‘Daanok’, a new maize F1 hybrid (Zea mays L.), is developed by the maize breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA in 2013. The high-yielding hybrid, named ‘Daanok’ was bred by crossing between two inbred lines, ‘KS174’ and ‘KS175’. It is a yellow semi-flint maize hybrid (Zea mays L.). After preliminary yield trial and advanced yield trial of Daanok in Suwon for two years, regional yield trial of that was subsequently carried out for evaluation of its growth and yield at three different locations from 2011 to 2013. The silking date of Daanok is earlier than that of the check hybrid, ‘Jangdaok’. The plant height of Daanok is 229cm, similar to Jangdaok, and its ear height ratio is similar with that of Jangdaok. It has resistance to lodging. There are much of the No. of ear per 100 plants. The ear length of Daanok is similar with that of Jangdaok. The weight of 100 seeds of Daanok is the same with that of Jangdaok. It has strong resistance to northern leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum) and southern leaf blight (Bipolaris maydis). It has strong resistance to ear lot. It has moderate resistance to corn borer. The grain yield (7.34 ton/ha) of Daanok was 23% higher than that of Jangdaok. The seed production of Daanok has gone well due to a good synchronization of flowering period during crossing between the seed parent, KS174, and the pollen parent, KS175, in Yeongwol and F1 seed yield was 2.38 ton/ha. Daanok would be a suitable cultivar to all plain area in Korea.

A new peanut variety ‘Huaseon’ (Arachis hypogaea ssp. hypogaea L.) was developed at the Department of Southern Area Crop Science, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS) in Milyang 2013. This was developed from the cross between ‘Iksan 31’ with Virginia typed short stem and ‘SP9614’ with Shinpung-typed larger grain. ‘Huaseon’ which is a Shinpung plant type had 10 branches per plant and its length of main stem was 41 cm. Each pod has two grains with brown testa and long ellipse-shaped large kernel. Its yield components showed 45 pods per plant, 84 g of 100-seed-weight and 79% of pod shelling ratio in the regional yield trials (RYT). Seed quality showed 47.3% of crude oil and 27.6% of protein content. This variety showed resistant to early leaf spot and had more resistant to stem rot and lodging, compared to reference variety. In the regional yield trials for 3 years ‘Huaseon’ was more productive than reference variety by 12% with 4.78 MT/ha for grain production.

Grain size has a great impact on rice grain yield and is controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTL). Daeribbyeo 1 with big grain is widely used for genetic materials to develop varieties with diverse grain size. This study was conducted to identify genes controlling grain size traits of Daeribbyeo 1. An F2:3 population derived from a cross between two japonica cultivars, Boseogheugchal and Daeribbyeo1, was used to identify QTL controlling grain shape traits. A total of 284 F2 plants were measured for grain shape traits, grain length (GL), grain width (GW), grain thickness (GT), 1,000 grain weight (TGW), and two morphological traits, pericarp color and waxy endosperm. Sixty F3 lines were selected based on the grain shape traits and marker genotypes and evaluated for grain shape traits. For marker analysis, SSR markers tightly linked to five known grain size genes and two QTLs were selected and used for genotyping. A total of 11 QTLs detected on chromosomes 2, 3, 4 and 6 explained phenotypic variation from 3.9% to 59.3%. qTGW2, qGW2 and qGT2 were detected in the same region between RM12811-RM12837 that are tightly linked with GW2 gene. qTGW3 and qGL3 were detected near GS3 gene. To know whether Daeribbyeo 1 has the same mutations in GW2 and GS3 as the various grain-size genotypes, GW2 and GS3 of two parents were sequenced. Daeribbyeo 1 had the same one base (A) deletion at a position 316 as ‘WY3’ in GW2 which results in the loss of function of GW2 gene. Boseogheugchal showed a C-to-A nonsense mutation in the second exon of GS3 gene that increased grain length. Interaction between GW2 and GS3 was not significant indicating that two genes controlled grain-size traits in additive pathway. The results from this study indicate that three QTLs GW2, qGT4 and qGL6 are associated with the grain size variation in Daeribbyeo 1 with GW2 as the major QTL.

A new peanut variety ‘Sinpalkwang’ (Arachis hypogaea ssp. hypogaea L.) was developed at the Department of Southern Area Crop Science, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS) in Milyang 2012. This was developed from the cross between line ‘HP299’, crossed high yielding variety ‘Palkwang’ and short stem cultivar ‘PI156649’, and ‘Palkwang’. ‘Sinpalkwang’ which is a Virginia plant type had 25 branches per plant and its length of main stem was 41 cm. Each pod has two grains with brown testa and long ellipse-shaped large kernel. Its yield components showed 45 pods per plant, 92 g of 100-seed-weight and 79% of pod shelling ratio in the regional yield trials (RYT). Seed quality showed 45.4% of crude oil and 29.2% of protein content. This variety also showed more resistant to web blotch, compared with reference variety. In the regional yield trials for 3 years ‘Sinpalkwang’ was more productive than reference variety by 28% with 5.4 MT/ha for grain production.

This research analyzed the characteristics of varieties of rice such as a harvest time and yield, and to select a proper variety to product green rice according to a conventional planting culture and a late planting culture. The most proper harvest time of rice, in general, was 15 to 25 days after heading to product the green rice. Sinsunchal among glutinous rice varieties and Chilbo among nonglutinous rice varieties showed the most amount harvest at 25 days after heading, which was a limit harvest time for the whole green rice production in overall rice varieties. The amount of green rice according to transplanting times, the May 30 th transplanting was more than the June 20 th . The yield of green rice harvested at 15~25 days after heading was varied according to varieties. Proper glutinous varieties for green rice production were Dongjinchal, Sangdongchal, Boseokchal, and Sinsunchal, in order of listed, which were transplanted at the May 30 th . Meanwhile, Boseokchal, Backokchal, and Sinsunchal, in order of listed, were proper varieties for green rice production, which were transplanted at the June 20 th . In nonglutinous rice, Samkwang, Nunbora, and Chilbo, which were transplanted at the May 30 th , were proper varieties for green rice production. Hwanggeomnodeul, Hopum, and Chilbo, which were transplanted at the June 20 th , were proper varieties for green rice production.

농촌진흥청 국립식량과학원에서는 용도별 품종의 다양화를 위해 답리작 적응 과자용 밀 품종 ‘고소’를 개발하였다. 고소밀은 1998년도에 연질인 고분밀을 모본으로 하고, 숙기가 빠른 올밀을 부본으로 인공교배하여 SW98148 조합을 육성하였다. 경기도 연천에서 집단재배 후 계통을 전개하여 초형과 수형이 양호하며 내한성이 강한 계통인 SW98148-YB-9-2-4-1-3-1을 2006년부터 2개년간 생산력 검정을 거쳐 ‘익산 320호’로 계통명을 부여하였다. 그 후 2008년부터 3개년 동안 지역적응시험을 실시한 결과 숙기가 빠르며 수량성이 높고, 과자적성이 우수하여 2010년 농작물 직무육성 신품종심의회에서 ‘고소’로 명명하였다. 고소밀의 파성은 Ⅱ형으로 춘파형이고, 엽색은 녹색이며 이삭은 방추형이고, 종자는 중간 크기로 적색이다. 출수기와 성숙기는 밭상태 조건에서 각각 4월 28일과 6월 7일, 논상태에서는 각각 4월 25일과 6월 4일로 비슷하다. 고소밀의 리터중(799 g/L)과 천립중(42.5 g) 은 금강밀(804 g/L과 46.7 g)보다 낮고, 내한성(4.4%)과 수발아(4.0%) 저항성이 강하고, 내도복성이 높다. 고소밀의 제분율(63.77%), 단백질(9.8%), 침전가(30.0 ml)과 글루텐(7.2%) 함량은 금강밀(73.6%, 12.6%, 50.0 ml과 10.8%)보다 낮고, 과자적성이 우수하였다. ‘고소밀’의 HMW-GS 조성은 Glu-A1에서 2*, Glu-B1에서 7+8을 나타내 금강밀과 조성이 같았으나, Glu-D1에서 2.2+12가 발현되었다. GBSS 조성은 금강밀과 같은 야생형이고, Pinb-D1은 야생형으로 금강밀과 다른 특성을 나타냈다. 지역적응시험에서 밭상태 수량은 657 kg/10a, 논상태 수량은 561 kg/10a로 금강밀보다 21%와 7% 증수하였다.

전통적인 교배육종을 통하여 천연색소(C3G) 함량을 높인 ‘슈퍼자미2호’(흑진주벼/수원 425호//대립벼 1호) 품종의 작물학적 특성과 품질특성을 조사 분석한 중부평야지에서 평균 출수기는 8월 30일로 만생종이며, 간장은 106 cm 정도이며 임실률은 82.0%였다. 또한 현미천립중은 30.1 g 정도로 ‘슈퍼자미’(26.2g)보다 무거운 품종이다. ‘슈퍼자미2호’ 품종의 현미 장폭비는 2.08의 장원형으로 흑진주벼에 비해 길이와 폭이 12%, 26%로 증가된 대립종이다. 미량원소 중 K, Ca 함량은 ‘흑진주벼’에 비해 낮았고, 단백질, 회분 함량도 낮게, 열량, 지방, 탄수화물 함량은 비슷한 수준으로 나타났다. ‘슈퍼자미2호’ 품종의 C3G 색소함량은 2013년에는 1,782 mg(100 g 종자), 2014년에는 1,980 mg(100 g 종자)으로서 ‘슈퍼자미’ 보다는 다소 낮았으나 ‘흑진주벼’ 보다는 9배 이상 높았다.

Relationship between grain quality-related traits and daily mean temperature/sunshine hours during grain filling stage was analyzed using eleven high quality rice varieties at 24 experimental sites through eight provinces of Korea in 2013~2014. In the data set pooled across varieties, experimental sites and years, grain quality-related traits such as percentage of head rice (PHR), head rice yield (HRY), protein in milled rice (PRO) and Toyo Mido Meter glossiness value (TGV) were higher at the temperature lower than 22.6℃ for 40 days after flowering (DAF), which was optimum for percentage of grain filling in this study. Optimum sunshine hours for 40 DAF were 6.0~6.1 hr d -1 when considered PHR, HRY and TGV. PRO was associated with daily mean temperature and sunshine hours for 40 DAF in more varieties than the other traits. PRO was closely correlated with daily mean temperature during early filling stage and sunshine hours during early to mid filling stage, compared to other stages during grain filling. It is concluded that general trend in the variation of grain quality-related traits could be explained by the changes in daily mean temperature and sunshine hours during grain filling. In addition, climate conditions during early grain filling stage played important roles to enhance grain quality.

Post-translational modifications of nucleosomal core histones play important roles in biological processes via altering chromatin structure and creating target sites for proteins acting on chromatin. Molecular genetic studies with Arabidopsis have verified several epigenetic factors that regulate flowering time. However, the roles of chromatin remodeling factors have not been well explored in rice. Here, we identified chromatin remodeling factors, OsVIL1, 2, and 4 (Oryza sativa VIN3-LIKE) genes, that regulate grain yield. OsVIL proteins contain a plant homeodomain (PHD) finger, which is a conserved motif of histone binding proteins. We showed that plant height and number of spikelets per panicle were increased in the OsVIL2-overexpression (OsVIL2-OX) and osvil4 plants, respectively. Each mutants (OsVIL2-OX and osvil4) exhibited longer internodes and thicker stems than wild type controls. Histochemical analysis revealed that cells are smaller in OsVIL2-OX and osvil4 plants. We performed an RNA-seq using 1st internodes of WT and OsVIL2-OX stems and got the suppressed target genes in the OsVIL2-OX. OsCKX2, which encodes cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase is one of the suppressed genes in the OX plants and we verified decrease of that gene using qRT-PCR and closed chromatins of OsCKX2 were enriched in the OX plants by using ChIP. As results of these, cytokinins were enriched in the OX plants. These demonstrate that OsVIL2 and OsVIL4 antagonistically regulate plant height and number of spikelets by controlling cytokinin contents. Like OsVIL2-OX and osvil4 plants, besides, OsVIL1-OX plants were also shown increased plant height and biomass. We propose that OsVILs may be used for improving grain yield by increasing biomass.

The Arabidopsis gene AVP1 encodes a vacuolar H+-translocating inorganic pyrophosphatase (EC3.6.1.1) that functions as an electronic proton pump in the vacuolar membrane and affects growth development and stress responses in plants. This study was conducted to evaluate the molecular properties of the A. thaliana vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase (AVP1) gene in rice. Incorporation and expression of the transgene was confirmed by PCR and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. Expression of the AVP1 gene in transgenic rice plants (TRP1 and TRP2) resulted in significantly enhanced tolerance to 100 mM NaCl under greenhouse conditions when compared to control wild-type (WT) rice plants. Augmented AVP1 expression in the transgenic rice plants also affected total biomass and improved ion homeostasis through increased accumulation of Na+ ions in whole tissues when compared to control WT rice plants under high salinity conditions. The Fv/Fm values of transgenic rice plants were higher than those of WT rice plants, even though the values decreased over time in both WT and transgenic (TRP1 to TRP8) rice plants. Furthermore, rice grain yield and biomass of the transgenic rice plants were at least 15% higher based on the culm and root weights and panicle and spikelet numbers when compared to those of the WT rice plants during the farming season in Korea. Thus, these results suggest that ectopic AVP1 expression conferred tolerance and stress resistance to genetically modified transgenic crop plants by improving cellular ion homeostasis against salt conditions, which enhanced the rice yield and biomass under natural conditions in paddy fields.

Nutritious and functional foods from crop have received great attention in recent years. Colored-grain wheat contains high phenolic compound and a large number of flavonoid. One of plant pigments, wheat anthocyanin is increasingly emerging as natural compounds for consumer´s health and condition. Red grains and white grains with different antioxidant activity was used to conduct germination assay. Antioxidant enzyme assay of POD, APX, CAT, GST, GR and GPx was conducted during the imbibitional phase of mature seeds. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was analyzed to assess the activity of ROS during imbibition phase of mature seeds and alpha-amylase contents were quantified for 3 days during dark imbibition. Additionally, sprouting rates of developing seeds in spikelet after anthesis with damp condition were measured in each red grain groups for two weeks to evaluate sprout ability affected by phytochemical of red grain wheat. In summary, we identified that red grain wheat showed higher antioxidant enzyme activity involved in ROS scavenging during imbibition. Sprouting rate during dark imbibition in developmental spikelet of four groups classified by color suggest that phytochemicals in dark red grain wheat caused negative effects to sprouting.

Seed color is an important factor affecting physiological and developmental process in wheat. One of the plant pigments, anthocyanins are a group of flavonoid compounds well known as pigments responsible for blue, purple, red, or yellow coloration of plant tissues. In this study, we investigated the pigmentation of purple and yellow color seed according to wheat grain developmental stages. The contents of anthocyanin and chlorophyll in the purple and yellow seeds were measured. Chlorophyll contents were changed similarly in both purple and yellow color seed, and no significant difference was observed between them. In purple color seed, the content of anthocyanin was significantly induced compared with yellow color seed. The individual anthocyanin components were investigated by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Cyanidine-3-glucoside (C3G) and peonidine-3-glucoside (P3G) were detected as predominant anthocyanin in purple color wheat. To investigate whether structural genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis were involved in the trait differences between purple and yellow color seed, we examined the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes (CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, ANS, UFGT) and MYB transcription factor in developing wheat grains by using qRT-PCR. This study indicates that the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes and MYB transcription factors correlate with anthocyanin levels of grain.

Grain weight is the most important target not only as a major component of grain yield, but also of the cooking qualities in rice breeding program. In a previous study, a high-resolution physical map targeting a cluster of yield-related QTLs for grain weight, spikelets per panicle has been constructed using series of BC3F4 nearly isogenic lines (NILs) derived from a cross between the Korean japonica cultivar Hwaseong and O. rufipogon. The QTLs including grain weight trait have been mapped in a 25.5kb region containing three genes. Based on GenBank database, these genes include male sterility 5 (OsMs5, LOC_Os09g36740), similar ascorbate peroxidase (OsApx, LOC_Os09g36750) and glutelin family protein (OsGlu, LOC_Os09g36760). Their endogenous expression patterns were analyzed in various rice tissues (2-week seedling, flag leaf, root and panicle) from the parental lines, Hwaseong and NIL-gw9. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and qRT-PCR were performed using gene specific primer sets. The cDNAs of the similar OsApx gene of Hwaweong and NIL-gw9 were cloned. Over-expression and RNAi knock-down transgenic plants using three genes are under construction for the functional characterization of the genes. The results will be discussed.

The maize genome is complex with exceeding the levels of intra-specific variation, repetitive DNA content, and allelic content observed between many species. Because of tremendous diversity and variants, maize is considered as a forefront crop development and estimation of molecular markers for agricultural trait in genetics and breeding. Using quantitative trait loci (QTL) and marker assisted breeding (MAS), molecular breeders are able to development of drought tolerance and grain yield in maize genotype. To study QTL congruency, a meta QTL analysis including results from eight-teen QTL publications for grain yield and drought tolerance were considered. Among them, we assembled 420 QTLs for abscisic acid (ABA) concentration, anthesis silking interval (ASI), days to flower, days to silk, ear number, kernel number, grain number and grain yields, involved in drought tolerance and grain yield. The meta QTL analysis revealed significant evidence for linkage of these traits to 39 different segments as candidates regions on maize genome. A total of 571 marker was selected as QTL or integrated QTL markers for narrowing down the QTL region into specific functionally relevant candidates. The results of meta QTL analysis helped to refine the genomic regions of agricultural traits, interest described and provided the closest flanking markers.

Recently, the increased consumption of mixed-grain flour products have led to improved human health in busy modern life. For this reason, the verification of commercial food authenticity is one of important subjects. The development of DNA techniques such as real-time PCR has led to the increasing efficiency of illegal food product detection. Here, we have developed a comprehensive method for detecting the grain flour of various rice cultivars in commercial food products derived from different plant species. In the genetic variation analysis of different protein coding genes on various chloroplast genomes, we found the high numbers of segregating sites in rpoB and rpoC2 more than in other genes. Thus, we have attempted to develop chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) markers, which were Os_m_rpoB in rpoB, and Os_m1_rpoC2 and Os_m2_rpoC2 in rpoC2. To assess the applicability of three cpDNA markers, we have identified the appropriate statistical measurements of each marker in various mixed-grain flour samples derived from rice cultivars and different plant species by real-time PCR, In addition, the three cpDNA markers successfully applied for detecting of nonexistent rice flour in different commercial food products.

Improving rice high-quality potential is to suffice the food demand of the rapid decreasing consumption, and is a major breeding target recently. We calculated the alkali digestion value (ADV), used to indirectly measure gelatinization temperature, to evaluate the quality of cooked rice in 2013 and 2014. The ADV score of frequency distribution was higher milled rice than brown rice. In total, nine different quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were found on chromosomes1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 in 2013 and 2014. Also, chromosome 5, 8 were detected over two years. The polymorphism using RM223, RM3530, and RM18130 markers can be used to select lines that have a good trait for breeding of high-quality rice. We conclude that selected molecular markers from this QTL analysis could be exploited in future rice quality.

Low temperature is a major abiotic stress that adversely affects rice production in rice cultivation regions of the world. Low temperature during the rice growing season, can inhibit growth and development at any development stage, from germination to grain filling. Among the rice growth stage, reproductive stage was known as the most sensitive to low temperature, causing sterile grain and lead yield loss. However, low temperature during the grain filling stage also, may cause delay and incomplete grain maturation. In this study QTL analysis were performed to identify the QTLs associated with percent of grain filling under low temperature condition during the grain filling stage. A 139 RIL derived from a cross between ‘Milyang23’ (Tong-il, cold susceptible) and ‘Gihobyeo’(Japonica, cold tolerance) were exposed to air and water of 17℃ at the same time for 14 days during the grain filling stage. One significant QTL associated to percent of grain filling was detected on chromosome 7. This QTL could explain 14.7% of the phenotypic variance for percent of grain filling. We have the plan to confirm the detected QTL through further study.

96 BC3F5 introgression lines derived from a cross between Hwaseong and O. rufipogon were genotyped with 131 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to identify and characterize quantitative traits loci (QTLs) associated with grain quality traits in rice. 96 BC3F5 lines displayed a wide range of variation for days to heading and agronomic traits. Results indicated that one major QTL (qDTH6) on chromosome 6 was associated with significant variation for days to heading. 83 lines without the O. rufipogon segment at qDTH6 were selected and analyzed for grain quality traits. QTL analysis was conducted for two groups, 96 and 83 introgression lines, and a total of 25 QTLs were detected for rice quality traits. 16 QTLs were detected in a group of 93 lines, 11 QTLs detected in a group of 83 lines, and 2 QTLs were commonly identified in both groups. Most of the QTLs detected in this study were located on the same or adjacent regions as those reported by the previous studies, and the wild alleles negatively affected quality traits. In contrast, the wild allele at qGCR9 for the glossiness of cooked rice on chromosome 9 contributed to an increase in glossiness which is positively correlated with rice eating quality. Three ILs with the wild allele at qGCR9 displayed better eating quality than the recurrent parent, Hwaseong. To confirm the effect of qGCR9, high density mapping of the qGCR9 with a series of NILs will be conducted.

The world population has been continuously increasing and has led to the growing demand for rice. It is therefore important to pay as much attention to the enhancement of grain yield as well as grain quality. Grain size is one of the major factors determining grain yield and quality. A large number of genes are known to be involved in regulation of grain size. However, the influence of their haplotype combination is still largely unknown. Of the previously characterized genes, we especially focused on the six genes (GS3, GS5, GS6, GW2, qSW5/GW5, and GW8/OsSPL16) to expand our understanding of regulation of grain size and to develop a regression equation model that can be used for molecular rice breeding. A total of 215 rice germplasms, which originated or developed from 28 rice-consuming countries, were used in this study. The genotyping analysis revealed that different alleles of the six genes were widely distributed in our germplasm collection and also showed significant associations with the differences in grain size. Interestingly, we found that the relatively small number of haplotype combinations preserved in diverse rice germplasms and showed significant associations with the differences in grain size. In addition, we also found that a single gene-specific allelic variation plays an important role in regulation of grain size in the presence of a certain type of haplotype combination. Based on these results, we developed a regression equation model for prediction of rice grain size. We expect that our model can be used for rice molecular breeding to develop new rice varieties having a grain size in a particular range.