During the screening program to evaluate the antiallergic activity of herbal medicines, Schizandra chinensis was found to inhibit the mouse PCA reaction induced by IgE-antigen complex. To evaluate the antiallergic effect of the fruit of Schizandra chinensis Baill (Family Magnoliaceae), which attenuate compound 48/80 induced vascular permeability reaction and scratching frequency in mouse. and it also inhibited 43% acute type of contact dermatitis induced by TPA and in oxazolone induced chronic dermatitis model was investigated. Fruit of Schizandra chinensis suppressed 37.6% swelling of oxazolone-induced mouse ear contact dermatitis. These findings suggest that fruit of Schizandra chinensis improve symptom of allergic dermatitis

Carrots (Daucus carota L.) are consumed as an important dietary source of b-carotene (provitamin A), a-carotene and lutein. An HPLC method was applied to determine the content of the carotenoid composition in carrot cultivars from Korea. Analyses were carried out with five carrot cultivars (Socheon-5-chon, Hongsim-5-chon, Myeongju-5-chon, Seonhongbom-5-chon and Betarich) sown at April, 2007 and six cultivars (Yeoreum-5-chon, Hanyeoreum-5-chon, Sinheukjeon-5-chon, Bibariheukjeon, Manina and Betarich) sown at August of the same year. The former and the latter carrots were harvested after 110 and 96 days from seeding, respectively, and the carotenoids were extracted with acetone after freeze-drying. The amount of a-carotenewas similar to that of b-carotene for the carrot cultivars sown at spring, while the content was about a half of b-carotene content for the latter cultivars. In addition, the average content of lutein in the former cultivars was nine times higher than that in the latter cultivars. Among the spring cultivation types, Socheon-5-chon and Myeongju-5-chon showed higher amount of a-carotene and b-carotene, while the higher amount was determined in Yeoreum-5-chon and Sinheukjeon-5-chon among the autumn cultivation types. This difference between spring cultivation types and autumn cultivation types was also shown in commercial two types of carrots purchased from local market.

When three cultivars, “Shinsunchalbyeo”, “Nokmi” and “GW-05-01”, which was collected from native glutinous rice, were exposed to increased salinity stress in exogenous solution and duration of salt stress, leaf relative water content (RWC), root water uptake and chlorophyll fluorescence were observed the significant decrease at ≥500mM NaCl concentration for 4 day stress. These decrease in leaf RWC showed 69%, 77% and 67% for Shinsunchalbeyo, Nokmi and GW-05-01, respectively, in water uptake these effects showed 84%, 85% and 91%. The difference in Fv/Fm of plants treated with 500mM NaCl showed 0.62, 0.68 and 0.78 compared with 0.78, 0.81 and 0.75 in control treatment. The effects of NaCl stress in rice seedlings indicate that the leaf RWC and photosynthetic capacity is more sensitive GW-05-01 in comparison with Shinsunchalbyeo and Nokmi, and water uptake in root is more resistant. Average plant height in Shisunchalbyeo, Nokmi and GW-05-01 showed 107, 102 and 111cm, and the 1000 grains weight were 25.5, 20.3 and 21.8, respectively.

A new poinsettia cultivar 'Scarlet' was bred by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NHRI) in 2006. A cross was made between 'Christmas Eve', a variety with dark green leaves and dark red bracts, and 'Red Velvet', a red colored variety in 2003. 'Scarlet' was finally selected in 2006 after investigating the growth and flower characteristics from 2004 to 2006. 'Scarlet' has bright red colored and elliptic bracts and has absent or very weak intensity of rugosity between veins in bract. In comparison with the check variety, 'Red Velvet', plant height is tall, leafblade is long and narrow. Petiole is also longer than that of 'Red Velvet'. Short day response is fast and its bracts are fully colored 7 weeks after short day commencement.

A new poinsettia cultivar 'Miss Maple' was bred by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NHRI) in 2006. A cross was made between 'Sonora Red', a variety with short plant height, dark green leaves and dark red bracts, and 'Cranberry Punch', a deep pink colored variety in 2003. 'Miss Maple' was finally selected in 2006 after investigating the growth and flower characteristics from 2004 to 2006. 'Miss Maple' has light red colored and obovate bracts, and has weak intensity of rugosity between veins in bract. Fully colored transitional leaves are so deeply lobed that they resemble the leaves of maple. Plant height is shorter than that of 'Cranberry Punch', the check variety. Short day response fast and its bracts are fully colored 7 weeks after short day commencement.