Ostrinia zaguliaevi (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) causes serious damage to pods and stems of the red bean, Vigna angularis, during the second half of the reproductive developmental stage. The temperature-dependent development studies of O. zaguliaevi were performed at several constant temperatures ranging from 7℃ to 36℃ in the laboratory, in the purpose of making temperature-dependent development models in the future. Eggs and larvae of O. zaguliaevi could not develop at lower temperatures of 7~13℃. As the temperature increased, the developmental period of the immature stage decreased. The number of larval instar was variable from 5 to 8, depending on temperature. The minimum number of larval instar was observed at only 25℃. Some larvae of colonies maintained at 16~22℃ showed highly longer developmental period. At relatively higher temperatures, 34℃ and 36℃, the larval developmental rates were not slowed down, and the larval survival rates was relatively high, above 60%. The egg mortality was relatively high at 36℃. Using these temperature-dependent development data of O. zaguliaevi, preliminary linear regression equations were estimated to look for a relationship between temperature and developmental rate in egg and larval stages.

The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) causes serious damage to some legume crops of genus Vigna and Sesbania in Korea. In the current study, laboratory studies on the temperature-dependent development of the insect were performed at 8 constant temperatures ranging from 13℃ to 34℃ at 3℃ intervals. Lower developmental threshold (LDT) for eggs, larvae, and pupae were calculated as 10.0, 12.5 and 13.3℃, respectively, using the linear-regression equations of the developmental rates. Degree-days required to complete a stage were estimated as 48, 187, and 94, for egg, larval, and pupal stages, respectively. The larvae couldn't survive at 13 and 16℃, and the larval survival rate was the highest at 28℃. The egg hatching rate was the lowest at 13℃. In the adult stage, the pre-oviposition period was the shortest at 22℃, and the total egg number was the most with ca. 500 at 25℃. Degree-days for the stages of 1st-4th larval instars, egg, and adult emergence-50% oviposition were calculated during the reproductive development season of red bean using single sine method and Suwon weather station data based on LDTs, respectively. Finally, the adult occurrence time was estimated after the degree-days were cumulated reversely from the distribution data of larval stages observed in a red bean field

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, over-winters as the last instar larva in Suwon and undergoes diapause during the over-wintering, and it has been postulated that most of the over-wintering larvae be originated from the larvae of 2nd and 3rd generation (Jung et al., 2008). The over-wintered larvae pupate next year and 50% of emerged adults occur by the early June. In order to know whether the emergence has synchronism among over-wintering larvae regardless of the time entering into diapause or not, neonate larvae were reared on artificial diet at two-week intervals from May 28 to Sep. 28, 2008 in an outside condition and their emergence dates were recorded. The over-wintering larvae occurred from the colony treated at Jul. 20, 2007, and totally emerged from May 11 to Jul. 6, 2008. The 50% date of cumulative emergence was June 3, 2008. The maximum success of over-wintering occurred in the colony treated at Aug. 17, whereas any non-over-wintering larvae were not observed from the following colonies. Although the durations of emergence overlapped partially among the colonies treated at different times in the previous year to show a synchronism at some extent, the first and last colonies treated in the previous year showed a pattern of fast emergence. This result suggested that the duration necessary for diapause termination be different according to the time entering into diapause.

A resveratrol synthase (RS) gene was isolated from peanut (Arachis hypogaea, L. cv. Jinpoong) plants. This gene was placed under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (CaMV35S) and introduced into two Korean varieties of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cvs. Jasim and Jowon) plants by Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. Putative transformants were screened by PCR with primers designed from CaMV 35S promoter, NOS terminator and RS gene. Most of selected transgenic potato plants showed the amplification of expected fragments by PCR of genomic DNA with gene-specific primers, while they were absent in untransformed control plants. Expression of the resveratrol synthase gene was also examined by northern blot analysis. The transformants showed a band which was lacking in the control plant, confirming that the introduced gene is transcribed into mRNA in the transformants. The strength of the band, which reflected the level of mRNA expression, differed among the individual transformants. Among the transformants obtained, the highest trans-resveratrol content in the transgenic young leaves of purple-fleshed "Jashim" was 2.11 μgg-1 fresh weight and that in the microtubers in vitro of purple fleshed "Jashim" was 8.31 μgg-1 fresh weight. This amount of resveratrol may have a positive biological effect on human health.

"Chugang" as a new double cropping potato variety for table use was bred in 2003 from a cross between H83005-2 with short dormancy and "Superior" with common scab resistance. It had been evaluated for short dormancy, growth adaptability and tuber characteristics every twice a year from 1990 to 1999. Regional yield trials had been performed from 2000 to 2002 at three locations, Jeju, Namhae and Gangneung of Korea, respectively. It has round oblong tuber shape with yellow skin and white flesh color. Its tuber dormant periods is approximately 50~60 days. It showed less physiological disorders such as cracking or knobs, and more tolerant to environmental stresses such as plant death by flooding and damages by frost or severe wind compared to "Dejima". Average yields of "Chugang" are 34.6 and 31.1 ton/ha at 90 days after planting in spring and autumn cropping, respectively. It is more resistant to common scab and less susceptible to late blight (phythophthora infestans) compared to "Dejima". However, it is susceptible to potato virus Y (PVY) and andean mosaic virus (AMV).

Lately, the autumn cropping areas of potato have been steadily increased to supply fresh potatoes all year round in Korea. Although "Dejima" is a main cultivar for autumn cropping, it is very susceptible to common scab (Streptomyces scabies) and show high frequency of physiological disorders such as knobs and cracking on tubers. "Chudong" was bred in 2002 for fresh table use from a cross between H83520-3 with short tuber dormancy and "Superior" with common scab resistance. It has attractive, round tuber shape with white skin and flesh colors. Its tuber dormant periods is 5 days longer than 65 days of "Dejima". Its average yields were 32.4 and 21.8 ton/ha at 90 days after planting in spring and autumn cropping of regional yield trials, respectively. It is more resistant to common scab and potato leaf roll virus and less susceptible to late blight (Phythophthora infestans) compared to "Dejima". However, it is susceptible to potato virus Y.

We performed field trials to assess levels of changes in intrinsic properties and resistance against soft rot of the potato cultivar ‘Irish Cobbler’ upon the introduction of the Shiva-1 gene. Each five lines, transformed with Shiva-1 gene controlled by the PAL5 promoter (P) and by the CaMV 35S promoter (E) were evaluated in the field. In based on evaluation of 10 defined morphological characteristics, all the transgenic clones of both lines proved to be true to type. When five agronomic characteristics were taken into account as well, all the transgenic lines except E8 were considered to be true to type. According to the result of northern blot analysis, seven (P1, P3, P4, P6, E10, E12, and E16) transgenic clones could be distinguished clearly from corresponding untransformed clones. But in three lines (P8, E5, and E8), no hybridization signal was detected. There seems to be positive correlation between the levels of resistance to soft rot and the transgenic expression at mRNA levels in P lines. But in the case of E lines, however, there doesn’t seem to be any correlation between the levels of disease resistance and mRNA expression