A new variety of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), named 'Alfaking' was developed between 2015 and 2023 at the Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan, Republic of Korea. The variety was produced through artificial hybridization, with ‘Paravivo’ serving as the maternal line and ‘WL514’ as the paternal line. ‘Alfaking’ underwent field tests across four regions (Cheonan, Pyeongchang, Jeongeup, and Jinju) to evaluate its agronomic characteristics and forage production over two years (2022-2023). The dry matter yield of ‘Alfaking’ reached 22,516 kg/ha, which is 11% higher than the control variety, ‘Vernal.’ ‘Alfaking’ exhibited 2.1% higher crude protein content than ‘Vernal’ in forage nutritive value. The development of this new alfalfa variety, which exhibits excellent adaptability to challenging environmental conditions, is expected to enhance forage cultivation and productivity in Korea.

The oyster mushrooms have known to be a major product in Gyeonggi-do, with production accounting for 69% of the entire country. The ‘Daeseon’ cultivar, which has white and straight stem, was developed. This cultivar was developed by mating monokaryons isolated from the ‘Heuktari’ and ‘Hwaseong-2ho’ varieties. The optimum temperature for the mycelial growth was 26~32oC on PDA medium and that for the primordia formation and the growth of fruit body of ‘Daeseon’ was 16~20oC on sawdust media. It took 35 days to complete spawn running, 3 days for finish primordia formation, and 4 days for finish fruit body growth in the bottle culture. It has shallow funnel-shaped pileus and a white straight stipe. The yield per bottle was 201 g/1,100 ml and was 16% higher than that of control cultivar ‘Suhan-1ho’. Based on above results, we expect this cultivar to be suitable for small packaging.

We developed a new oyster mushroom cultivar named 'Dawon-tari', which has a longer stipe and higher yield than those of ‘sootari’.‘Dawon-tari’ was crossed by mating monokaryons isolated from ‘Sootari’ and ‘Daejang2ho’. The optimal temperature for mycelial growth was determined to be 20~25°C on potato dextrose agar medium, while the optimal temperatures for primordia formation and fruiting body growth were 15~17°C on a sawdust substrate. During bottle cultivation, the mycelial growth phase required approximately 26 days. Additionally, primordia formation required 5 days, and fruiting body growth took 4 days. The fruiting bodies exhibited a shallow funnel shape; were grayishbrown; and the stipes were characterized by a long, thin structure. The yield of fruiting bodies was 185 g per 1,100 mL bottle, which was 5% higher than that of ‘Sootari’.

As part of the KOPIA Paraguay Center rice pilot villages project, conducted from July 1, 2021, to the end of June 2024, this study examined the average yield and value of paddy rice harvested between January and April 2023 in five local rice pilot villages in Paraguay: Santa Rosa, Eusebio Ayala, Coronel Bogado, Santa Maria, and Yaguaron. The CEA-5K-PUNTA variety was planted in late August 2022 and subsequently harvested from January to April 2023. The farmers in the pilot villages received information on common pests, diseases, and weeds, including instructions on timing and the number of applications required for their control. They also received technical guidance on water management and weeding methods. The study found that the average yield per hectare in the pilot villages for the CEA-5K PUNTA variety in the 2022/2023 growing season was 794.50 kg/10a, compared to 477.17 kg/10a for the conventional variety IRGA 424 in the 2019/2020 season, which preceded the project. This indicates a 66.5% increase in yield per hectare for the pilot village farmers compared to the pre-project period (2020/2021). The analysis of paddy rice production value in the pilot villages, using the Difference in Differences method, revealed a 65.1% increase. Moreover, a financial analysis was conducted based on the addition of agricultural inputs to the paddy fields during the period from the end of August 2022 to January-April 2023. The analysis showed that the total cost was US$597.25 per hectare, while the gross income was US$1,685.3 per hectare. As a result, the net profit per hectare amounted to US$1,088.05.

This experiment was conducted to breed a very early-maturing variety of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) at the Grassland and Forage Crops Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Korea, from 2022 to 2023. The new variety, named “Earlybird,” is a diploid variety characterized by green leaf color, a semi-erect growth habit in late autumn/fall, and an erect growth habit in early spring. With a heading date of April 30, Earlybird is categorized as a very early-maturing variety. Compared to the “Kowinearly” control variety, Earlybird’s flag-leaf width is wider by 0.2 mm, its flag-leaf length is longer by 1.4 cm, and its plant height is greater by 10.5 cm. Additionally, Earlybird’s ear length is 1.4 cm longer than Kowinearly's, and it exhibits lodging resistance. Although the dry matter yield of Earlybird (7,469 kg/ha) is smaller than that of Kowinearly, the difference is not statistically significant. The total digestible nutrient and crude protein content of Earlybird are 63.5% and 8.6%, respectively, which are higher than those of Kowinearly by 1.8% and 0.3%, respectively. The neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber content of Earlybird are 56.9% and 32.0%, respectively, which are lower than those of Kowinearly by 2.2% and 2.3%, respectively.

연구에서는 '누리금잠'이라 명명된 새로운 누에 신품종을 개발하였으며, 이는 황색 고치와 세리신 고치를 생산 하는 두 개의 기존 계통, 잠311과 D751의 교배를 통해 육성되었습니다. 이 신품종은 첫 교배 실험을 거친 2019년 봄부터 2021년 봄까지 총 4차례의 생산력 평가를 진행했으며, 이어진 2022년 봄부터 2023년 가을까지 4차례에 걸친 지역 적응성 평가를 통해 2023년 가을에 새로운 품종으로 공식 인정받았습니다. '누리금잠'은 봄과 가을 시즌에 각각 평균 부화율 86.9%, 89.6%를 기록하였고, 유충의 평균 성장 기간은 봄에는 21일과 12시간, 가을에는 19일과 22시간으로 나타났습니다. 세리신 고치의 평균 생산성은 봄에 79.17%, 가을에 74.9%였으며, 수확된 세리 신의 평균 중량은 누에고치 250개를 기준으로 봄에 6g, 가을에는 7.7g으로 측정되었습니다. 이와 같은 결과는 '누리금잠'이 높은 부화율과 우수한 세리신 생산성을 갖추고 있음을 시사합니다. 이는 세리 신 기반 제품의 생산 효율성을 증가시킬 뿐만 아니라, 양잠산업의 경제적 가치를 상승시키는 데 기여할 수 있을 것으로 생각됩니다.

This study was conducted to determine the acceptability of locally accepted japonica rice varieties among 53 farmers in Bohol and 38 farmers in Nueva Ecija, who were further classified into adopters and non-adopters of the GUVA japonica rice variety. Snowball sampling was made on farmer adopters/cooperators of a high-quality seed multiplication and dissemination project in the said provinces. The farmer respondents were mostly male whose ages ranged from 30 to 80 years and with farm sizes from 0.5 to 16 hectares. The farmers’ rice variety and usage were assessed by comparing the GUVA japonica rice variety with their commonly planted indica rice variety based on its agronomic characteristics, yield and income potential, and seed purity concerns. The barriers/hesitations to adoption of the GUVA japonica rice variety, namely seed availability, varietal information, and market potential, must be complemented with the suggested improvements on the variety together with factors that convince the farmers for committed use of this variety. Researchers together with partner agencies must put a lot of thought on how to integrate and synchronize these concerns so that the farmers can adopt GUVA japonica rice. Interest check on the usage of GUVA japonica rice variety in rice production as well as suggested improvements were solicited as the basis for continuous R&D pursuits that would eventually promote and adopt the GUVA japonica rice variety from these provinces.

Flammulina velutipesis a popular edible mushroom in South Korea, accounting for approximately 30% of the total mushroom export in the country. Despite its significant position in the domestic mushroom industry, approximately 65% of the cultivated F. velutipes are foreign varieties. To secure variety rights and enhance competitiveness in the export market, there is a need to develop domestic varieties with stable production and excellent shelf life. We focused on breeding a new variety called 'Baekwoon' through mon–mon crossing, using 'Baekseung' and an international collection strain (KMCC02260) as parents. Baekwoon exhibited faster mycelial growth rates at 15 °C and 25 °C and higher mycelial growth across four tested media compared to that of the control variety. Under bottle cultivation, Baekwoon had a mycelial cultivation period that was shorter by approximately 2 days compared to that of the control. The yield of Baekwoon was 228.0±10.9 g, 8.3% more than that of the control. Furthermore, Baekwoon displayed distinct morphological features characterized by a larger pileus and thicker stipe compared to that of the control variety. Genetic tests confirmed that Baekwoon is genetically different from both parental strains and the control variety. It is expected that the newly developed F. velutipes variety, Baekwoon, will be evaluated for its adaptation in different regions and actively promoted in the field, ultimately increasing the market share of domestic varieties.

본 연구는 신품종으로 등록된 길뚝사초 ‘설맥’의 형태적 특성을 구명하고자 하였다. 조사방법은 양적특성과 질적 및 유사질적 특성으로 구분하여 재배시험을 실시하였으며, 양적특성은 독립표본 t-검증(Independent sample t-test)을 이용하여 분석하였다. 질적 및 유사질적 특성은 국제 식물 신품종 보호연맹(UPOV : International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants)에서 발행한 지침(TGP 8/1 PARTⅡ : 8)을 참고하여 균일성을 확인하였다. 그 결과 총 28개의 특성 중 10개의 특성에서 구별성이 있었으며, 8개의 특성에서 균일성과 안정성을 확인하였다. 양적 특성 결과는 일반종보다 엽신의 수와 크기 등 영양기관 부위에서는 작았고, 화경 소수의 수, 소수화수 암꽃 수 와 같은 생식기관에서는 많았다. 질적 특성은 잎 가장자리 세로의 노란 무늬가 명확하였다. 길뚝사초 ‘설맥’은 형태적으로 일반종과 다른 새로운 품종임을 확인하였으며, 왜성의 노란색 세로 무늬종으로서 조경의 관상용으로 활용할 수 있을 것이다.

This study was a qualitative investigation into the food security and food variety among the rural elderly. For the qualitative data collection, nineteen elderly people who lived in Yangpyeong-gun were interviewed individually. Food security and variety was evaluated based on accessibility and affordability. The participants seemed to have difficulty preparing their own meals and eating with their families or others. The frequency of vegetable intake was found to be high, as vegetables were available through cultivation. However, in terms of diversity, the intake of meat and milk, which are sources of protein and calcium, was found to be significantly low. This has to do with very poor physical accessibility. A lack of nutrition education was identified as the biggest reason for not following dietary therapy despite having a pre-existing disease condition. Therefore, for the elderly in Yangpyeong-gun, it is suggested that a basic nutrition policy for food supply that can increase their actual intake is more essential than education on cooking and nutrients. Moreover, periodic nutrition education or a regular counseling system for dietary therapy through local public health centers may help improve the health of the elderly.

The experiment aim to breed an early-maturing variety of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). It was conducted at the Grassland and Forage Crops Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Korea, from 2022 to 2023. The new variety named “Oasis” is a diploid with green leaves and has a semi-erect growth habit in late fall, and an erect growth habit in early spring. With a heading date of May 10, Oasis is categorized as an early-maturing variety. Compared with the “Florida80” as a control variety, Oasis’s flag leaf was 1 mm wider and 2 cm shorter, while the plant length was 7.8 cm longer. Additionally, the ear of Oasis was 1.2 cm longer than that of Florida80, and it showed lodging resistance. The dry matter yield of Oasis (8,805 kg/ha) was higher than that of Florida80. The total digestible nutrient and crude protein contents of Oasis were 64.5%, and 9.3%, respectively, which were 1.1% and 0.6% higher than those of Florida80, respectively. The neutral and acid detergent fiber contents in Oasis were 54.2% and 30.8%, respectively, which was 1.9% and 1.4% lower than those of Florida80, respectively. These results indicate that Oasis has good dry matter yield in the most of region and especially, middle and northern region of South Korea.

A new brown variety of Flammulina velutipes, referred to as ‘Asakgold,’ was bred by crossing two monokaryons isolated from the “Geumhyang2ho” and “Garlmoe” varieties. The pileus color of the new variety is light brown and its shape is hemispherical. During bottle cultivation, the period necessary for mycelial growth was 40 days, 9 days for primordia formation and 15 days for fruiting body growth. The total cultivation period was 64 days, which was similar to that of the control variety “Yeoreumhyang1ho.” The pileus of the new variety was similar and the stipe was thinner and longer than that of the control. The number of valid stipes per bottle was 495, which was 37 % higher than that of the control (362), and the yield was 214 g, 16 % higher than that of the control (185 g). The -glucan content was 28.69 %, which was observed to be 1.6 times more than that of the control.

An aeroponic seed potato production technology project has been established in Pakistan through the Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) between RDA-KOPIA and PARC. For sustainable potato production, producing high-quality and disease-free potato seeds is critical in Pakistan. The majority of the farmers recycle their own seeds or obtain them through informal ways. Consequently, tuber-borne illnesses proliferate, seeds deteriorate, and yield diminishes. To mitigate such problems, the country moved to sustainable seed potato production by adopting rapid seed multiplication strategies like the combination of tissue culturing with aeroponic seed production technology which is being evaluated as an alternative to traditional pre-basic seed production methods. A series of experiments were carried out to evaluate the shoot development and mini tuber production attributes between two cultivars, different plantlet size and planting period between October 27, 2021, and January 27, 2022, at the NARC aeroponic facility. A CRD design with three replications was used. The study aimed to compare the productivity by variety, plantlet size and planting period to improve aeroponic seed production technology in Pakistan. The results indicated that Lady Rosetta outperformed Asterix in terms of shoot growth and small tuber output. Early planting at an optimal temperature of 27 degrees Celsius in the daytime showed a substantial difference when compared to late planting in November and tuberization was commenced 50-55 days after transplantation. Furthermore, in an aeroponic seed potato production system, normal plantlets (8-10 cm) at the time of transplantation, performed better than medium and small plantlets. In a nutshell, it was determined that normal size plantlets (8-10 cm) of Lady Rosetta cultivar, planted at optimum time to plant showed best results in the aeroponic system at NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan.

The oyster mushroom is a widely cultivated edible mushroom in Korea. It is a regionally specialized crop in Gyeonggi-do, where 68% of the national production is produced. The present study was conducted to develop a new, highquality cultivar with stable cultivation. ‘Manseon’ is a new variety of oyster mushroom suitable for bottle culture. It was produced by mating monokaryons isolated from ‘HB-18’ and ‘P15159-16’. The optimal temperature for ‘Manseon’ mycelial growth was 26–29 °C on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and for primordia formation and the growth of fruit bodies the optimal temperature was 18–19 °C on sawdust medium. Spawn running required 30 d, primordia formation required 4 d, and fruit body growth in the bottle culture required 4 d. Regarding the characteristics of the fruit bodies, the pilei were round and dark grayish brown, stipe color was white, and stipe shape was short and thick. The yield per bottle was 192.7 g/1,100 cc, which was 9% higher than that of the control strain (Suhan-1ho). The physical properties of springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and brittleness of stipe tissue were 87.9%, 77.4%, 445.1 kgf, and 389.6 kgf, respectively.