본 시험은 추위에 강하고 생산성이 우수한 이탈리안 라이그라스 품종을 육성하기 위하여 2009년부터 2017년까지 국립축산과학원 초지사료과에서 수행되었다. 이탈리안 라이그라스 신품종 그린콜은 2배체 작물로 엽색은 녹색이며, 월동전 초형은 반직립형, 봄의 초형은 직립형이다. 그린콜은 4월 25일경에 출수하는 극조생종 품종이고 지엽폭이 8 mm, 지엽길이는 24.9 cm 이며, 출수기의 초장은 96 cm로 플로리다 80호 보다 5 cm 정도 짧다. 줄기 두께는 플로리다80호 보다 0.14 mm 굵고 이삭 길이는 플로리다 80호와 대등하다. 그린콜의 건물수량은 11,592 kg/ha로서 대조품종인 플로리다 80호에 비하여 약간 높았다. 상대적 사료가치는 그린콜이 96.7인데 비해 수입종인 플로리다 80호는 89.8로 다소 높고 가소화양분총량 (TDN)이 60.8 %로서 플로리다 80호에 비해 2.1% 높았고, 산성세제불용섬유 (ADF)와 중성세제불용섬유 (NDF)는 각각 35.5 및 58.9 %로서 대조 품종 보다 약간 낮았다.

본 연구는 이탈리안 라이그라스 재배현장에서 재배환경과 재배기술의 차이에 따른 조사료 생산성의 변화 요인을 분석 하기 위하여 2016부터 2017년까지 수행되었다. 우리나라 중부 및 남부지역에서 27개 이탈리안 라이그라스 재배지의 평균 건물수량은 6,940kg/ha이였다. 이탈리안 라이그라스 재배현장의 생산성은 재배환경보다 재배기술과 높은 상관(p<0.01)이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 재배기술 중에서 파종기술 및 포장관리기술과 생산성 간에는 고도의 상관이 있었으나, 시비기술과 생산성 간에는 상관이 없었다. 이상의 결과는 이탈리안 라이그라스의 생산성 향상에는 재배환경보다 재배기술의 현장실천이 더 중요함을 제시하고 있다. 따라서 우리나라 지역별 이탈리안 라이그라스의 생산성 예측기술의 정밀도를 높이기 위해서는 그 지역의 기상 및 토양환경은 물론 재배기술의 적용을 충분히 고려하여야 할 것으로 사료된다.

본 연구는 이탈리안 라이그라스 품종별 내한성 및 생육특성의 변화와 그에 따른 생산성 변화요인을 분석하기 위하여 2017년부터 2018년까지 우리나라 중부지역인 충남 천안에서 수행되었다. 이탈리안 라이그라스의 월동율은 품종 간에 차이가 있었으며(p<0.01), 외국품종보다 국내품종이 대부분 월동이 잘되었다. 조생종에서는 코윈어리의 월동율이 68%로 가장 높았고, Florida 80의 월동율이 35%로 가장 낮았으며, 중생종에서는 코윈마스터의 월동율이 70%로 가장 높았고, 외국품종인 Tam 90이 42%로 가장 낮았다(p<0.05). 외국품종 중에서는 Winter-hawk가 57% 월동하여 다른 외국 품종보다 월동율이 높았다. 건물수량은 품종 간 차이가 많았다(p<0.05). 조생종 중에서는 내한성이 강한 국내품종인 그린팜 2호와 코윈어리가 외국품종인 Florida 80보다 건물수량이 약 3~3.5톤/ha 많았다. 중생종 중에서는 내한성이 강한 국내품종인 코윈마스터가 외국품종인 Winter-hawk나 Tam 90보다 건물수량이 약 2톤/ha 많았다(p<0.05). 이탈리안 라이그라스의 내한성은 건물생산성과 고도의 정의상관이 있었다(p<0.01). 우리나라 중부지역에서 이탈리안 라이그라스를 5월 중순에 수확을 완료해야 한다면, 내한성이 강한 국내 육성 조생 또는 중생품종을 선택하여 재배하는 것이 양질 조사료 생산성 향상에 유리할 것으로 사료된다.

Cold, salt and heat are the most critical factors that restrict full genetic potential, growth and development of crops globally. However, clarification of genes expression and regulation is a fundamental approach to understanding the adaptive response of plants under unfavorable environments. In this study, we applied an annealing control primer (ACP) based on the GeneFishing approach to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Italian ryegrass (cv. Kowinearly) leaves under cold, salt and heat stresses. Two-week-old seedlings were exposed to cold (4°C), salt (NaCl 200 mM) and heat (42°C) treatments for six hours. A total 8 differentially expressed genes were isolated from ryegrass leaves. These genes were sequenced then identified and validated using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. We identified several promising genes encoding light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein, alpha-glactosidase b, chromosome 3B, elongation factor 1-alpha, FLbaf106f03, Lolium multiflorum plastid, complete genome, translation initiation factor SUI1, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. These genes were potentially involved in photosynthesis, plant development, protein synthesis and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. However, this study provides new insight regarding molecular information about several genes in response to multiple abiotic stresses. Additionally, these genes may be useful for enhancement of abiotic stress tolerance in fodder crops as well a crop improvement under unfavorable environmental conditions.

Cold, salt and heat are most critical factors that restrict full genetic potential, growth and development of crops worldwide.. In this study, we applied an annealing control primer (ACP) based GeneFishing approach to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in annual ryegrass (cv. Kowinearly) leaves under cold, salt and heat stresses. Two-week-old seedlings were exposed to cold (4°C), salt (NaCl 200 mM) and heat (42 °C) treatments for 6 h. A total 8 differentially expressed genes were isolated form ryegrass leaves. These genes were sequenced then identified and validated form National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. We identified several promising genes encoding light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein, alpha-glactosidase b, chromosome 3B, elongation factor 1-alpha, FLbaf106f03, complete genome, translation initiation factor SUI1, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. These genes were potentially involved in photosynthesis, plant development, protein synthesis and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. These genes might be useful for the enhancement of abiotic stress tolerance in fodder crops along with crop improvement under unfavorable environmental conditions.

Cultivation of high-quality forage crop by using fallow field during winter is required for national high feed self-sufficiency and establishment of self-supply system of high-quality forage crop. Field experiments for cultivation of high-quality winter forage crop were conducted at the paddy and upland fields in Cheonan and Anseong city with treatments of single Italian ryegrass(IRG) and IRG mixed with forage barley at the paddy field and of single forage barley and forage barley mixed with IRG at the upland field in the Mid-west plain. Several cultivation conditions such as broadcasting IRG seed under standing rice, sowing time, tillage method, drainage condition, mixed sowing with forage barley were compared to know the change of growth, yield and quality of winter forage crop. In particular, over-wintering rate and dry matter yield were decreased significantly in late-sown IRG and moisture-stressed forage barley. Yield and quality of forage crops were increased by sowing after tillage, mixed sowing of IRG with barley at the paddy field with good drainage. High yield as much as dry matter 10 MT ha-1 with high feed value could be obtained by early sowing of feed barley mixed with IRG at the upland field. Cultivation conditions such as early sowing, sowing after tillage, drainage management are required for higher dry matter yield, quality and stable cultivation of winter forage crops in the mid-west plain of Korea.

This experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of Chlorella culture solution using anaerobic digestate as medium on seed germination of perennial ryegrass seeds. Four treatments were compared: control with distilled water, anaerobic digestate, Chlorella culture solution and Chlorella culture filtrate. The germination percentage of perennial ryegrass seeds was highest in the Chlorella culture solution treatment. Days required for 50, 70% seed germination were faster at 1.7 day in Chlorella culture solution compared to control. Root length of perennial ryegrass seeds was longer by 1~2cm in the Chlorella culture solution compared with control. The relative root length was by 40% longer in the Chlorella culture solution treatment compared to control. The germination index (GI) of perennial ryegrass seeds was higher by 180~202% in the Chlorella culture solution treatment compared to control. The decay rate was low as 50.0% in Chlorella culture solution, but decay rate of perennial ryegrass seeds showed 86.7~83.3% in control plot and in anaerobic digestate, respectively. Chlorella culture solution have shown stimulatory effects in germination and development of root. Overall, Chlorella culture solution could be useful to apply for promotion of germination and root elongation of seeds.

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a rapid and accurate method for analyzing the quality of cereals, and dried animal forage. However, one limitation of this method is its inability to measure fermentation parameters in dried and ground samples because they are volatile, and therefore, respectively lost during the drying process. In order to overcome this limitation, in this study, fresh coarse haylage was used to test the potential of NIRS to accurately determine chemical composition and fermentation parameters. Fresh coarse Italian ryegrass haylage samples were scanned at 1 nm intervals over a wavelength range of 680 to 2500 nm, and optical data were recorded as log 1/reflectance. Spectral data, together with first- and second-order derivatives, were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) multivariate regressions; scatter correction procedures (standard normal variate and detrend) were used in order to reduce the effect of extraneous noise. Optimum calibrations were selected based on their low standard error of cross validation (SECV) values. Further, ratio of performance deviation, obtained by dividing the standard deviation of reference values by SECV values, was used to evaluate the reliability of predictive models. Our results showed that the NIRS method can predict chemical constituents accurately (correlation coefficient of cross validation, R2 cv, ranged from 0.76 to 0.97); the exception to this result was crude ash (R2 cv = 0.49 and RPD = 2.09). Comparison of mathematical treatments for raw spectra showed that second-order derivatives yielded better predictions than first-order derivatives. The best mathematical treatment for DM, ADF, and NDF, respectively was 2, 16, 16, whereas the best mathematical treatment for CP and crude ash, respectively was 2, 8, 8. The calibration models for fermentation parameters had low predictive accuracy for acetic, propionic, and butyric acids (RPD < 2.5). However, pH, and lactic and total acids were predicted with considerable accuracy (R2 cv 0.73 to 0.78; RPD values exceeded 2.5), and the best mathematical treatment for them was 1, 8, 8. Our findings show that, when fresh haylage is used, NIRS-based calibrations are reliable for the prediction of haylage characteristics, and therefore useful for the assessment of the forage quality.

Humic acid (HA) is a complex organic matter found in the environments, especially in grassland soils with a high density. The bioactivity of HA to promote plant growth depends largely on its extraction sources. The quality-control of HA and the quality improvements via an artificial synthesis are thus challenging. We recently reported that a polymeric product from fungal laccase-mediated oxidation of catechol and vanillic acid (CAVA) displays a HA-like activity to enhance seed germination and salt stress tolerance in a model plant, Arabidopsis. Here, we examined whether HA or CAVA enhances the growth of Italian ryegrass seedling. Height and fresh weight of the plant with foliar application of HA or CAVA were bigger than those with only water. Interestingly, enhanced root developments were also observed in spite of the foliar treatments of HA or CAVA. Finally, we proved that HA or CAVA promotes the regrowth of Italian ryegrass after cutting. Collectively, CAVA acts as a HA mimic in Italian ryegrass cultivation, and both as a biostimulant enhanced the early growth and regrowth after cutting of Italian ryegrass, which could improve the productivity of forage crops.

Salt stress is one of the most limiting factors that reduce plant growth, development and yield. However, identification of salt-inducible genes is an initial step for understanding the adaptive response of plants to salt stress. In this study, we used an annealing control primer (ACP) based GeneFishing technique to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Italian ryegrass seedlings under salt stress. Ten-day-old seedlings were exposed to 100 mM NaCl for 6 h. Using 60 ACPs, a total 8 up-regulated genes were identified and sequenced. We identified several promising genes encoding alpha-glactosidase b, light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein, metallothionein-like protein 3B-like, translation factor SUI, translation initiation factor eIF1, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2 and elongation factor 1-alpha. These genes were mostly involved in plant development, signaling, ROS detoxification and salt acclimation. However, this study provides new molecular information of several genes to understand the salt stress response. These genes would be useful for the enhancement of salt stress tolerance in plants.