Breeding of A Region-Specific Waxy Corn ‘Ararichal’

Here, we report the breeding of a region-specific waxy corn, ‘Ararichal, ’ which contains anthocyanins. ‘Ararichal’ was produced by crossing two inbred lines, HW12 as seed parent and 16CLP39 as pollen parent. The hybrid was made in 2018 and has been evaluated for two years in Hongcheon, Yeongwol, and Inje since 2021. Days to silking of ‘Ararichal’ were 73 days, 3 days earlier than the standard variety ‘Cheongchunchal.’ The number of ears and weight of fresh ears was 3% and 49% higher than those of ‘Cheongchunchal,’ respectively. The lodging index was 1, indicating a stronger lodging tolerance than ‘Cheongchunchal.’ Resistance to southern and northern leaf blight was similar to that of the standard variety, confirming its cultivation stability. In a regional adaptability test for Jeongseon, ‘Ararichal’ showed the highest marketable yield of 801 kg/10a with a 97% marketable ear ratio, demonstrating excellent yield potential and regional adaptability. Based on the results of the two-year trial, ‘Ararichal’ was recommended for cultivation in Gangwon Province, particularly in Jeongseon, as a superior region-specific variety. The plant variety protection rights of ‘Ararichal’ were registered in December 2024 under grant number 10365.