• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2013

'Okhan' (Avena sativa L.), an oat cultivar for winter use, was developed by the breeding team at the Department of Rice and Winter Cereal Crop, NICS, RDA in 2011. It was derived from an original cross between 'Early80', exhibiting early heading, and 'Maine PI-590' (CI 7518), exhibiting large-size grain, in 1995. Subsequent generations as well as cross-bred cultivars were handled in bulk, and pedigree selection programs took place at Suwon and Yeoncheon, respectively. A promising line, 'SO95027-B-45-16-10-6-2-Y7-10', was selected in 2004, and was designated 'Gwiri74' after being selected from a yield trial for three years from 2005 to 2008. The breeding line 'Gwiri74' was subsequently evaluated for earliness of heading and forage yield in four different locations, Yesan, Iksan, Kimjae, and Jeju, from 2009 to 2011, and was finally named as 'Okhan'. Over 3 years, the heading date of 'Okhan' was about 6 days earlier than that of the check cultivar 'Samhan', and their average forage dry matter yield harvested at the milk-ripe stage was 15.0 ton $ha^{-1}$, compared with 14.1 ton $ha^{-1}$ of check cultivar. Cultivar 'Okhan' was lower than the check cultivar 'Samhan' in terms of the protein content (9.2% and 9.9%, respectively) and total digestible nutrients (58.5%, and 59.3%, respectively), while the TDN yield per ha was more than the check (8.70 and 8.36 kg, respectively). Fall sowing cropping of 'Okhan' is recommended only in areas where average daily minimum mean temperatures in January are higher than $-7^{\circ}C$, and it should not be cultivated in mountain areas, where frost damage is likely to occur.