RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION :: National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science

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The science of flowering plants
The science of a better system
The science of a higher value
The universe in a seed holds infinite possibilities
Science creates a bright world.

The engine that restlessly creates something new
The NIHHS moves ahead towards achieving the happiness of our farmers and citizens

Life with possibilities - the untapped land
Our commitment to developing varieties tailored to the needs of our time and our people
We are always aiming to reach the top of the world
The innovations that we’ve made across Korea serves as the engine of today’s agriculture

Chapter 1. The Seeds of Innovation: Developing High-Quality New Varieties  

Vegetables, fruits, flowers, ginseng, medicinal herbs, and mushrooms
Horticultural crops and herbs boost Korea’s agricultural competitiveness and the people’s happiness.
Innovation is the key to success as a truly strong global leader
Our solution is digital agriculture and field-oriented research

Technological breakthroughs using omics sciences enable us to develop new varieties
Communication and cooperation with the industry bring greater benefits
We are adapting to climate change quickly by developing and distributing varieties with high cultivation suitability
We ensure they will serve as future agricultural asset

We read market trends and develop varieties tailored to the very needs of consumers
With premium varieties, we are working hard for greater satisfaction of the people and better farm incomes

The NIHHS’ varieties were draw attention to everywhere
They are broadening influence not only at home but also in overseas markets
Our varieties today will be the guardian of Korea’s agriculture tomorrow
With high-quality local varieties, our agriculture is growing in power

Chapter 02. Building a Stable Agricultural Environment through Innovation

A future where anyone can do farming easily and conveniently using technology, not labor 
We lay the groundwork for securing the sustainability of our agriculture.
With data-based, automated smart agricultural technology,
we study, and present optimal farming environments.
With big data-based environmental control technology,
we seek and create optimal farming environments, ensuring higher productivity.

We foresee adverse effects of climate change and set out to find our path forward.
As Korea is shifting to a subtropical climate we have introduced crops adaptable to extreme weathers 
and reduced damages from repeated abnormal weather events
We create a stable agricultural production environment resistant to any change

Chapter 3. Innovations Grow, New Values Spread

Where we have our eyes set, there we see new values.
Aiming at the ports around the world, we are developing the freshest distribution systems,
the most hygienic packaging,
the most efficient management systems

With a focus on the funcitions of herbal crops,
we conduct a scientific anlaysis to produce and share data,
By developing functional materials, we are contributing to a healthier lifestyle.

Another power of Horticulture plants, We are proving the value of Agro-healing,
With the power of green gardens, we make  clear and green of city life.

We make a change. We, ourselves innovate the way of how we work
we innovate the environments where agriculture sprouts up.
we innovate the culture that nurtures values.

Our innovation is the hope of tomorrow
With unliminted possiblities that grow inside ourselves,

we will open a new era of Korea’s agriculture and the people’s happiness
The National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science 


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1950-60
Establishment of the National Horticultural Technological Institute (1953)
Reorganized as the Horticultural Experiment Station (HES), Institute of Agriculture (1957)
Opening of the Horticultural Experimental Station of the RDA (1962)
Development of ‘Wonye 1’ and ‘Wonye 2,’ Korea’s first cabbage F1 varieties (1961)
Development of Korea's first pear variety ‘Danbae’ (1969)

1970-80
Achievement of self-sufficiency of vegetables for Kimchi
Achievement of the white revolution through the dissemination of greenhouse technology
Establishment of a year-round vegetable production system with greenhouse cultivation
Development of standard fertilizer usage and pest management calendar
Development of ‘Hongro,’ an apple variety prepared for Chuseok season (1988)


1990-2000
Establishment of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NHRI) (1994)
Integration of the Horticultural Experimental Station and the Fruit Tree Research Institute (FTRI)
Designated as a ratified self-governing institution (2006)
Reorganized as the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science (NIHHS), RDA (2008)
Establishment of the Department of Horticultural Crop Research and Department of Herbal Crop Research 
Development of hydroponic cultivation technology and standard greenhouse models
Moved to Jeonbuk Innovation City (2015)
Commercialization of high density fruit tree cultivation technology


2010-2020
Development and industrialization of high value-added functional materials
Development of climate-resistant varieties
Development of advanced technology for long-distance ship export
* Button mushroom variety, ‘Hadam’ 




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Headquarters, Department of Horticultural Crop Research (Wanju)
Department of Herbal Crop Research (Eumseong)
Apple Research Institute (Gunwi)
Protected Horticulture Research Institute (Haman)
NIHHS Namhae Branch (Namhae)
Pear Research Institute (Naju)
Allium Vegetable Research Institute (Muan)
Research Institute of Climate Change and Agriculture (Jeju)
Citrus Research Institute (Seogwipo)

[Importance of Horticultural and Herbal Crops]
- Vegetables, fruit trees, flowers, ginseng, medicinal herbs, mushrooms
37% of Korea's agricultural production (according to 2020 agricultural production)

- Through digital agriculture and field-oriented research
- We develop and commercialize breeding technologies, based on omics sciences
- and strengthen the development of technologies tailored to the field needs

01. Varieties for Climate Change Adaptation

- ‘Wongyo 20051’, a Kimchi cabbage tolerant to abnormal environment
‘Arisoo’ apple for Chuseok season with better red coloring
’Gihu Ilho’ pear with easy development of flowering buds even in an warm winter
- ‘Hongsan’, ‘Jesan’ six-clove garlic with high yields
- ‘Cheonryang’ High yielding ginseng tolerant to salt stress
- ‘PR3’ bacterial wilt-resistant chili pepper 
- ‘9017’, an excellent fruiting tomato even at high temperature
- ‘Stella’, ‘Shooting Star’ grapes that can be eaten without peeling

02. Customized Varieties

- ‘Hongju Seedless’ grapes, ‘Yeonsu’ persimmons fruits eaten whole with the skin on
- ‘Yellow Dream’, ‘Sweet Queen’ less sour and sweeter peaches 
- ’Wongi 2’ chili pepper for leaves are good for blood sugar control
- ‘Jelly Heart’ very sweet mini plum
- ‘Hanbangae’ Chinesefoxglove (Rehmannia glutinosa) for machine harvesting
- ’Seolwon’ pear with less browning suitable for processing



03. Royalty-Free, Export-Oriented Varieties 
 
- ‘Baekgang’ chrysanthemum with high yield and strong disease resistance
- ‘Gampung’ sweet persimmons with large size and crispy texture
- ‘Seolhan’ winter mushroom(Flammulina velutipes) with excellent storage
- ‘Ganghwang’ sugary gold kiwi
- ‘Baegmaru’ beech mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus) with firm flesh
- ‘Pink Beauty’ beloved rose variety with long life of cut flowers


04. Varieties for Import Substitution and Industrialization
- ‘White Beauty’ super-sized rose with a strong stem
- ‘Winter Prince’ easy-to-peel, sweet tangerine 
- ‘Wongam’ Korea’s first licorice 
- ‘Saehan’ button mushrooms with large caps and thick stems 
- ‘Lovely Angel’ Orchid(Phalaenopsis) with vivid flower color

Chapter 02.
- Development of a package of automation technologies for operating digital orchards 
- Empirical study on mechanization of flower thinning
- Collection of plant data according to abnormal weather conditions
- Pest control using drones and farming mechanization
- Big data-based AI platform for managing greenhouses 
- Production of future detailed electronic climate maps
- Large-scale, single-span greenhouse
- Introduction of subtropical crops and development and distribution of production technologies
- Development of chilling injury-reducing technology for fruit trees (warm air blowing method)
- Summer sunburn damage prevention technology
- Production of elite seedlings by using automated grafting system 
- Development of a vertical plant factory system

Chapter 03.
- Development of export and distribution technologies using controlled atmosphere containers
- Development of commercialization technology for high-quality, washed ginseng
- Establishment of a smart agricultural processing model 
- Production of metabolomic data on industrial crops and establishment of a platform linked to digital lab
- Development of functional materials for health functional foods and cosmetic materials 
- Field application and development of utilization technology of Agro-healing agriculture 
- Creation of gardens in public cities
- Improvement of efficiency and measurement of particulate matter reduction rates of indoor and outdoor garden plants