer in order of early, ordinary, and late cultivations. The cumulative mean temperature of growth stage was similar for all cultivations. The variation in the number of spikelets per panicle (NS) was mainly due to the variety and the traits related with secondary rachis-branch were affected more by variety than the traits related to primary rachis-branch. The varieties with the highest yield were Haedamssal on early maturing cultivation and Unkwang on ordinary and late cultivations. Haedamssal displayed a panicle-number type plant architecture with relatively higher number of panicles per hill (PN) and average NS. Unkwang exhibited panicle-weight type with many NS and less PN. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction analysis revealed that, NS and HD were mostly affected by genotype and environment, respectively. Among yield-related traits, NS contributed the most to enhanced yield of varieties in all cultivations. NS could be the target trait of breeding programs intended to improve the yield potential of early maturing rice adaptable to the Honam plain area. However, proper PN should be considered because PN, which was negatively correlated with NS, also affected the yield.

The soybean cultivar ‘Neulchan’ was developed for production of soy-paste and tofu. SS91501-9-1-1 and SS96205 (F₂) were crossed in 1998, and F₃ to F₇ were selected by the pedigree method. A preliminary yield trial (PYT) and an advanced yield trial (AYT) were conducted from 2006 to 2008, and a regional yield trial (RYT) in nine regions was conducted from 2009 to 2011. In the RYT, ‘Neulchan’ was stable in variable environments and generated high yield. ‘Neulchan’ was determinate with white flower, light brown pod color, yellow spherical seed, and yellow hilum. Its flowering date and maturity date were Jul. 30 and Oct. 9, respectively. The plant height was shorter than that of ‘Daewonkong’ (a standard cultivar). ‘Neulchan’ had the same node number (14), higher first-pod height (12 cm), and lighter seed weight (21.7 g/100-seed weight) than those of ‘Daewonkong’ (14, 11, and 24.2 g/100-seed weight, respectively). ‘Neulchan’ had high resistance to bacterial pustule, and its resistance to soybean mosaic virus was similar to that of ‘Daewonkong’. The yield and color of ‘Neulchan’ tofu were similar to those of ‘Daewonkong’ tofu, but the hardness was lower than that of ‘Daewonkong’ tofu. The soybean malt scent, fermented soybean yield, and γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) of ‘Neulchan’ were 3, 215%, and 24.6 mg/g, respectively. Its yield in adaptable regions was 307 kg/10a, higher than that of ‘Daewonkong’. ‘Neulchan’ was expected to be cultivated and used widely for soy-paste and tofu production. (Registration No. 4904).

To improve their income, farmers should cultivate sorghum varieties with high productivity, short breeding period, and easy double cropping. To increase purchases by consumers, the sorghum variety must have health-related functions. To meet these demands, the 'Cheongpung' variety has been raised through net separation from the traditional species of the Chungbuk region as a sorghum variety that can be harvested by machine, have the highest yield in the country, and have the most abundant antioxidant content. The seed coat of ‘Cheongpung’ was reddish-brown, and had the characteristic of early maturation; it required only 107 days from sowing to harvest. Its culm length was 89 cm, the smallest among domestic cultivated varieties. It could also be harvested by machine without difficulty. Compared with the ‘Hwanggeumchal’ variety, the number of ear per plant in ‘Cheongpung’ was approximately 1.3, but each ear piece weighed 66.2 g, weighing 3.8 g, and the thousand-grain weight was 1.4 grams higher than the rough-grain weight. A local adaptation test in five regions nationwide for two years led to a ‘Cheongpung’ yield of 359 kg/10a, which was the highest among domestic cultivated varieties. In addition, the polyphenol content of ‘Cheongpung’ was 29% higher than that of ‘Hwanggeumchal’. (Registration No. 7717)

The rice recombinant inbred lines derived from Hanareum2 and Unkwang (HURILs) cross were used in genetic mapping and QTL analysis studies using the inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM) method. In this study, we constructed the genetic map using 241 SNP markers based on the SNPs in the whole genome region between these varieties. As a result, the total genetic distance and average distances were 1,142 cM and 4.7 cM, respectively. Both heading date and plant height are important traits related to grain yield in rice. Twelve heading date QTLs were detected under natural condition in Korea. A major QTL qDTH3-2 for heading date and qCL1-2 for plant height explained 25.8~27.4% and 30.8~56.9% of the phenotypic variations in the HURIL populations. Four panicle traits, grain number (GN), panicle length (PL), number of panicle per plant (NPP), grain filling ratio (GFR) were evaluated for QTL effects in HURILs population during two years. Results showed that a total of twelve QTLs for GN, PL, NPP, and GFR were detected on chromosome 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8. A major QTL qGNP4 for GN was detected in HURIL populations with LOD score 7.7-19.3 and explained 6.7-17.69% of phenotypic variations. Twenty-five QTLs for the four traits TGW, GL, GW, and GT were identified in the HURIL populations for two years (2014~2015). The three QTLs, qTGW8, qGL8-2, and qGW8-2, shared the same interval between id8007093 and id8007764 on chromosome 8 with explained 4.8-4.1%, 4.2-6.8%, and 5.3-10.5% of phenotypic variations, respectively. Furthermore, two QTLs, qTGW3-2 and qGL3-2, were detected in the same chromosomal interval at the same position. These findings will benefit breeding design for development of high yielding variety in rice.

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.

Association analysis was conducted to identify quantitative trait locus (QTL) of yield potential traits, days to heading date, culm length, spike length and kernels per spike in the genetic mapping population (94 F₁₀ recombinant inbred line) produced from a cross between two Korean wheat cultivars, Taejoong which has a large kernel number line, a longer spike length, and a higher kernel number per spike and Keumkang. Yield potential traits, days to heading date, culm length, spike length and kernels per spike were evaluated in 2017 and 2018 under upland conditions. Days to heading date were biased toward late heading date (skewness=-0.3), and spike length was biased toward short spike length (skewness=0.7). A genetic map was constructed with 57 microsatellite marker loci and two QTLs were detected for spike length. The first QTL on chromosome 2A, qSL-1 was detected by Xcfd5 and Xpsp3050 and explained 20.7% of phenotypic variation. The second QTL on chromosome 5B, qSL-2 was detected by Xwmc656 and Xwmc415 and explained 40.8% of phenotypic variation. These QTLs were applied to validate the relationships between genotypes of QTLs and 29 Korean wheat cultivars cultivated for nine years, from 2010 to 2018. The Korean wheat cultivars were classified into 6 types according to the genotypes of Xcfd5-Xpsp3050 and Xwmc656-Xwmc415. The same genotypes as Keumkang showed a higher frequency and shorter spike length than that of Taejoong in Korean wheat cultivars.

‘Asemi1’ is a rice variety derived from a cross between ‘IR71667’, which has a Jinmibyeo background with a long basic vegetative phase, and ‘IR77863’, which has a Shinunbongbyeo background with a high yield and early maturity, by the rice breeding team at NICS, RDA, in 2014. The heading date of ‘Asemi1’ is July 29, 14 days earlier than that of the check variety ‘Hwaseong’. It has a culm length of 84 cm and 110 spikelets per panicle. ‘Asemi1’ is resistant to blast disease, but susceptible to other viruses and planthoppers. The milled rice of this variety exhibits translucent, clear non-glutinous endosperm and a short grain shape. The protein content (7.3%) was higher than that of ‘Hwaseong’, and the amylose content (19.6%) was similar to that of ‘Hwaseong’. The milled rice recovery rate of ‘Asemi1’ was similar to that of ‘Hwaseong’. However, the head rice rate of ‘Asemi1’ was lower than that of ‘Hwaseong’. The milled rice yield of ‘Asemi1’ was 5.92 MT/ha, which was higher than that of ‘Hwaseong’ in ordinary cultivation. ‘Asemi1’ was suitable for adaptation to a wide region of tropical Asia (Registration No. 6809).

A peanut variety ‘Tamsil’ (Arachis hypogaea ssp. hypogaea L.) was developed at the Department of Southern Area Crop Science, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), Milyang in 2016. This was developed by crossing ‘Milyang26’ with Virginia-typed short stem and ‘Milyang20’ with Virginia-typed large grain. ‘Tamsil’, which is a Virginia plant type, has 22 branches per plant, and its main stem length is 31 cm. Each pod has two grains with brown testa and long ellipse-shaped large kernel. Its yield characteristics were as follows: pods per plant, 44; 100-seed weight, 111 g; and pod shelling ratio in the regional yield trials, 78%. The seed has 48.5% crude oil and 28.8% protein content. This variety showed resistance to early leaf spot, and it is more resistant to web blotch, stem rot, and lodging than the reference variety. In the regional yield trials for 3 years, ‘Tamsil’ was more productive than the reference variety by 19% with 4.97 MT/ha grain production.

‘Hwangdaok’, a new maize F1 hybrid (Zea mays L.), was developed by the maize breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA in 2016. The high-yielding yellow dent hybrid named ‘Hwangdaok’ was obtained by crossing between two inbred lines, ‘KS203’ and ‘KS190’. After advanced yield trial in Suwon in 2012, regional yield trial was subsequently carried out to evaluate the growth and yield of ‘Hwangdaok’ at three different locations from 2014 to 2016. The number of days to silking of ‘Hwangdaok’ is 76. The plant height is 262 cm and ear height ratio is 51%, which are similar to those of ‘Jangdaok’. It has resistance to lodging. The number of ears per 100 plants is 95. The ear length is 21.3 cm and weight of 100 seeds is 34.7 g, similar to those of ‘Jangdaok’. It has moderate resistance to southern leaf blight (Bipolaris maydis) and European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). The grain yield (10 ton/ha) of ‘Hwangdaok’ is 6% higher than that of ‘Jangdaok’. The seed production rate of ‘Hwangdaok’ is acceptable due to good synchronization of flowering period during crossing between the seed parent, KS203, and the pollen parent, KS190, in Yeongwol. F1 seed yield was 1.68 ton/ha. ‘Hwangdaok’ can be a suitable cultivar to plain areas in Korea. (Variety registration No. 7502).

To satisfy the health needs of consumers and enhance the yields of producers, a grain crop ‘Cheongpungchal’ (Panicum miliaceum L.) with many common names, including proso millet, was collected from a landrace in Danyang, Chungbuk province and developed using a pure-line selection method. ‘Cheongpungchal’, which has a brown seed coat, has characteristics of a medium-maturing variety, requiring 102 days from sowing to harvesting. The variable growth characteristics included a stem length of 155 cm on average and length of ears 38.4 cm on average. As for the yield-related characteristics, the average number of spikes per plant was 3.8, the ear weight per plant was 11.8 g, and the rough millet thousand-grain weight averaged 5.17 g. The results of a regional adaptation test in 5 regions of Korea for three years revealed the yield of ‘Cheongpungcha’l to be 38% higher than that of the ‘Hwanggeumgijang’ variety, representing the best yield from among existing varieties. The total polyphenolic content of ‘Cheongpungchal’ was 32% higher than that of the ‘Hwanggeumgijang’ variety, and the antioxidant activity was 63% greater than that of ‘Hwanggeumgijang’. As a result of this research, ‘Cheongpungchal’ has been registered as a variety (grant number No. 6964) with the Korea Seed and Varieties Service in 2018 following filing for breed protection in 2016.

The radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is one of the major vegetables of Korea and is consumed as the main ingredient of kimchi. To improve the texture of radish kimchi, herbs, and soup, we attempted to develop a cultivar with a hard texture. Using species native to Jeju Island, we bred ‘Wonkyo10045ho’ which produces short, elliptically shaped roots with a hard texture. Generation progress was made via the self-fertilization method using bud pollination. We selected individuals with good horticultural characteristics from each of five generations grown from 2006 to 2010. Finally, in 2015, the line was named ‘Wonkyo10045ho’, and the granting of plant variety rights (Grant number 6527) was certified in 2017 following an application for the protection of new plant varieties (application number 2015-398). The root characteristics of ‘Wonkyo10045ho,’ include an oval shape, mixed white and green root skin, and a white inner root color. ‘Wonkyo10045ho’ had a sugar content of 4.9 Brix, with excellent sweetness, good taste, and strong pithiness. The average number of seeds per plant obtained via pollination by bees in a small net house was 609.1, suggesting that the strength of its self-incompatibility was not strong and male sterility might be advantageous. Therefore, it is expected that this variety will be useful as a material for improving the competitiveness of domestic farmers and for stable radish exports.

Soybean has a high protein content in both its hay and seed. Studies have shown that the mixed cropping of corn and soybean improved forage yield and quality. The
objective
of this study was to select soybean germplasm suitable for mixed cropping with corn on the same row to produce better forage yield and quality. Eleven soybean lines selected from previous evaluations were used in this study. Soybeans were planted with corn on the same row at 10 cm intervals. The planting rate in hills was one corn plant and three soybean plants. The fertilization and time of forage harvest were based on the recommendations for forage corn production. The results showed that in corn–soybean mixed cropping, the forage yield increased by about 19%, the silage protein content increased by 1%–2%, the percentage of acid detergent fibers and neutral detergent fibers decreased, the total digestible nutrients increased, and the acetic acid content decreased. Therefore, the selected soybean lines were suitable for mixed cropping with corn to produce high quality forage and/or as breeding material for the development of forage soybean varieties. Based on this study, we suggest that the agronomic traits of soybean needed for mixed cropping with corn on the same row for forage are as follows: soybean should 1) have the ability to grow well under the corn canopy, 2) have lodging tolerance for ease of mechanical forage harvest, 3) develop to the full pod stage at the time of harvest for increased protein content, and 4) have no adverse effects on corn growth to maintain a high forage yield.