In recent years, novel plant breeding techniques (NPBTs) have emerged, and safety assessment of the novel plant(s) generated using the NPBTs has drawn the attention of many stakeholders. The notable characteristics of the novel plants are as follows: firstly, it is almost impossible to distinguish from the natural mutations in the conventional counterparts, because site-directed nuclease (SDN) and oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis (ODM) could introduce short indel(s) in the targeted region(s) of the chromosomes. Secondly, the genome constitution of novel plants is almost identical to that of their conventional counterparts, eventually becoming indistinguishable by the introduction of only unmodified gene(s) from sexually compatible species to the target host plant. Thirdly, it is possible to generate new plants that have the desired traits, but without introducing genes. These plants will have some modified bases in their genome by selecting null-segregant(s) from heterozygous transgenic plants or by other epigenetic methods. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and many countries developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have concluded that novel plants developed using SDN, ODM, cisgenesis, intragenesis, or null-segregant techniques are treated in the same manner as non-genetically modified (GM) plants or may even have less strict risk assessments depending on the case. Additionally, grafting and agro-infiltration are methods that can be used to avoid or reduce the burden of current strict GMO risk assessment. The risk assessments of some of the novel plants have already been performed and those of commercially important plants are expected to be performed in the near future. Hence, it is necessary to develop a competitive and practical NPBT that can mitigate the concern and revulsion toward GMOs in Korea.

Low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS) play a crucial role in the processing quality of wheat flour. They are encoded multi gene family located at the Glu-A3, Glu-B3 and Glu-D3 on the short arm of chromosome 1A, 1B and 1D respectively. Typical LMW-GSs are composed of three parts including a short N-terminal domain, a relatively short repetitive domain and a C-terminal domain. Further, typical LMW-GS sequences are divided into LMW-s, LMW-m and LMW-i types, on the basis of the first amino acid of the mature proteins (serine, methionine and isoleucine, respectively). Although it is known that the allelic variation of LMW-GSs affect the properties of dough, it is still not clear which LMW-GSs confer better bread-making quality because of the larger number of expressed subunits and their overlapping mobility with abundant gliadin proteins. Therefore, it is important to characterize LMW-GS genes and develop functional markers to identify different LMW-GS alleles for application in wheat breeding. In this review, we discuss the various aspects of LMW-GS, including their structural characteristics, the development of marker, relationship between LMW-GSs and bread wheat quality, and genetic engineering of the LMW-GSs.

This experiment was carried out to compare the morphological traits of 880 Korean soybean landraces from RDA genebank. Days to flowering were ranged from 51 to 104 days with an average of 74.4 days, days from flowering to maturity were ranged from 28 to 106 days with an average of 72.2 days, days from planting to maturity were ranged from 101 to 188 days with an average 146.6 days. Growth days were the shortest with 140.6 days in soybean landraces from Gangwon Province, and the longest with 152.8 days in those from Jeju Province. The 100 seed weight was ranged from 4.3 to 46.4 g with an average of 26.1 g, higher than other studies, relatively. The 100 seed weight was the lightest from Gyeongnam Province (22.7 g), and the heaviest from Chungnam Province (29.1 g). The highest percentage of seed coat color was black (52.4%), followed by yellow (28.5%). Landraces from Gyeongnam Province was the most yellow seed coat with 50.7%, seed coat color of those from Jeju was similar proportion in yellow (33.3%), green (25.9%) and black one (40.7%), and that from Gyeonggi was more green (28.8%) than yellow (16.7%). As a result of cotyledon color in 460 black seed was 59.7% with yellow, 40.1% with green. Three hundred fifty accessions of Korean soybean landraces were analyzed using 7 SSR markers. One hundred ten alleles were detected with a lowest 10 at the Satt307 and a highest 26 at the Satt173. The average polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.71. Gene diversity was the highest in Jeju province while the lowest in Jeonnam.

Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) has gametophytic self-incompatibility (S) controlled by the multi-allelic S-locus. In the present study, S-genotypes of 24 apple cultivars including newly released Korean cultivars and seven crabapple cultivars were identified using S-allele specific polymerase chain reaction analysis. Twelve different S-alleles (S₁, S₂, S₃, S₅, S₇, S₉, S₁₀, S₁₆, S₂₁, S₂₃, S₂₆, and S₂₉) from 31 apple and crabapple cultivars were identified using 23 S-allele specific primers. Among them, S₁ (41.7%), S₃ (58.3%), S₇ (29.2%), and S₉ (54.2%) S-alleles were found to be common in 24 apple cultivars. The newly released Korean cultivars ‘Arisoo’ and ‘Hwangok’ were genetyped as S3S7 and S3S9, respectively. S-genotypes information obtained from the present study will be useful to select proper pollinzers for stable production of apple fruit and to design cross of breeding programs.

We tried to develop the protocol for embryogenesis and plant regeneration from anther culture of carrot (Daucus carota L.) genotype ‘S&P2342’. Anthers were cultured on MS medium with B5 vitamins containing different combinations of 2,4-D and NAA for 18 weeks in the dark. The best induction of callus and embryo was obtained in the medium containing 0.1 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/L NAA, on which 22.0% callus and 2.0% embryo were induced. When primary embryos induced directly from anther culture were transferred to the regeneration medium, secondary embryos were initiated from primary embryos after 4 weeks of culture and 62.5% converted into plantlets after 8 weeks of culture. The plantlets with true leaves were obtained after 12 weeks of culture. When the calli derived from anther culture were transferred to the regeneration medium, 38.8% of the calli produced primary embryos and plantlets after 8 weeks of culture. The plantlets with 2 or more leaves cultured on the regeneration under the different light intensity for the growth of in vitro plantlets. The plantlets cultured at 100 μmol·m^-2·s^-1 showed the highest growth rate. For the acclimatization, the in vitro plantlets with 4 or more leaves cultivated under the different light intensity and temperature, respectively. The survival rate and growth of plantlets was best at 15℃ and 100 μmol·m^-2·s^-1, respectively. The plants were successfully acclimatized and had a normal phenotype. The anther culture system could be used to prepare the doubled haploid lines as an appropriate breeding material for F₁ hybrid breeding program.

Water use efficiency (WUE) is considered as an important characteristics of drought tolerance in crop plant. This study was carried out for determination of WUE of 29 Korean soybean cultivars including PI416937, a representative drought tolerant cultivar in USA, under two different soil water contents, the sustaining 50% of maximum field capacity on control and 25% on drought treatment for 14 days at the late of vegetative growth stage. The WUE of whole plant (g/L) was determined using the measurement of the amount of water use (mL/day/plant), dry weight (g/plant), and relative growth rate (RGR) at 14 days after treatment (DAT). The mean amount of water use of 30 soybeans was 183 and 64 mL/plant/day at control and treatment, respectively, which was decreased 63% of water use under 25% of maximum field capacity. The mean dry weight of 30 soybeans of treatment was decreased 37% compared with that of control. The amount of water use of 30 soybeans was highly correlated with dry weight at 14 DAT, while it was weak correlated with RGR of treatment and not correlated with WUE. The WUE was highly correlated with RGR at control and treatment. The mean WUE of 30 soybean was 2.1 and 2.9g/L at control and treatment, respectively. It means that WUE is increased under drought condition and is the variable characteristics depend on soil water content. The WUE of PI416937 was 3.5g/L at treatment. This study suggested WUEs of 29 Korean soybean cultivars and that the higher WUE Korean cultivars than PI416937 were 3 cultivars, Daepoong (3.8g/L), Danbeak (4.0g/L), and Keumkang (3.8g/L).

Genetically modified (GM) crops have been developed worldwide through the recombinant DNA technology and commercialized by various agricultural biotechnology companies. Commercialization of GM crops will be required the assessment of risk associated with the release of GM crops. The purpose of this research is a molecular characterization of introduced T-DNA in transgenic rice T4~T6 generation lines harboring a pepper MsrB2 gene under the control of stress inducible Rab21 promoter, as a part of biosafety evaluation for drought-tolerant transgenic rice (Agb0103). We identified the structure and sequence of transformation vector of T-DNA and analyzed insertion sites, flanking sequences, and generational stability of inserted T-DNA in transgenic rice lines. The transformation vector was consisted of right border, a drought-tolerant CaMsrB2 gene unit (Rab21 promoter:CaMsrB2:PinII terminator), a selectable marker herbicide resistance unit (CaMV 35S promoter:bar:Nos terminator), and left border in sequential order. Based on the adaptor-ligation PCR and whole genome sequence database, we confirmed that T-DNA was introduced 2 copies (head to head type) at the position of 2,471,957∼ 2,472,049 bp of chromosome No. 8. From the generational stability study, T-DNAs were stably inherited through the T4 to T6 generations, and also stable expression of bar gene from T-DNA was confirmed. It was also confirmed that the backbone DNA of transformation vector containing antibacterial gene was not present in Agb0103 rice genome. These results will be filed to biosafety assessment document of Agb0103.

Content of key nutrients and anti-nutrients of the insect-resistant transgenic rice (Btt12R) developed in Korea that contains a cryIIIA insecticidal gene was compared with those of its non-transgenic counterpart (Oryza sative L. cv. Nakdongbyeo). Grains of Btt12R, its parent cultivar, and two commercial rice plants (cv. Yeonganbyeo and Hwaseongbyeo) grown in the adjoining fields under the same environmental conditions and field management were used for this study. Among the analyzed 47 nutrients (8 proximates, 17 amino acids, 8 fatty acids, 9 minerals, and 5 vitamins) and two anti-nutrients (trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid), although the levels of 17 components differed between Nakdongbyeo and Btt12R, all of the measured values from Btt12R were within the ranges of values observed in the two typical Korean varieties and commercial rice provided by the OECD. These results confirm that the nutritional quality of rice grains was not affected by the insertion of the cryIIIA gene.

We investigated the effect of pre and post-cryopreservation treatment on the dehisced Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) seeds germination rate. All seeds covered with endocarp and 96.3% of them were opened, initial moisture content (IMC) and germination rate were 55.9% and 84.0%, respectively. According to the pre and post-cryopreservation methods, highest seeds germination rate (GR) was observed in non-precooled seeds which recovered at 40°C, in which MC was 8-12% and desiccated at 15°C. However, by prolonged drying the seeds GR comparatively decreased under MC of below 2.2%, reaching below rate 4% regardless of pre and post- cryo treatments, whereas the seeds dried at 25°C airflow cabinet saved significantly high rate. The effects of desiccation and of cryopreservation on the survival and developmental pattern of roots and stems showed that the earliest appearance of the root in control seeds was detected after 10 days of bedding in GA medium, and the stem started to develop later on the third week of germination test. And, on the 30th day of the investigation stem growth rate significantly increased and showed equivalent data with root rate. Almost the same pattern showed the seeds after cryopreservation, but it significantly delayed in the development compared to control, where term of the investigation continued till 40 day than control 30 day. Additionally, non-precooling seeds in both desiccation and recovery methods were showed high root and stem growth compared to precooled treatments.

‘Sanhomi’, a new japonica rice cultivar developed from a cross between Sangmibyeo and F₁ plant derived from the cross between Sangju24 and Hwayeongbyeo having bacterial blight and rice stripe virus resistance was developed by the rice breeding team of Sangju Substation, NICS, RDA in 2012. This variety has about 114 days of growth duration from transplanting to harvesting in southern mid-mountainous area of South Korea. It has 70 cm culm length and tolerance to lodging. In reaction to biotic and abiotic stresses, it shows multiple resistance to blast, bacterial blight and rice stripe virus. The milled rice of ‘Sanhomi’ exhibits translucent and, relatively clear non-glutinous endosperm, and medium short grain. This variety has a higher milled rice recovery (67.3%), better palatability of cooked rice and similar amylose content (19.9%) compared with Odaebyeo. The milled rice yield performance of this variety was about 5.60 MT/ha in local adaptability test for three years. ‘Sanhomi’ would be adaptable to southern mid-mountainous of South Korea.

A rose cultivar, ‘Summer Red’ was developed at Gyeonggi-Do Agricultural Research and Extension Services (GARES) in 2012. A cross was made between ‘Cardinal’ and ‘Fire Fox’ in 2007 and seedlings were produced in 2008. After the test of specific characters from 2010 to 2012, it was finally selected and named. A standard flower type with large sized flower, it has red color (RHS Color Chart Red Group 44B). The leaf was resistant to powdery mildew. It takes 51 days to flowering and cut flower productivity was 168.4 stems/m² in a year. The length of cut flower was long with 82.4 cm and the fresh weight of cut flower was 44.3 g. It has 12.3 cm in flower diameter, 5.5 cm in flower height, 46.7 in petal numbers per flowers and 11 days in vase life. When it grows under the below 15°C and 1,000 lux conditions the petals edge color became dark red in winter season. This new rose cultivar, ‘Summer Red’ was granted on Korea Seed & Variety Service with No. 4867 in 2014.

The production of hybrid onion (A. cepa L.) seed is economically feasible using systems of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). Therefore, male sterile (A-line) and maintainer (B-line) is essential to development of F1 hybrids. Male sterile line Wonye30006’ was developed by Bioenergy Crop Research Center, National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in South Korea in 2010. The first cross for introduction of CMS was conducted in 2000. Male-sterile parents which were selected from ‘F2-6’ breeding lines were pollinated with male fertile line ‘HMB’ (inbred line). The fertility test was conducted in 2002 and maintainer line ‘Mo2005’ was selected. The proportion of male-sterility plants of F1 population was 100% for subsequent four backcross generations. ‘Wonye30006’ was named ‘MMS66’ in 2009 and the corresponding male parent was called ‘MMSB66’. As an mid-late maturing type, lodging date is around May 25^th. ‘Wonye30006’ has round bulb and the average bulb weight is 184 g. Plant height and stem diameter are 56 cm and 12.4 mm, respectively. Number and the length of flower stalks per mother bulb are 122 cm and 6, respectively. Flowering date is June 4th and flower bud size is 81.2 mm. Wonye30006 will be used for development of F1 hybrids in breeding program. (no. 4674)

A cultivar Dendranthema grandiflourm ‘Dream Prince’ was developed at Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Korea in 2012. The cultivar ‘Dream Prince’ was bred from the cross hybridized in 2009 between ‘Grand Pink’, a spray chrysanthemum cultivar with pink colored single type petals, and ‘Classy’, a spray chrysanthemum cultivar with early flowering trait. Trials were conducted from 2010 to 2012 for evaluation and selection of the cultivar, including a shading culture in spring and a retarding culture in summer. Finally, ‘Dream Prince’ was selected. The natural flowering time of ‘Dream Prince’ was October 24th, and year-round flowering is possible. Days to flowering of ‘Dream Prince’ under the short day treatment were about 48, 50 and 47 in the autumn, spring and summer, respectively. ‘Dream Prince’ has single type flower with yellow petals and the diameter of flower was 6.7cm. Number of flowers per stem was 19.6 and petals per flower were 29.0 in autumn. The plant variety protection right of ‘Dream Prince’ was granted on Korea Seed & Variety Service with No. 4876 in 2014.

‘Samdachal’ is a foxtail millet variety developed and registered by Department of Functional Crop, NICS, RDA in 2011. This variety was developed through pure line breeding method from Jeju landrace. ‘Samdachal’ is a medium maturing variety having 133 days of growth duration from transplanting to harvesting in Milyang of Korea. The culm length is about 128 cm which is longer culm length than standard variety ‘Hwanggeumejo’. However it is adapted to mechanized cultivation because it is tolerant to lodging in field. The panicle shape is a cylinder type and the length is 28cm. Regarding to the grain, color and endosperm characteristics are grey and glutinous. The Calcium, Magnesium and polyphenol contents in grain are showed higher than standard variety ‘Hwanggeumejo’. The milled yield performance of this variety is about 2.24 MT/ha in local adaptability test from 2010 to 2011. ‘Samdamchal’ would be adaptable to plain area of Korea.

‘Boanchal’, a new covered waxy barley cultivar derived from crossing the ‘Suwon232’ and ‘Masangwamaeg’ with early maturing and colored waxy endosperm cultivars, respectively was developed at the National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2009. ‘Boanchal’ is characterized as the growth habit of Ⅲ, green leaf, medium spike and long rough awns. The heading date was April 24 in upland and April 17 in paddy field which was 2 and 1 day, respectively earlier than check cultivar, ‘Seodunchal’. The culm length of ‘Boanchal’ was 79 cm, which was 11 cm shorter than that of check cultivar. It showed spike length of 3.5 cm, 854 spikes per m², 43 grains per spike, and 28.0 g of 1,000-grain weight. Comparing to check cultivar, ‘Boanchal’showed stronger winter hardiness, but a similar resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV). It had purple grain and showed higher expansion rate than that of check cultivar, ‘Seodunchal’. Average yield of ‘Boanchal’ in the regional adaptation yield trial (RYT) was 2.96 MT/ha in upland and 3.91 MT/ha in paddy field. ‘Boanchal’ would be suitable for the area above -8°C of daily minimum temperature in January in Korean peninsula.

‘Huimangchan’ is a new japonica rice variety developed and registered by the rice breeding team of Department of Rice and Winter Cereal Crop, NICS, RDA in 2011. This variety was derived from the three-way cross of ‘Milyang165’, ‘Shindongjin’ and ‘YR19105-Acp222’. This variety has about 126 days of growth duration from transplanting to harvesting in Honam and Youngnam plain of Korea. It is about 91 cm in culm length and tolerance to lodging. In reaction to biotic stresses, it shows moderate resistance to blast, resistance to bacterial blight pathogen races from K1 to K3, and rice stripe virus, but susceptible to other major diseases and insect pests. The milled rice of ‘Huimangchan’ has high quality, midium short grain. The milled rice yield of this variety is about 6.18 T/ha in local adaptability test for three years. ‘Huymangchan’ would be adaptable to Middle plain, Honam plain and Youngnam plain area of Korea.

The ‘Jungmo1017’ is a japonica rice variety developed from a cross between Suweon462 which has a good plant architecture, cold tolerance, moderately tolerant to leaf blast and bacterial blight and medium maturing habit, and Yeongdeog34 which has translucent milled rice and good milling properties, by the rice breeding team at NICS, RDA in 2011. The heading date of ‘Jungmo1017’ is August 16 and it is six days later than ‘Hwaseong’. ‘Jungmo1017’ has 65 cm of culm length which is 18 cm shorter than those of ‘Hwaseong’ and 93 spikelet per panicle. The pre-harvest sprouting rate of ‘Jungmo1017’ is 8.6% that is lower than 27.7% of ‘Hwaseong’ on local adaptability test (LAT). It showed resistance to blast diseases and moderately resistant to bacterial blight (K1 race) and stripe virus, but susceptible to other races (K2, K3 and K3a) of bacterial blight, viruses and planthoppers. The milled rice of this variety exhibits translucent, clear non-glutinous endosperm and medium short grain shape. It has better palatability index of cooked rice (0.53) than that of ‘Hwaseong’. ‘Jungmo1017’ showed lower protein content (6.4%) and amylose content (18.0%). ‘Jungmo1017’ could use aseptic-packaged cooked rice or processing cooked rice because its hardness of cooked rice is soft, setback and balance is low and palatability of cold and aseptic rice showed high score. The characters related to milling is better than those of ‘Hwaseong’. ‘Jungmo1017’ showed 5.01 MT/ha of milled rice productivity at 7 sites of middle plain, southern mid-mountainous and south-east coastal area in ordinary cultivation. ‘Jungmo1017’ could be adaptable to the middle plain area in Korea.

A novel auricleless bariey (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivar ‘Jomi’ was developed which shows high biomass yield, good quality and high ruminant-palatability at National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2010. This cultivar was derived from a cross of the ‘Suwon337’ and ‘Suwon355’ in 1999 and a promising line showing both high yield and lodging resistance through the preliminary and advanced yield trials at Iksan in 2006-2007, was designated as the ‘Iksan 438’. ‘Iksan438’ was conducted to regional yield trials (RYT) in seven locations around Korea for three years from 2008 to 2010, and was released as the name of ‘Jomi’. It has erect plant type, growth habit of Ⅰand green and auricleless leaf . Its heading date was April 23 and maturing date was May 25 in paddy field, 3 days and 1 day earlier than ‘Youngyang’, respectively. The cultivar showed 90cm of culm length, 846 spikes per m2, high rate of leaf blades, resistance to BaYMV and better winter hardiness than that of ‘Youngyang’, The average forage yield of ‘Jomi’ was about 10.3 ton ha^-1 in dry matter (28 ton ha^-1 in fresh matter) in paddy field with 8.3% of crude protein content, 26.2% of ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber), 48.3% of NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber), 68.2% of TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients) and grade Ⅱ of silage quality. This cultivar would be suitable for the area above the daily minimum temperature of -8°Cin January in Korean peninsula.

A single cross hybrid, ‘Godangok’, is a yellow sweet corn developed by the maize breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), Rural Development Administration (RDA) in 2011. This hybrid was produced by crossing between KSE5 and KSE19. KSE5 is a seed parent and KSE19 is a pollen parent of Godangok. Days to silking of Godangok was 3 days later than Danok 3, a check hybrid. Ear length and diameter of Godangok were 17.6 cm and 4.4 cm, respectively. The ratio of kernel set length to ear length was 87.1%. These characteristics of ear were similar to those of the check hybrid. However, the Degree Brix was 24.3 °Bx, higher than the check hybrid, 14.1 °Bx. Lodging tolerance of Godangok was better than the check hybrid. The number and weight of fresh ear of Godangok were similar to those of the check hybrid in regional yield trials (RYT) from 2009 to 2011. Seed production of this hybrid is good due to good match between the seed and pollen parent. It is adaptable to the whole country. Plant variety protection right of ‘Godangok’ was registered in July 2014, and its grant number is 5094.

‘Chindeul’, a new japonica rice cultivar developed from a cross between HR22538-GHB-36-4 having brown planthopper (BPH) resistance and Iksan471 having a good eating-quality and high yield, was developed by the rice breeding team of Department of Rice and Winter Cereal Crop, NICS, RDA in 2012. This variety has about 124 days growth duration from transplanting to harvesting in west-southern coast, Honam and Youngnam plain of Korea. It has 83 cm culm length and tolerance to lodging. In reaction to biotic and abiotic stresses, it shows resistance to bacterial blight pathogen races from K1 to K3, stripe virus and brown planthopper. The milled rice of ‘Chindeul’ exhibits translucent, relatively clear non-glutinous endosperm and medium short grain. It has lower protein content of 5.9% and good palatability of cooked rice compared with Nampyeongbyeo. The milled rice yield performance of this variety is about 5.61 MT/ha in local adaptability test for three years. ‘Chindeul’ would be useful genetic resources for multi-resistance breeding program against disease and insect.