Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal in the world as one of the staple food. For the use of natural dye, we have done some researches about sorghum red pigments extracted from stalk and leaves on its physiochemical properties, extracting methods and applications. The researches involved maximum extraction of sorghum pigment and analysis of its processing condition. Total polyphenol and tannin contents were measured by varieties and different plant parts. The stabilities of pigment by irradiation and heat treatment for processing were measured by colorimeter and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, hybrid nano-silica composites with sorghum pigment were made by combining with polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate and sodium silicate. Water silica hybrids with sorghum pigment were performed by emulsion treatment. Nano-silica particles were identified and measured their size to be about 200 ~ 400 nm by SEM analysis.

In Korea, chilli pepper (Capsicum annum L.) is a major vegetable crop. The pepper seed market is about $35 million and the whole sale market including processed products is equivalent to $2 billion, representing the second highest market value among crops, next to rice in Korea. Since the development of elite pepper variety is so competitive, vegetable seed companies usually run two important programs to keep the credibility of seed quality. One program is to deliver F1 hybrid seeds with a high purity test to farmers. The purity control of parents and F1 hybrid to avoid any contamination is conducted by DNA markers because pepper seeds are obtained using MS line. The other program is to identify the F1 variety from other varieties by analyzing the polymorphism so that the company and/or breeder protects the intellectual property from copying by others or from non-intentional contamination. We have developed about 900 EST-SSR sets from pepper and used to both programs. A total of 66 markers were selected to identify 32 F1 varieties and their own parents. Using these markers, the purity control of F1 hybrid rose up to the highest degree. We also found several SSR markers to distinguish F1 variety from other varieties and these markers could be useful to find the uniqueness of F1 cultivar.

Happymi is a new sweetpotato variety developed from Mokpo Experiment Station, National Institute of Crop Science(NICS), RDA in 2004, which was for the raw eating and processing. This variety was selected from the cross between Chinmi andMA 3 in 1996, seed

Junganbyeo is a japonica rice variety derived from a cross of Namyang 72* Hapcheon 1 by the rice breeding team ofNational Crop Experiment Station, RDA, in 1999 and was released in 2000. This is a medium-early variety with growth durationtdark gren leaves.