잡초에서 사료 작물로 변신한 ‘피’…“고온다습 기후에 적합” / KBS 2026.07.22.

For a long time, the plant known as 'barnyard grass' has been treated as a weed that hinders the growth of rice in paddy farming. However, this weed has been developed into a fodder crop, attracting the attention of livestock farmers. Reporter Bae Su-yeong reports. [Report] A cultivated field in Goseong. Barnyard grass with straight, upright leaves is growing. Barnyard grass was once considered a weed that was difficult to remove due to its strong vitality. However, this barnyard grass is different. It is a new variety developed by the National Institute of Animal Science to be utilized as a fodder crop. If it replaces imported hay, livestock farmers can save approximately 30% on feed costs. This new variety is more advantageous for cultivation than existing fodder crops, which are vulnerable to Korea's hot and humid summer weather. [Choi Dae-han / Farmer cultivating fodder barnyard grass: "Other summer crops are much harder to grow in paddy fields, but fodder barnyard grass grows well, almost like a cliff, even in hot, humid conditions with some waterlogging."] New varieties of barnyard grass are expected to secure a place as a substitute crop for rice, a trend that has previously been heavily skewed toward crops like paddy soybeans. [Choi Bo-ram / Agricultural Researcher at the National Institute of Animal Science: "Since fodder barnyard grass is stable to cultivate in paddy fields, expanding its cultivation could alleviate the over-reliance on paddy soybeans as a substitute crop..."] It is also expected that a fodder cultivation system capable of three harvests a year—in spring, summer, and autumn—will become possible. 1.07 million tons of foreign feed for hay are imported annually. The development of various hay feeds suitable for our climate is expected to contribute to reducing operating costs for livestock farms. This is Bae Soo-young reporting for KBS News. ▣ View Original KBS Article : http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?nc... ▣ Send a Tip ◇ KakaoTalk : Search 'KBS제보' ◇ Phone : 02-781-1234 ◇ Website : https://goo.gl/4bWbkG ◇ Email : [email protected] Copyright ⓒ KBS. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, and use (including AI learning) are prohibited. #Weeds #RicePaddy #BarnyardGrass #NationalInstituteOfAnimalScience #LocalNews #Changwon