Recently, giant embryonic rice and functional rice food are preferred by more consumers, which are attributed to the fact that the embryo has high concentrations of essential amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamins relative to other parts of rice grains. In this report, the heredity and stability of giant embryo mutations in successive generations were analyzed regarding a giant embryonic line, 'P47', induced by T-DNA insertion and a F2 population from a cross between 'P47' and 'Junam'. The mutant lines with increases of 1.5, 1.7 and 1.8 times on embryo length, width and 100-embryo weight to those of the control showed stable inheritance across three generations. The continuous frequency distributions of embryo size in the F2 population showed that the embryo size is a quantitative trait of polygene controlled. In addition, wide range of transgressive segregations of six traits affecting embryo size confirmed exchange of genetic materials and recombination between genes controlling embryo size. Five giant embryo mutant lines selected from the F2 population will be used for artificial selection and improvement of giant embryonic varieties.

It was previously pointed out that mutation is the ultimate source of variation. Adequate variation is needed for plant breeding if there is a limitation in natural genetic resources. When the ionizing radiation has been known to cause chromosomal and genomic alternations, it is widely used for inducing mutagenesis. The electron beam as an ionizing radiation is the principal physical mutagens that induces mutation and effectively used in plant breeding. Since dose-response relationships of electron beam in plant species are rarely known, we investigated the seed germination rate and early seedling growth of irradiated seeds of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds., cv Penn-A1) with various electron beam irradiating conditions (1, 1.3, 2 MeV at both 0.03 mA and 0.06 mA with dose of 100 Gy (Gray) and 0.03, 1, 1.3, 2 MeV at 0.03 mA with dose of 200 Gy, respectively) using electron accelerator at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The growth parameters in terms of shoot length, primary root length, and secondary root length showed similar response between 0.06 / 1 (mA / MeV) at 100 Gy and 0.03 / 0.3 (mA / MeV) at 200 Gy. Bentgrass seed germination was mainly affected by the intensity of irradiated dose (Gray). Germination rate was lowered as the irradiated dose increased. On the other hand, early seedling growth was mainly governed not by the dose of radiation but by voltage.

A new deep red colored standard rose (Rosa hybrida Hort.) cultivar, `Best Red' was developed at the Jeollanamdo Agricultural Research and Extention Services (JARES). Seedling and line selection were conducted in 2003 and its characteristics were examined three times from 2004 to 2006. 'Best Red' which was obtained by cross between 'Vital' and 'Cardinal'. It shows a red group color (RHS No. 46C), medium fragrance, and standard flower with good harmony between ray floret and flower center. The upper stem is moderate curved. The average yield during 2004-2006 was 111 stems/m2. Its vase life was 10 days. This cultivar was registered as a commercial cultivar in 2007. It is suitable for greenhouses in all regions in Korea and will be released to farmers in 2009.

A new pale pink colored standard rose (Rosa hybrida Hort.) cultivar, 'Fine Pink' was developed at the Jeollanamdo Agricultural Research and Extention Services (JARES). Seedling and line selection were conducted in 2003 and its characteristics were examined three times from 2004 to 2006. 'Fine Pink' was obtained by crosse between 'Nobless' and 'Yvessaaintlaurent'. It shows a red group color (RHS No. 56C), very weak fragrance, and standard flower with good harmony between ray floret and flower center. It has a characteristic of straight stem. The average yield during 2004-2006 was 113 stems/m2. It has 10 days vase life and resistance to powdery mildew. This cultivar was registered as a commercial cultivar in 2007. It is suitable for greenhouse in all regions in Korea and will be released to farmers in 2009.

A new white colored spray rose (Rosa hybrida Hort.) cultivar Danmi was developed at the Jeollanamdo AgriculturalResearch and Extention Services (JARES) after seedling and line selection in 2002, and its characteristics were examined twicefrom 2004 to 2005

During the period of every summer to early autumn seasons, ships have been wrecked or grounded from effect of a typhoon in the water areas around Korean Peninsula Typhoon Rusa killed more than 100 people in September 2002. Super Typhoon Maemi passed southeast of South Korea in September 12-13, 2003, with a strong gale blowing at a record 60 m/s and caused much ship groundings, collisions and sinkings over 3000 in dockyards, harbors and places of refuge. These are things that could have been prevented had there merely been prior warning. This study outlines the occurrence characteristics of maritime accidents caused by a typhoon in South Korea for the period from 1962 to 2002. The distribution of the accident records is also compared with the trajectories, winds, central pressures of typhoons, passed during the 1990-2003. It is shown that attack frequency of typhoon and number of marine accidents is the highest in August and the marine accidents due to typhoon have a close relation to the distribution of accumulated wind and pressure fields.