This experiment was conducted to breed a very early maturing variety of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) in Grassland and Forage Crops Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan 2015-2017. The new variety of Italian ryegrass, ‘Green call 2ho’ is a diploid variety with green in leaf color and has semi-erect growth habit in late autumn and erect growth habit in early spring, ‘Green call 2ho’ was in heading date as a early-maturing variety April 24. Also ‘Green call 2ho’ was narrower by 2 mm in flag leaf width, longer by 2.5 cm in flag leaf length and shorter by 3 cm in plant height than those of the control variety, ‘Florida 80’, respectively. ‘Green call 2ho’ was also thicker by 0.33 mm in stem thickness and strong in winter hardness. Dry matter (DM) yield (11,688 kg/ha) of ‘Green call 2ho’ was 7% higher than that of ‘Florida 80’. Total digestible nutrient (TDN), crude protein (CP) and relative feed value (RFV) of ‘Green call 2ho’ were 61.3 %, 9.8 % and 98.2, respectively which are 2.6, 0.6, and 8.4 % higher, respectively than those of ‘Florida 80’, respectively. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of ‘Green call 2ho’ were 34.9 and 58.5 % which are 3.3 and 2.7 % lower than those of ‘Florida 80’, respectively.

ABSTRACT
Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION
Ⅱ. MATERIALS AND METHODS
    1. Plant material
    2. Field test
Ⅲ. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
    1. Winter climate conditions
    2. Agricultural characteristics of the variety
    3. Comparison of cold tolerance
    4. Dry matter yield
    5. Feed value
Ⅳ. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ⅴ. REFERENCES

• Hee Chung Ji(Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration) Corresponding author
• Tae Young Whang(Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration)
• Ki-Won Lee(Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration)
• Won Ho Kim(Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration)
• Jae Hoon Woo(Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration)
• Ki Hung Hong(Chuncheong Nam-do ARES)
• Kuh Wann Choe(Jeollabukdo ARES)