‘Yuyeon’, a new ruminant-palatable barley cultivar, was developed from the cross between ‘Suwon311’ and SB86648〔CMB81A-2149 / Saeolbori // Buheung / Gangbori / 5 / Bera-olbori / Horisee-Buheung // bengei / 3 / Olbori-Daechi-Hagane / 4 / T.beared〕by the Honam Agricultural Research Institute (HARI), NICS, RDA in 2006. Among the cross made in 1996, a promising line, SB961012-B-B-1, showed good characteristics in potential forage yield in the yield trial tested in Suwon in 2001. In 2004, it was designated as ‘Suwon 406’ and placed in regional yield trials at five locations around Korea for three years from 2004 to 2006, and was released as the name of ‘Yuyeon’. It belong to maturity group Ⅲ and shows erect leaf type and compact spike with types of hoods. Its heading date was Apr. 27, which was 2 days earlier than that of the check cultivar ‘Olbori’ (‘Sunwoo’), and early dough stage, which was May. 30 which was same date of that of the check cultivar. ‘Yuyeon’ showed weaker winter hardiness, but better resistance to lodging, shattering and BaYMV than those of check cultivar. It showed higher crude protein content, grade of silage quality than those of check cultivar. The average forage yield in the regional yield trial was 10.47 MT/ha, which was 1% lower than that of the check cultivar. Cattles fed with silage from ‘Yuyeon’ (hood type) showed higher feed concentrate requirement (12.9 kg/day/body) and daily weight gain (1.46 kg/day) than those of cattles fed with silage from ‘Olbori’ (rough awn). This cultivar would be suitable for the area whose daily minimum temperature was above -8℃ in January in Korean peninsula.

A ruminant-palatable barley cultivar, Soman (Hordeum vulgare L.), with early maturing, high silage quality and high yield, was developed from the cross between SB79124〔Bengei-Ginomeo-Buheung-Morsen-Hagane/Gangbori〕and SB77189 〔Samjug/Riso82//Olbori〕in 1994. A promising line “SB941067-B-B-B-45” was selected in 1998. It performed well in the preliminary and advanced yield trials for two years from 2002 to 2003. The line was designated ‘Suwon 404’ through the regional yield trials (RYT) at six sites for three years from 2004 to 2006. Its growth habit was winter type (Ⅲ) with greenish leaves, medium culm and compact density of spike setting. Its heading date and early dough stage were Apr. 23 and May 26 respectively, which were 6 days earlier than those of check cultivar ‘Olbori’. ‘Soman’ showed weaker winter hardiness, but better resistance to lodging, shattering, and BaYMV (Barley yellow mosaic virus) than those of check cultivar ‘Sunwoo’. It showed 1.7% higher TDN content on whole-crop-silage than that of check cultivar ‘Sunwoo’. Its average of forage yield in regional yield trials was 10.31 MT/ha, which was 4% higher than that of the check cultivar.