Sweetpotato is one of the important starch crops, current more considered as an industrial crop rather than food because it has higher starch content (over 80% of biomass), it is used for bio resources for industrial area. In this study, we generated S598A (a mutant gene of oat phytochrome A) sweetpotato plant using Agrobacterium-transformation method. Morphological characteristics of S598A plant were compared with the wild type sweetpotato, S598A had darker green leaves, increased chlorophyll content higher than to two-fold, delayed leaf senescence, shorter plant height (60% shorter than that of the wild type), more number of leaves and petioles about 1.8-fold, shorter petiole length (30% shorter), 1.2-fold more branches and 1.6-fold thicker stem diameters. From this study, S598A plants with such phenotypic characteristics might be able to use the solar energy efficiently, to have increased tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses and finally to increase productivity (not only starch yield but also root biomass yield). S598A sweetpotato lines are under field trials.

Field resistance is defined as the resistance that allows effective control of a parasite under natural field condition and is durable when exposed to new races of that parasite. To identify the genes for field resistance against rice blast, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring field resistance in japonica rice cultivars were detected and mapped using SSR markers. QTL analysis was carried out in 190 RILs population from the cross between Suweon365 (moderately resistance) and Chucheong (highly susceptible). Fourteen QTLs for nine blast races inoculated were detected on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12. They explained from 6.4 to 39.7% of total phenotypic variation. Eight QTLs for blast nursery screening in 4 regions for three years were detected on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 11 and 12. The phenotypic variation was explained by each QTL ranged from 5.9 to 38.0%. Three BC2F5 backcrossed progeny lines were developed to transfer the QTLs into the susceptible cultivar Chucheong as a recurrent parent. A NIL4 containing two QTLs Qbl6.2 and Qbl7 for blast races showed the reaction 6 to 7 in blast nursery in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Two lines NIL143 and NIL93 containing Qbl11.2 and Qbl12.1 for QTLs related with field resistance, respectively, were 3 to 4 reactions in blast nursery.

This study was carried out to investigate the optimum application time of basal fertilization in direct-seeded rice on flooded paddy surface at medium saline soil in southwestern reclaimed saline area which is Munpo series and have 0.3 or more soil salinity. The nitrogen fertilizer level were 14, 17, 20kg per 10a, and the basal fertilization were applied before sowing, 10, 20, 30 days after sowing along with topdressing at tillering stage, respectively. The summarized experimental results are as follows. Seedling stand was proper when basal fertilization was applied before sowing, but lower than appropriate seedling stand when basal fertilization were applied 10, 20, 30 days after sowing along with topdressing at tillering stage. The rice yield were 509-541kg/10a when 14-20kg/10a basal fertilization was applied before sowing, and 368-481kg/10a when basal fertilization were applied 10, 20, 30 days after sowing along with topdressing at tillering stage. Considering the yield and salt injury at medium saline soil in southwestern reclaimed saline area, the application of basal fertilization before sowing was superior for improving seedling stand, and 14-20kg/10a fertilization rate was allowable.

This study was carried out to investigate the proper interval of water exchange according to nitrogen fertilizer level at medium saline soil which are 0.3 or more soil salinity in southwestern reclaimed saline land. The nitrogen fertilizer level were 14, 17, 20kg per 10a, and the interval of water exchange were every 3, 6, 9 days after transplanting. The summarized experimental results are as follows. The salinity were maintained as low when the interval of water exchange were every 3 or 6 days after transplanting, but salinity was highest at rooting stage, and decreased from that, so salinity were about 0.3 at panicle initiation stage or ripening stage when the interval of water exchange was every 9 days after transplanting. The rice yield were 537-552kg/10a when the interval of water exchange was every 3 days with 17-20kg/10a nitrogen fertilizer level, and 519-533kg/10a when the interval of water exchange was every 6 days with 17-20kg/10a nitrogen fertilizer level, but decreased outstandingly in the other treatments. Considering the yield and salt injury at medium saline soil at southwestern reclaimed saline land, proper nitrogen fertilizer level was 17-20kg/10a when the interval of water exchange were every 3 or 6 days after transplanting.

Clay-coated rice seeds (clay-coated seeds A and B) were directly sown on dry paddy and their growth and yield were compared with the normal drill-sown seeds on dry flat paddy. In clay-coated seeds, germination was 1 day earlier and the emergence rate was higher up to 5% than that of normal drill-sown seeds. But the apparent number of seedling stand per m2 was lower than that of normal drill-sown seeds, which is due to the smaller amount of seeding in clay-coated seeds. At the early growth stage, the plant height of clay-coated seeds A was taller than that of drill-sown seeds, while the plant height of clay-coated seeds B was 0.7 cm shorter than that of drill-sown seeds. At the late growth stage, however, the difference was insignificant in both cases. The maximum tillering stage was 10 days earlier in drill-sown seeds. Lodging index was the lowest in clay-coated seeds B and there was no difference between clay-coated seeds A and drill-sown seeds. The ratio of stem base weight, culm diameter and culm wall thickness were higher in clay-coated seeds, while the lower internodes (4th, 5th and 6th) length was shorter in claycoated seeds than in drill-sown seeds. In clay-coated seeds, the number of panicle per m2 was smaller, while the number of spikelet per panicle was a little larger than in drill-sown seeds. The rate of ripened grain and brown rice 1,000 grain weight were lower in the clay-coated seeds, thus the yield was 98~99% level of drill-sown seeds. Considering that the amount of seeding in clay-coated seeds was two-thirds of that in drill-sown seeds, it is expected that clay coating method could become an additional technique for direct seeding cultivation.

Fifty-two Korean japonica rice cultivars were analyzed for leaf blast resistance and genotyped with 4 STS and 26 SSR markers flanking the specific chromosome sites linked with blast resistance genes. In our analysis of resistance genes in 52 japonica cultivars using STS markers tightly linked to Pib, Pita, Pi5(t) and Pi9(t), the blast nursery reaction of the cultivars possessing the each four major genes were not identical to that of the differential lines. Eight of the 26 SSR markers were associated with resistant phenotypes against the isolates of blast nursery as well as the specific Korean blast isolates, 90-008 (KI-1113), 03-177 (KJ-105). These markers were linked to Pit, Pish, Pib, Pi5(t), Piz, Pia, Pik, Pi18, Pita and Pi25(t) resistance gene loci. Three of the eight SSR markers, MRG5836, RM224 and RM7102 only showed significantly associated with the phenotypes of blast nursery test for two consecutive years. These three SSR markers also could distinguish between resistant and susceptible japonica cultivars. These results demonstrate the usefulness of marker-assisted selection and genotypic monitoring for blast resistance of rice in blast breeding programs.

A complete diallel cross was performed to determine the inheritance of allelopathic potential and combining ability of six rice germplasm that showed different level of allelopathic potential against barnyardgrass. Parents and F1 of 30 crosses were assessed for allelophatic potential in field condition. Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. var. frumentaceae) was used for rice allelopathic potential indicator which was observed in height and shoot dry weight, then suppression percentage were calculated by comparing to barnyardgrass grown in control plot (no rice). It was found that general combining ability showed no significant effect, whereas specific combining ability and reciprocal effect were significant. Variance analysis confirmed that genetic control of allelopathic potential in rice against barnyardgrass was mostly directed by dominance gene effect. The dominant genes were associated with high allelopathic potential and recessive genes were associated with low allelopathic potential. Heritability in broad sense for barnyardgrass dry weight suppression was around 41%; whereas for barnyardgrass height suppression was 51%. However, heritability in narrow sense was very low. The finding suggests that accumulation of genes associated with allelopathic potential would be a strategy to develop promising varieties in reference with the specific combining ability of cross combinations.