Milyang54, a short, high-tillering winter wheat cultivar with enhanced lodging resistance and yield

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple crop in Korea, with an annual per capita consumption of 38.3 kg, and demand is steadily increasing (Ministry of Agriculture, 2024). However, domestic wheat production is unstable and faces competition from imports, resulting in a low self-sufficiency rate of 1–2%, raising concerns about food security. Climate change affects 32–39% of global crop yields (Ray et al. 2015), and wheat is highly sensitive, with potential yield losses of up to 82.1% under adverse conditions (Boyer 1982). Recent increases in temperature, unexpected rainfall, droughts, and pest outbreaks have caused fluctuations in yield and market prices. DSSAT modeling predicts that, even with improved management, winter wheat yields may decline by 13.4% by the 2080s (Hu et al. 2025). Although domestic wheat can produce higher yields per unit area than major wheat-producing countries, year-to-year variation in grain quality remains a concern (FAO 2024; Kwak et al. 2017). Frequent rainfall during maturation often reduces starch and protein content and increases Fusarium head blight incidence, lowering flour quality (Park et al. 2024; Ryu et al. 2011). Recently, vertical farming has enabled high-density, multilayer crop production under controlled environments. For wheat, early studies report annual yields of 7,000–19,400 kg/10 a per hectare in multilayer systems (Asseng et al. 2020). Combining vertical farming with speed breeding, which manipulates photoperiod and temperature to shorten growth cycles, could allow multiple generations per year and stable production regardless of outdoor conditions (Cha et al. 2022). To meet the demands of climate-resilient and high-yield wheat, the development of short-stature, high-tillering, lodging-resistant, and indoor-adapted cultivars is critical. In this context, the winter wheat cultivar ‘Milyang54’ was developed to combine these traits, and its breeding history and key characteristics are reported here.

‘Milyang54’ was bred from the cross ‘Jokyoung’ × ‘NOROC’ through artificial hybridization and population selection. Fig. 1 seeds were produced in April 2017 and advanced to F₆ by 2020. Selection criteria included short stature, large spikes, and lodging resistance. Among advanced lines, YW3155-4B-162-1 exhibited superior agronomic performance and was evaluated in 2022–2023 trials. Based on its performance, the line was designated ‘Milyang54’ and granted plant patent protection (No. 10–2025-0042920).

Fig. 1.

Breeding scheme used for the development of the wheat cultivar ‘Milyang54’. B: bulk, SSD: single seed descent, OYT: official yield trial, AYT: advanced yield trial

Field evaluations were conducted under standard double-cropping conditions in Korea, followed by paddy rice cultivation, with fertilizer applied at N–P₂O₅–K₂O = 9.1–7.4–3.9 kg/10 a Fig. 2. The standard cultivar ‘Keumgang’ was used as a control. ‘Milyang54’ headed on April 16, seven days later than ‘Keumgang’, and reached physiological maturity on May 28, two days later than ‘Keumgang’ (Supplementary table S1). Plant height averaged 41.1 cm, 38% shorter than ‘Keumgang’ (66.1 cm), while spike length was similar (8.2 vs. 8.3 cm). Spike number per unit area was higher (877/m² vs. 706/m²), and grains per spike averaged 47 compared with 33 in ‘Keumgang’. Thousand-kernel weight and test weight were 42.3 g and 724 g, lower than ‘Keumgang’ (49.1 g and 809 g). Yield trials showed 511 kg/10 a, a 19.7% increase over ‘Keumgang’ (427 kg/10 a), with higher spike density and grain number contributing to the advantage (Supplementary table S2). The cultivar exhibited strong lodging resistance and superior cold tolerance, with no winter injury observed. Both cultivars were free from Fusarium head blight and powdery mildew in the field.

Fig. 2.

Field conditions of ‘Milyang54’ at heading (a) and maturity (b) stages, seed morphology (c), gluten formation (d), and comparison of end-use quality (bread) between ‘Keumgang’ and ‘Milyang54’ (e)

Grain quality analysis indicated protein content of 9.6% in ‘Milyang54’, lower than ‘Keumgang’ (13.9%), and SDS-sedimentation value and gluten index were 27.1 mL and 63.8, compared with 58.4 mL and 84.1 in ‘Keumgang’ (Supplementary table S3). Mixograph analysis showed weaker dough strength and stability, lower water absorption (58.3%), and shorter mixing time (3.3 min), suggesting limited breadmaking suitability (Supplementary table S4). Molecular marker analysis revealed Glu-D1 4 + 12 composition, possibly explaining weaker gluten, while Wx-D1 matched ‘Keumgang’ (Wx-D1a). The TaMFT-A1 allele indicated susceptibility to pre-harvest sprouting, and the Fhb1 gene was detected, consistent with field performance (Supplementary table S5 and S6). Statistical analysis using SAS 9.2 with ANOVA and Duncan’s test (P < 0.05) confirmed significant differences between ‘Milyang54’ and ‘Keumgang’ for all agronomic traits.

‘Milyang54’ was developed to meet the demand for a short-stature, high-yielding, and lodging-resistant wheat suitable for double-cropping systems in Korea. Its compact height reduces lodging risk, while increased spike density and grains per spike enhance yield potential. Strong cold tolerance and Fusarium head blight resistance ensure stable field performance. As a winter wheat, it requires vernalization and a longer growth period under natural conditions; nevertheless, it can be used in indoor cultivation and speed-breeding programs when vernalization is controlled. Its compact stature and uniform growth facilitate efficient space use and rapid phenotyping, making it suitable for generation advancement and genetic improvement programs. Moreover, the low protein content and reduced gluten index of ‘Milyang54’ indicate its suitability as a soft wheat cultivar. In Korea, most domestic wheat cultivars are concentrated on multipurpose flour types, which are primarily used for noodle production. Therefore, the development of soft wheat cultivars such as ‘Milyang54’ is highly valuable for expanding purpose-specific wheat breeding. Furthermore, as global food trends increasingly emphasize health and well-being, interest in low-gluten diets has grown. In this context, the development of extremely low-gluten wheat cultivars like ‘Milyang54’ represents an important contribution to future wheat breeding and utilization.

In conclusion, ‘Milyang54’ is a short-stature, high-tillering winter wheat with superior yield, lodging resistance, cold tolerance, and Fusarium head blight resistance. Its consistent field and molecular performance, combined with adaptability to indoor cultivation and speed-breeding, highlights its potential as a valuable resource for developing high-yielding, stress-tolerant wheat cultivars in Korea.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Author contributions

Jong-Hee Lee conceived and supervised the research. Hyeonjin Park conducted the formal analysis and prepared the original draft of the manuscript. Jin-Kyung Cha, Youngho Kwon, and So-Myeong Lee contributed to marker analysis and data processing. Seung-Kyo Jeong and Ye Rin An contributed to the interpretation of data. Woo-Jae Kim critically reviewed the manuscript. Kyeong-Min Kim collected and selected the parental germplasm. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by Rural Development Administration, ‘Rapid establishment of elite core resources for rice and wheat using digital breeding technology (grant number : PJ01721202)’.

Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.