Rice transformation method using A. tumefaciens has already been widely used to generate transgenic plants, the transformation rate is still low in most Korean elite cultivars. We made several modifications of the standard protocol especially in the co-cultivation step to improve the efficiency of the rice transformation. The co-culture medium was modified by the addition of three antioxidant compounds (10.5㎎/ℓ L-cysteine, 1mM sodium thiosulfate, 1mM dithiothreitol) and of Agrobacterium growth-inhibiting agent (5㎎/ℓ silver nitrate). Co-cultivation temperature (23. 5℃ for 1 day, 26.5℃ for 6 days) and duration (7 days) were also changed. The plasmid of pMJC-GB-GUS carrying the GUS reporter gene and the bar gene as the selectable marker was used to evaluate the efficiency of the transformation. After co-cultivation, a high level of GUS gene expression was observed in calli treated with the modified method. It is likely that those newly added compounds helped to minimize the damage due to oxidative bursts during plant cell-Agrobacterium interaction and to prevent necrosis of rice cells. And the transformation rate under the modified method was also remarkably increased approximately 8-fold in Heungnambyeo and 2-fold in Ilmibyeo as compared to the corresponding standard method. Furthermore, we could produce the transgenic plants stably from Ilpumbyeo which is a high-quality rice but its transformation rate is extremely low. Transformation and the copy number of transgenes were confirmed by PCR, bar strip and Southern blot analysis. The improved method would attribute reducing the effort and the time required to produce a large number of transgenic rice plants.

Rice transformation method using A. tumefaciens has already been widely used to generate transgenic plants, the transformation rate is still low in most Korean elite cultivars. We made several modifications of the standard protocol especially in the co-cultivation step to improve the efficiency of the rice transformation. The co-culture medium was modified by the addition of three antioxidant compounds (10.5㎎/ℓ L-cysteine, 1mM sodium thiosulfate, 1mM dithiothreitol) and of Agrobacterium growth-inhibiting agent (5㎎/ℓ silver nitrate). Co-cultivation temperature (23. 5℃ for 1 day, 26.5℃ for 6 days) and duration (7 days) were also changed. The plasmid of pMJC-GB-GUS carrying the GUS reporter gene and the bar gene as the selectable marker was used to evaluate the efficiency of the transformation. After co-cultivation, a high level of GUS gene expression was observed in calli treated with the modified method. It is likely that those newly added compounds helped to minimize the damage due to oxidative bursts during plant cell-Agrobacterium interaction and to prevent necrosis of rice cells. And the transformation rate under the modified method was also remarkably increased approximately 8-fold in Heungnambyeo and 2-fold in Ilmibyeo as compared to the corresponding standard method. Furthermore, we could produce the transgenic plants stably from Ilpumbyeo which is a high-quality rice but its transformation rate is extremely low. Transformation and the copy number of transgenes were confirmed by PCR, bar strip and Southern blot analysis. The improved method would attribute reducing the effort and the time required to produce a large number of transgenic rice plants.

In order to adapt to various environmental stresses, plants have employed diverse regulatory mechanisms of gene expression. Epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications play an important role in gene expression regulation under stress condition. It has been known that some of epigenetic modifications are stably inherited after mitotic and meiotic cell divisions, which is known as stress memory. To understand molecular mechanisms underlying stress memory mediated by epigenetic modifications, we developed Arabidopsis suspension-cultured cell lines adapted to high salt by stepwise increases in the NaCl concentration up to 120 mM. Adapted cell line to 120 mM NaCl, named A120, exhibited enhanced salt tolerance compared to unadapted control cells (A0). Moreover, the salt tolerance of A120 cell line was stably maintained even in the absence of added NaCl, indicating that the salt tolerance of A120 cell line was memorized even after the stress is relieved. By using salt adapted and stress memorized cell lines, we intend to analyze the changes of DNA methylation, histone modification, transcriptome, and proteome to understand molecular mechanisms underlying stress adaptation as well as stress memory in plants.

This study investigated saponin contents according to collection area, seed size and seed color in 293 Korean soybean landraces. Results showed that total group A was 149.8 to 1279.0㎍/g with an average of 484.9㎍/g while total group B saponin content was 2160.1 to 7868㎍/g with an average of 3670㎍/g. Total groups A and B saponin content were ranging from 2502.7 to 8763.9㎍/g with an average of 4154.8㎍/g. The landraces with high group B saponin content were IT226841, IT226761, IT226844 and IT226826. The landraces with low group A saponin content were IT228580, IT228319, IT228308 and IT226841. According to collection areas, the highest amount of saponin content was observed in the landraces collected from North Korea. High total of saponin content was showed by seeds from Gyeonggi-do, followed by Chungcheongbuk-do, Gangwon-do, Gyongsangbuk-do, Chungcheongnam-do Jeollabuk-do and Jeollanam-do. According to seed size, small seeds have the higest saponin contentfollowed by the medium and large size of seeds. For seed color, there was no significant difference in saponin content. The total of saponin content was postively correlated with group A saponin, group B saponin and total of saponin cntent. Among each components, group A saponin showed postive correlations with total of saponin and group B saponin content.

’Jungmo-2007’ is a new two-rowed barley cultivar developed in 2011 with distinct growth and good quality characteristics, respectively, that earlier heading date, lodging tolerant and lots of tiller, high yielding, and lager kernel size, better grain assortment, higher diastic power and black malt property than those of check variety ‘Hopumbori’. This cultivar was tested the yield and regional adaptation trials for three years in 3 southern regions. The cultiavar was from artificial cross between ‘Prisma’ with short culm length and earlier maturity and ‘Milyang 114’ with high yielding and better malt quality. ‘Jungmo-2007’ showed shorten the stem length to 16% comparing with 91cm of the check, which increase the lodging tolerant. The heading date was earlier 2 to 3 days than the check. It showed larger grain character with 48.5g in 1,000 kernel weight that 45.0g of the check. 97% of grain assortment that is one of the major property for better malting was higher 2% than that of the check. The yield was higher 5% than that of the check. Most quality in raw grain and malt was similar to the check in protein content, germination potential, water sensitivity etc. Especially this cultivar has a higher diastic power as 226WK than 196WK of the check and the malt showed like a black malt appearance. These characteristics could used not for malt for beer making but other processed barley foods.

This experiment was carried out to find suitable sample type for a more accurate prediction and non-destructive way in the application of NIRS technique for estimation amino acid composition of soybean by comparing three different sample types, single seed, whole seeds, and milled seeds’ powder. The coefficient of determination in calibration and 1-VR of cross-validation for 17 amino acids analyzed by NIR using milled powder were highest, followed by single seed, and then whole seeds were the lowest. The R2 coefficients of determination in calibration for single bean perimeters were higher than those of whole beans and showed higher R2 coefficient than 0.8 with the exception of seven amino acids. On the other hand, calibration equation development for only glutamic acid analyzed NIRS data scanned with whole seeds showed higher R2 coefficient than 0.8. Eleven different amino acids, such as aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamine, glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, arginine and proline, of soybean seeds in the powder had higher R2 coefficient of determination in calibration than 0.8 and could be estimated for the most accurate prediction. However, judging from the results of single bean samples, in consideration on NIR application for more nondestructive and faster prediction, these amino acids using single bean sample could be estimated without grinding the seeds.

Plant biomass is a huge carbon-complex that has potential as a nutrient. Therefore we extracted and separated useful materials for plant growth from tea leaf and stem. The pre-treatment process including high temperature (200 °C) and pressure (20-40 kgf/cm2) was treated for several minutes and extracted at 120 °C for 30-60 minutes. After that the chemical compositions and ingredients were analyzed from that plantnutrient. As a result of mineral contents, calcium and magnesium concentrations are higher than other minerals. Also the result of carbohydrates analyses has shown that the sugar oligomer consists of xylose(95.3%) and glucose(4.7%), and the sugar monomer consists in the order of xylose (52.7%) > manose (22.8%) > arabinose (10.8%) > galactose (10.2%) > glucose (3.5%). Before applied to field, in vitro plant growth system and formulation were examined. To evaluate the effect of the nutrients, both strawberry green-house and persimmon fields were used in this test. The treated persimmons were heavier than controls scored at 13-22%. In addition, the storageperiod was extended in the treated strawberries. Interestingly in the treated strawberry, the contents of polyphenols were increased (38-57%). These results suggest that the plant-nutrient can afford to help for plant growth and storage, and it can be substituted for other commercial nutrients. In conclusion, this plant-nutrient may help to extend eco-friendly or organic farming in Hadong-gun area.