Revolutionizing livestock feed with high-yield, sustainable rice cultivation
Explore the InnovationWith global demand for livestock feed increasing rapidly, the limitations of traditional feed resources are becoming apparent1 .
Climate change and reduced arable land threaten the stable supply of feed grains, making multi-purpose rice varieties an increasingly important solution1 . Unlike traditional rice varieties optimized solely for grain production, Mokyang focuses on maximizing total biomass, allowing the entire plant (stems and leaves) to be utilized as livestock feed1 3 .
Mokyang represents an innovative approach that moves beyond traditional grain-only harvesting to utilize the entire plant as nutritious animal feed.
Mokyang demonstrates higher TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients) yield and lower NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber) and ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber) content compared to conventional high-yield rice varieties1 .
This means livestock can better digest the feed and absorb nutrients more efficiently1 .
| Characteristic | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Growth Period (Sowing~Heading) | 118 days | - |
| Stem Length | 93cm | Relatively long |
| Lodging Resistance | Strong | Due to thick stems |
| Tillering Number | Low | - |
| Spikelets per Panicle | High | Significantly more than average |
| TDN Yield | High | Excellent feed value |
| NDF/ADF Content | Low | Improved digestibility |
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the salt tolerance of various forage rice varieties (Moku, Mokyang, Miu, Jou, and Yeongu) for potential cultivation in domestic reclaimed lands6 .
This experiment was conducted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Jeonbuk National University to determine the feasibility of growing forage rice in reclaimed paddy fields6 .
The results showed that Mokyang demonstrated relatively lower performance in salt tolerance compared to other varieties6 .
While Moku, Miu, Jou, and Yeongu varieties showed normal germination rates even at 0.1-0.5% salt water, Mokyang showed a relatively lower germination rate6 .
This suggests that Mokyang may be less suitable for cultivation in reclaimed lands or areas with high salinity, but can demonstrate excellent productivity in general plain areas6 .
| Material/Reagent | Primary Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hoagland solution | Hydroponic culture nutrient solution | Provides inorganic salts for plant growth |
| NaCl | Salt stress induction | For salt tolerance experiments |
| Quantitative filter paper | Germination experiments | For seed placement |
| Petri-dish | Germination experiments | For seed germination observation |
| Incubator | Germination experiments | Maintains constant temperature |
| BioSprint 96 DNA Extraction Kit | Genetic analysis | DNA extraction |
| PCR reagents | Genotype analysis | Analysis of blast resistance genes6 |
The National Institute of Crop Science is conducting research to establish optimal cultivation technologies for grain crops by region in the northern parts of the Korean Peninsula5 .
Regional Adaptation Climate ResilienceThe RDA has recently embarked on research for export-quality long-grain rice, investing 25 billion won over 5 years to develop Indica-type long-grain rice varieties2 .
Export Potential Technology TransferAs water scarcity intensifies globally, water use efficiency in rice cultivation is becoming increasingly important4 .
The multi-purpose, high-yield forage rice variety 'Mokyang' is a proud achievement of Korean breeding technology that responds to the climate crisis and food security challenges1 6 . Although it shows some limitations in salt tolerance, its excellent productivity and feed value in general plain areas have already been proven1 6 .