Due to climate change and the expansion of cultivation areas through the use of reclaimed land, changes in the selection of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) varieties are anticipated. This study was conducted to compare the growth characteristics before overwintering, productivity, and feed value of eight Italian ryegrass varieties with different maturing stages under the same cultivation conditions. The variety ‘Lm4ho’, a medium-maturing type, showed superior growth characteristics before overwintering, including plant height, leaf length, and leaf width. The heading date was advanced in all varieties, with a greater degree of advancement observed in varieties with earlier heading dates. When harvested at the heading stage of the early-maturing types, the dry matter yield of the medium-maturing types was not significantly different from that of the early-maturing types. However, when harvested at the heading stage of the medium-maturing types, the dry matter yield was higher than that of the early-maturing types. Specifically, ‘Lm4ho’ produced 2,518 kg/ha more than ‘Kowinearly’. The late-maturing variety IR901 and the medium-maturing varieties ‘Lm4ho’ and ‘Kowinmaster’ showed statistically superior dry matter yields. In terms of forage value, including crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrients (TDN), and relative feed value (RFV), the medium- and late-maturing types outperformed the early-maturing types. Notably, ‘Lm4ho’, ‘IR 901’, and ‘Hwasan 104’ were evaluated as suitable varieties for high-quality forage production. These results suggest that medium-maturing varieties may be suitable for double cropping in the central regions due to climate change. We propose that future breeding of Italian ryegrass should expand from focusing on cold tolerance and early-maturing varieties to include mediumand late-maturing varieties that consider both productivity and quality.

Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION
Ⅱ. MATERIALS AND METHODS
    1. Experimental site and plant materials
    2. Cultivation conditions
    3. Growth characteristics
    4. Productivity
    5. Feed value
    6. Statistical analysis
Ⅲ. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
    1. Soil and climate condition on the experimental site
    2. Growth characteristics
    3. Comparison of growth characteristics and productivityof italian ryegrass varieties at two uniform harvestingtimes
    4. Comparison of feed value of Italian ryegrass varietiesat two uniform harvesting times
Ⅳ. CONCLUSIONS
Ⅴ. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ⅵ. REFERENCES

• Chang-Woo Min(Grassland & Forage Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea)
• Jae Hoon Woo(Grassland & Forage Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea)
• Bo Ram Choi(Grassland & Forage Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea)
• Eun-A Lim(Relocation Service Team for Department of Animal Resources Development, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea)
• Ki-Won Lee(Grassland & Forage Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author