To find an alternative for synthetic pesticides, methanol extracts from 69 plant samples were tested for their insecticidal activity against two spotted mite (Tetranchus urticae Koch). Seven plant extracts including Angelica japonica showed over 80% insecticidal activity at 5000 mg/L. Extract of Prunus armeniaca seed showed high insecticidal activity at 3000 mg/L. As a naturally occurring pesticide, P. armeniaca could be useful as a new botanic insecticide.

By surveying the 70 composting plants in Gyeonggi Province, the total commercial production of livestock faeces composts (LFCs) in 2008 was estimated to be about 480,000 Mg year-1 and they were manufactured mainly by using both mechanical mixer and bottom air blower. LFCs were composed mainly of chicken faeces 29.2%, pig+chicken faeces 23.1%, pig faeces 20.0%, livestock faeces+oil cake 12.3%, pig+ chicken+cattle faeces 10.8% and pig+cattle faeces 4.6%. On the basis of the current official standard which was revised on March 2010, 11 composts out of surveyed 76 ones did not meet the LFCs quality standard (LQS) due to inadequate content of water (5), OM/N (1), NaCI (2) and Zn (3). The OM/N declined by adding chicken faeces and oil cake, while Ca content increased by the addition of chicken faeces and NaCI increased by adding cattle faeces.

Soil NH4-N content became higher in proporlion to the increase in the urea application rate, while in livestock faeces compost (LFC) plots, it became lower than in urea plots and had no significant difference statistically among LFC plots. There was a close relationship between phosphate ferlilization rate and the increment of soil available phosphate content after experiment resulting y=O. 1788x-6. 169 (R~=O. 9425) when applied fused superphosphate ferlilizer, and y=0.0662x-2.689(R~=0.9315) when applied LFCs by the same amounts of phosphate (x: phosphate application, kg ha, y: increment in soil available phosphate content, mg kg). Plant height, number of stems, nutrients uptake by rice and rice yield showed higher levels in N 100, 150% application plots of chemical ferlilizers, while every LFC plots exhibited lower values and no significant difference among them. Relative nitrogen ferlilization efficiencies of LFCs compared to urea was 12.3% for cattle faeces compost (CaFC), 8.8 for swine faeces compost (SwFC) and 24.6 for chicken faeces compost (ChFC), respectively.

Green manure crops play an inportant role in organic farming. Field experiment was conducted at paddy soi1 (fine loamy, mixed, nonacid, mesic family of Aeric Fluvaquentíc Endoquepts) ín 2008/2009 to 2009/2010 at the Natíonallnstítute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA, Suwon, Gyeonggí provínce, Korea. This expe꺼ment was carried out to evaluate the biomass of haíry vetch (Vicia víllosa) and growth of rice (Oryza satíva) by cjífferent seedíng rates. Seeding rates of hairy vetch consisted of 30, 60, and 90 kg ha-' by broadcasting before rice harvesting. The biomass af)d nitrogen production of hairy vetch were not significantly different between 60 kg ha-’ and 90 kg ha-’ of seeding rates. Also, rice yield was not siginicantly differnt between seeding rate 60 kg ha-’ of hairy vetch and conventional pratice for two years. Therefore, we suggested that seeding rate of hairy vetch should be reduced by continuous cropping and incoportion of hairy vetch under rice-based cropping system.

Among the developed bío-degradable polymer fílms as compared wíth transparent fílm(Whíte), black polymer fílm was sígnífícantly more effectíve for controllíng weeds ín red pepper. Also, we found that whíte and black polymer mulchíng had 81.8% and 97.9% of managing weed controllíng effects in rice, respectively. Compared to nonmulched rice paddy with water supply, the non-mulched rice paddy wíthout any water supply has stopped its growth at 41 days after transplantíng, whíle polymer -mulched rice paddy without water supply had about 60% of normally growing rice plants. This shows the polymer treatment has a remarkable effect on water and power saving, solution of herbicidal resistance, avoidance of herbícidal influence to eco-system etc. When the naturally decomposíng polymer was used, a temperature was elevated as high as 4.7 ℃ on maximum and 2.6 ℃ on average. Also the naturally decomposing polymer accelerated rooting by 7 days and lowered a stress level from transplanting. The weed control effect mulched by polymer was remarkable as 98. 7%. The p이ymer now, after 294 days treated on the rice paddy, has been completely decomposed.

The development of humanized culture system of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold promise for therapeutic applications. However, conventional culture system contain animal-derived components such as fetal bovine serum and mouse embryonic fibroblasts that bear a risk of transmitting non-human pathogens and incorporation of non-human immunogenic molecules to hESCs. In this study, we developed an efficient xeno-free hESCs culture system using humanized materials, the CELLstartTM, human foreskin feeder and xeno-free medium containing knockOutTM SR XenoFree (XF-medium) without animal-derived material. The hESCs were gradually adapted to the XF-medium; 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0. Two karyotypically normal hESC lines, SNUhES4 and H1, were used for the experiments of xeno-free culture condition. The attachment rates at xeno-free culture system were 52.6±12.4%, 67.0±16.6%, 59.0±13.9%, 28.3±2.9% in SNUhES4, 79.3±5.4%, 53.8±20.9%, 69.4 ±6.4%, 59.8±12.6% in H1 and the spontaneous differentiation rates were 42.2±12.7%, 31.4±2.9%, 40.8±14.5%, 55.2±35.5% in SNUhES4, 35.6±8.5%, 36.4±13.5%, 48.4±7.8%, 80.1±6.0% in H1 in the first four passage. Although the attachment rates were low and the spontaneous differentiation rates were high compared to that of conventional system in the early passages using this humanized culture condition, hESCs in this culture condition were found to maintain hESC characterizations; morphology, expression of cell surface markers and stable karyotype. Our results indicate that simplified compositions of humanized culture system can be applicable to the further optimization for a xeno-free culture of hESCs without the loss of pluripotency and contamination from xenogenic sources.

The cloning of canids was succeeded in 2005, several years after the birth of Dolly the sheep and also after the cloning of numerous other laboratory and farm animal species. The delay of successful somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)was due to the unique reproductive characteristics of the female dogin comparison to other domestic mammals, such as ovulation of immature canine oocyte and a requirement of 25 days for the completion of meiosis within the oviduct (Holst & Phemister, 1971). When the technology for the recovery of in vivo matured oocyte was established, the application of cloning also became possible and cloned dog offspring were obtained. This report summarizes the progress of technical procedures that are required for cloning canids and the application of this technique. The first cloned dog, Snuppy, was achieved using an in vivo-matured oocyte which was enucleated and transferred with an adult skin cell of male Afghan hound. After establishment of a criterion of well-matured oocyte for the improvement of SCNT efficiency, we obtained three cloned female Afghan hound and a toy poodle cloned from 14 year-old aged Poodle using SCNT through this factor. To date, cloned dogs appeared to be normal and those that have reached puberty have been confirmed to be fertile. Through application of canine SCNT technique, first, we demonstrated that SNCT is useful for conserving the breed of endangered animal from extinction through cloning of endangered gray wolves using inter-species SCNT and keeping the pure pedigree through the cloning of Sapsaree, a Korean natural monument. Secondly, we showed possibility of human disease model cloned dog and transgenic cloned dog production through cloning of red fluorescent protein expressing dog. Finally, SCNT can be used for the propagation of valuable genotypes for making elite seed stock and pet dog. In summary, dog cloning is a reproducible technique that offers the opportunity to preserve valuable genetics and a potential step towards the production of gene targeted transgenic cloned dogs for the study of human diseases.

A study on genetic variability and association of yield attributing characters with grain yield was carried out using 35 deepwater rice genotypes. High genotypic co-efficient of variation (GCV) was observed for plot yield, EBT/m2 , plant height and days to 50~% flowering (DFF). For all the traits, estimates of the phenotypic co-efficient of variation (PCV) were higher than GCV, indicating presence of environmental influence. High heritability and genetic advance was observed for plot yield, EBT/m2 and plant height. Plot yield had significant positive association with test weight, EBT/m2 and DFF. However, test weight had the maximum direct effect on grain yield