털진드기 유충 (Acari: Trombiculidae)은 쯔쯔가무시증을 전파하는 주요 매개체이다. 털진드기 유충의 발생량 은 가을철에 증가하는 것으로 알려져 있지만, 환경 및 시기에 따라 발생 패턴이 다르게 나타날 수 있어 각 지역에 대한 조사가 필요하다. 이 연구는 충남 예산의 털진드기 발생 양상을 확인하기 위해 2017년부터 2023년까지 36-51 주차 (9-12월)에 걸쳐 현장 조사를 수행하였다. 논, 밭, 수로, 초지에 5m 간격으로 털진드기 트랩을 환경별로 5개씩 설치하여 채집하였다. 그 결과 총 3,257개체로 2017년 1,104마리, 2018년 785마리, 2019년 650마리, 2020년 160마 리, 2021년 139마리, 2022년 233마리, 2023년 186마리 채집되었다. 동정 결과 5속 12종이 확인되었으며 둥근혀털 진드기(Neotrombicula tamiyai)가 1,882개체(57.78%)로 우점도가 가장 높게 나타났다. 이러한 발생 양상에 관한 연구는 매개 질환의 예방 및 관리 전략 수립에 있어 중요한 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있으므로 지속적인 연구와 모니터링이 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

Islands often have relatively well-preserved ecosystem and an abundance of bioresources with a high conservation value, with unrecorded species continuing to be reported (Hong, 2011). Approximately 1,000,000 species of insect known worldwide (Costello et al., 2012), and 20,710 species are known in Korea (NIBR, 2023). Among these, there are 6,117 species in Korean islands (HNIBR, 2022). Native insect Bio-scan project for Korean islands is to estimate the number of insect species on Korean islands. We attempted to estimate the number of insect species on Korean islands using Barcode Index Number (BIN), and also found unrecorded species. The samples were collected four times from April to July at five locations in the Amtedo, an island located in Shinan-gun Jeollanam-do. We tried to obtain a minimum of one to usually a maximum of four samples per morphospecies to enable DNA barcoding.

Scabies, caused by an infestation of the skin with the itch mite (Sarcoptes scabiei), is highly contagious and classified as a prevalent neglected tropical diseases. The current diagnostic approach relies solely on clinical judgment based on symptoms, history, and microscopic observation by an experienced dermatologist. To enhance sensitivity and specificity, we developed an alternative method based on mite-derived DNA. Our method involves a quick DNA release from skin scraping samples and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) targeting the scabies mite-specific DNA sequences, enabling diagnosis within 30 minutes. Importantly, no cross-reactivity was observed when the sample was contaminated by two house dust mite species, and false positives were barely detected. Currently, we are in the process of developing a Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) kit for a scabies survey targeting school-age children in Timor-Leste as a global health project.

The recent increase in the occurrence of common bed bug and tropical bed bug in shared areas highlights the need for rapid species identification at infestation sites, which is crucial for implementing targeted control measures due to differences in genetic and physiological traits. In this study, molecular diagnostic methods were developed using species-specific ITS2 sequences. Both multiplex PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) protocols with a DNA release method successfully distinguished between the two bed bug species regardless of developmental stages in 0.5~2.5 hours, even with dead specimens. Especially, LAMP's simplicity and speed make it applicable for rapid and accurate bed bug diagnosis at infestation sites.

Parasites have co-evolved with their host for a long period of time, resulting in unique parasitic systems tailored to each host species. This makes them suitable for research on physiological function control through cross-species molecules like miRNA. The body louse, a vector of bacterial pathogens, is particularly valuable as a model insect due to their frequent feeding on human blood, which results in the continuous ingestion of human-derived miRNA and injection of salivary gland-derived miRNA into the human body. In this study, we conducted miRNA sequencing on body lice with mixed stages and identified 105 miRNAs, including 50 novel miRNAs. Sequence analysis of human miRNAs remaining in body lice and the functional analysis of these miRNAs are in progress.

Six mosquito species in the Anopheles Hyrcanus group are known as vectors responsible for transmitting vivax malaria in South Korea. In this study, seasonal dynamics of Anopheles Hyrcanus group species and knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in malaria-endemic sites, Paju and Gimpo, were monitored over two years. In August 2023, all six species were observed simultaneously in one of the Paju collecting sites, and kdr mutations were newly identified in all species except Anopheles kleini. Although Anopheles pullus was revealed as a relatively resistant species among five species populations without kdr mutation via bioassays, there were no critical differences in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel sequence. These findings suggest variability in pyrethroid resistance mechanisms among Anopheles Hyrcanus Group species.

Medically significant indoor/ectoparasitic insect populations, including bed bugs and head lice, have developed considerable resistance to insecticides due to limited introduction of new genetic traits and the absence of an overwintering barrier. In contrast, outdoor pests like Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes exhibit fluctuating resistance patterns, likely influenced by factors such as overwintering barriers and relatively wider open habitats. Mosquitoes also face selection pressure from diverse sources beyond public health insecticides unlike bed bugs or head lice. Understanding different factors driving resistance among pests is essential for effective resistance management.

The brown planthopper (BPH) and white-backed planthopper (WBPH), significant rice pests, cannot overwinter in Korea and primarily originate and migrate from Southeast Asia and China, where they cause considerable damage. These planthoppers, along with other pests, annually migrate to the Korean Peninsula. Monitoring their migration is essential for controlling their populations and maintaining agricultural productivity. Traditional monitoring methods often struggle with timeliness due to time and manpower constraints. To address this, we developed the Smart Aerial Net Traps (SANT) for immediate tracking of pests. The SANT system is installed in 43 locations across the country and has been used for over 10 years to track migrating insects. Our research shows that SANT is a more effective method for monitoring migratory pests compared to traditional methods. SANT enables real-time tracking of various migratory pests and can also be utilized in different areas, such as analyzing pest population changes and determining pest origins through the study of air currents.

This study evaluated the risk of single and combined exposure to microplastics in zebrafish (Danio rerio) through biomarkers, such as survival rate, excretion rate, and histological alterations of organ systems. The experimental groups were the control (Cont.), single microplastics exposure group (MPs, 1.83%/fish total weight (g)), the copper group (Cu, 21.6 μg L-1), and a group with combined exposure to MPs and copper (MPs*Cu). The experiment was conducted with individual exposure (7 days) for MP excretion rate analysis and group exposure (14 days) for biomarker analysis. The daily excretion rate of MPs tended to decrease in a time-dependent manner. The copper concentration in the body was not significantly different between single and combined copper exposure. The degeneration of mucous cells in the skin, capillary dilation of the gill lamella, increased intestinal mucous, hepatocyte hypertrophy, and the degeneration of glomeruli and renal tubules were observed in all exposure groups. These histological alterations showed the highest tendency in the MPs*Cu group. In this study, the changes in biomarkers were attributed to the single effect of copper or the combined effect of copper and MPs rather than being solely influenced by MPs.

프리지아 ‘Ruby Star’는 농촌진흥청 국립원예특작과학원 에서 보라색 홑꽃 ‘Avilla’와 흰색 반겹꽃 ‘Medeo’를 2012년 교배하여 얻은 종자로부터 2006년 향이 좋고 개화기가 빠른 적색 홑꽃 계통을 선발하여 품종으로 개발되었다. 2014년부 터 2017년까지 생육·개화 특성검정 및 육성계통평가회의 기 호도 평가를 거쳐 선발되었으며 2018년 직무육성품종심의회 를 통해 ‘Ruby Star’로 명명되어 2021년 신품종으로 등록되 었다. ‘Ruby Star’는 빨간색(RHS, R45A) 홑꽃인 절화용 프리 지아 품종으로 개화소요일수가 118.0일이며 초장이 120.5cm 로 대조품종 ‘Rapid Red’보다 약 28.7cm 더 길다. 주당 분 지수는 5.8개로 대조품종에 비해 수확량이 많고 첫번째 분지 의 길이가 32.0cm, 두께가 3.02mm로 절화 특성이 우수하 다. ‘Ruby Star’의 소화수 및 소화폭은 각각 14.8개, 6.3cm 로 소화수가 많은 중대형화이다. 절화수명은 약 8.4일이며 주 당 자구수는 3.8개, 평균 자구중은 2.9g이다. 전자코를 이용 한 PCA 분석 결과 PC1과 PC2의 설명력은 각각 97.9%, 1.8%로 전체 변이의 99.7%를 반영했으며 ‘Ruby Star’와 대 조품종 ‘Rapid Red’는 서로 다른 향기 패턴을 보였다. Radar plot 결과 총 6개의 MOS 센서에서 ‘Ruby Star’의 센서 반응 이 ‘Rapid Red’보다 강하게 나타나 ‘Ruby Star’의 향기가 더 강한 것으로 나타났다.

모기는 감염병을 매개하는 종으로 전염병 확산 억제를 위해서는 개체수의 감시와 정확한 예측이 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 모기 개체수 및 기상 및 현장 자료를 활용해 모기 개체수 머신러닝 모델을 개발하였다. 모기 개체수는 디지털 모기 측정기(Digital Mosquito Monitoring System, DMS)의 2015 년~2022년의 5월~10월의 자료를 활용하였다. 기상 자료는 기온, 강수량, 풍속, 습도를 사용하였으며, 현장 조사 자료는 현장을 명목척도와 서열척도로 나누어 기록하여, 명목 척도의 경우 원핫 인코딩으 로 변환해 수치화하여 사용하였다. 분석에 사용된 머신러닝 모델은 Artificial Neural Network, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Machine, Support Vector Machine이며 성능지표로 R2, RMSE를 사용하였다. 연구 결과, Gradient Boosting 모델이 R2 0.4, RMSE 22.45로 가장 좋은 성능을 나타냈다. 현장 조사 자료 를 분석에 활용하였을 때 R2는 증가하였고, RMSE는 감소하였다. 본 연구 결과 모기 개체수에 현장 조사 자료가 예측 정확도를 향상시킬 수 있음을 확인하였다.

To improve the quality of jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Miller var. hoonensis), which is a fruit of health functional, the effect of polyphenol preparation treatment on the fruit characteristics of two cultivars (cv. Bokjo and cv. Sangwang) of jujube was investigated. There was no difference in the height and breast diameter of jujubes tested between the polyphenol treatments and non treatment. Jujube trees treated with polyphenol preparation produced significantly more fruit than untreated in both cultivars. In cvultivar of Bokjo, the polyphenol preparation treatment increased the fruit's fresh weight and dry weight more than two times, respectively, compared to the untreated treatment. Polyphenol preparation tr eatments also changed the leaf characteristics of jujube trees. In the polyphenol-treated trees, leaf thickness tended to be thickest at the top and thinnest at the bottom. Polyphenol preparation treated jujube trees showed no difference in chlorophyll content. Moisture content was slightly higher in the untreatment than in the treatments. Visually, the polyphenol preparation treatment had a dark green color. Jujubes treated with polyphenol preparations showed differences in polyphenol content in fruits. The polyphenol content in both peel and flesh of the treatments were much higher than that of the untreatment. Reducing sugar was contained more in the peel than in the flesh and was higher in the untreatment than in the polyphenol preparation treatments. Treatment with polyphenol preparation showed differences in fruit appearance. As described above, it was found that the treatment of polyphenol preparation changed the leaves, fruit shapes and components of jujube trees. In particular, jujubes treated with polyphenol preparations are expected to contribute significantly to eco-friendly and highly functional jujube cultivation, as they appear to produce many fruits and increase the content of polyphenols and sugars.