An unbalance of rice productions and consumptions caused serious problems in both of agricultural area and grain market of korea. In recently, various efforts for rice processing products such as rice noodles and rice wines are in progress to overcome the unstable rice market. Among them, waxy rice is predominant items in processing rice. However, varietal features of starch viscosity are not considered in the processing industries and rice breeding field. In this study, 12 waxy rices and 2 cultivars Ilmibyeo(japonica) and IR72(Indica) were studied for physicochemical and amylogram to characterize the use of waxy rices. The amylose contents of waxy rices were from 7.1 to 8.1% with soft gel consistency and relatively low alkali digestion value(1.4% KOH) compare to Ilmibyeo. In the amylogram analysis(RVU) of waxy rices, unlikely normal rices, very fast peak time(about 3.5 min.) was obtained compare to that of 6.2 min. of Ilmibyeo. And 2 to 3 groups were classified based on peak viscosity and consitency of RVU. Wangchal, Odorokimochi and Hangangchal showed relatively high peak viscosity seemed not suitable for rice cake due to the hardness speed. And most of waxy rices developed in korea were believed to be suitable for oil fried cakes(Hankwa) because of a certain grade of starch degradation speed. And Mochiminori and Midoromochi originated from japan could be a good sources in waxy rice breeding program to improve the cooking properties especially in slow down of hardness speed with very low peak viscosity, hot viscosity and cool viscosity.

Colored soybean for cooking with rice have been used traditionally in Korea which is distinguished from other countries. Although many soybean cultivars have been developed for cooking with rice since the launch of the first cultivar Geomgeongkong1 in 1994, the breeding history of soybeans for cooking with rice is not quite long comparing to that of soybean paste/ bean curd and soy-sprout. In addition to developed cultivar, various landrace soybeans have still used for cooking with rice to Korean. This study was performed to select useful breeding materials and to evaluate the diversity of Korean landrace germplasms, especially black and/or green color seed coat soybeans. About five hundred eighty Korean colored soybean landraces were investigated for agricultural traits in experimental field and for DNA diversity using five SSR markers which showed high polymorphism between Korean soybean cultivars in a previous study. PowerCore (v. 1.0) software (http://genebank.rda.go.kr/PowerCore/) was used to analyze diversity of our landraces and to construct core set. In conclusion, we could obtain core set of forty-five germplasms by PowerCore analysis. Satt002 in analysed five SSR markers had twenty-two alleles and well represented diversity of black and/or green color germplasms.

Changing climate, especially water content(WC) and CO2 (CD) concentration could be effect on the growth of soybean and seed yield. So we evaluated the effects of WC and CD on the physiological characteristics of newly developed soy cultivars in growth chamber. Ten soy cultivars evaluated in three [CO2] levels (CD1, 350; CD2, 500; CD3, 700ppm) and three water content (WC1: 30%, WC2: 40, WC3: 50%) in the pot in growth chamber. Increased [CO2] from 350 to 500 and 500 to 700ppm enhanced crop growth parameters greatly and grain yield, however, grown in CD3 enhanced plant height increasing speed, and shortened growing duration, however, they were grow very weakly and it resulted in lodging problem. High soil water content (WC3) hampered growth and yield of soybean in three CD treatments and the degree was lower in CD1 and CD2 than CD3. In this results we can conclude increasing [CO2] in Korean peninsular might be decrease lodging resistance, especially high moisture content, so, plant breeders and physiologists need to develop improved lodging resistance cultivars under high water content and high CO2 content.

The effect of salicylic acid(SA) on antioxidant system and protective mechanisms against UV-B induced oxidative stress was investigated in cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.) leaves. UV-B radiation and SA were applied separately or in combination to first leaves of cucumber seedlings, and dry matter accumulation, lipid peroxidation and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured in both dose and time-dependant manner. UV-B exposure showed reduced levels of fresh weight and dry matter production, whereas SA treatment significantly increased them. SA noticeably recovered the UV-B induced inhibition of biomass production. UV-B stress also affected lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme defense system. Malondialdehyde(MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, was greatly increased under UV-B stress, showing a significant enhancement of a secondary metabolites, which may have antioxidative properties in cucumber leaves exposed to UV-B radiation. Combined application of UV-B and SA caused a moderate increase in lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that SA may mediate protection against oxidative stress. UV-B exposure significantly increased SOD, APX, and GR activity compared with untreated control plants. Those plants treated with 1.0 mM SA showed a similar pattern of changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes. SA-mediated induction of antioxidant enzyme activity may involve a protective accumulation of H2O2 against UV-B stress. Moreover, their activities were stimulated with a greater increase by UV-B+SA treatment. The UV-B+SA plants always presented higher values than UV-B and SA plants, considering the adverse effects of UV-B on the antioxidant cell system. ABA and JA, second messengers in signaling in response to stresses, showed similar mode of action in UV-B stress, supporting that they may be important in acquired stress tolerance. Based on these results, it can be suggested that SA may participates in the induction of protective mechanisms involved in tolerance to UV-B induced oxidative stress.

The aim of this study was to isolate chicken feather-degrading bacteria with high keratinolytic activity and to investigate cultural conditions affecting keratinolytic enzyme production by a selected isolate. A chicken feather-degrading bacterial strain CH3 was isolated from poultry wastes. Isolate CH3 degraded whole chicken feather completely within 3 days. On the basis of phenotypical and 16S rDNA studies, isolate CH3 was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis CH3. This strain is the first B. thuringiensis described as a feather degrader. The bacterium grew with an optimum at pH 8.0 and 37℃, where maximum keratinolytic activity was also observed. The composition of optimal medium for keratinolytic enzyme production was feather 0.1%, sucrose 0.7%, casein 0.3%, K2HPO4 0.03%, KH2PO4 0.04%, MgCl2 0.01% and NaCl 0.05%, respectively. The keratinolytic enzyme had a pH and temperature optima 9.0 and 45℃, respectively. The keratinolytic activity was inhibited ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and metal ions like Hg2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+. The enzyme activated by Fe2+, dithiothreitol and 2-mercaptoethanol.

The removal of nitrogen compounds from a wastewater is essential and it is often accomplished by biological process. An aerobic nitrate-removing bacterium was isolated from a municipal sewage treatment plant and soil. On the basis of its morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics and 16S rRNA sequencing data, this strain was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens, and named as P. fluorescens K4. The optimal conditions of the initial pH and temperature of media for its growth were 7.0~8.0 and 30℃, respectively. P. fluorescens K4 was able to remove 99.9% of nitrate after 24 h in a culture. The strain could grow with a nitrate concentration up to 800 mg/l and was able to remove 99.9% of nitrate after 104 h of incubation. The optimal electron donor was sodium citrate for a nitrate removal. The strain K4 showed a capability of a complete nitrate removal when the initial C/N ratio was 1.0. An effect of the initial seed concentration was observed for a cell of 10% (v/v) for a nitrate removal. Especially P. fluorescens K4 could completely remove 200 mg/l ammonium for 3 days.

‘Seohong’ was bred within the potato breeding program of National Institute of Highland Agriculture (NIHA). It was originated from a cross made in 1997 between ‘Jashim’ as a female and 93K65-1 as a male parent. Seohong was evaluated as a seedling number 97S05-1 for tuber characteristics, growth and yielding ability from 2001 to 2002, and than this clone was renamed as Daegwan 1-82. This clone was evaluated in the regional yield trial and the disease resistance in the five locations for three years. Finally, this clone was named as ‘Seohong’ and registered a new recommended potato cultivar in 2006. This cultivar has a round, shallow eye depth, light red-skinned tuber characteristics and low to medium dry matter content. It showed high resistance to common scab (Streptomyces scabies) and potato leaf roll virus (PLRV), however it was susceptible to potato virus Y (PVY) and late blight (Phytophthora infestans). Its mean tuber yields from the regional yield trial and winter cropping trial were 12 and 49 percent higher than that of ‘Superior’, respectively.