The occurrence of exotic weeds and their influx into farmlands due to climate change poses many problems. Therefore, it is necessary to generate a prediction model for the occurrence pattern of these exotic weeds based on scientific evidence and devise prevention measures. The photosynthetic apparatus is known as the most temperaturesensitive component of a plant cell and its initial response to temperature stress is to inhibit the activation of photosystem II. This study investigated the potential of OJIP transients in assessing temperature stress in exotic weeds. The four exotic weeds currently flowing into Korean farmlands include Amaranthus spinosus, Conyza bonariensis, Crassocephalum crepidioides, and Amaranthus viridis. These weeds were treated at 5°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, and 40°C and the OJIP curves and JIP parameters were measured and analyzed. The results showed that heat and chilling stress affected the photosystem II (PSII) electron transport of A. spinosus, whereas C. crepidioides and A. viridis were more affected by high-temperature stress than by low-temperature stress. Lastly, C. bonariensis showed resistance to both high and low-temperature stress. The results of this study suggest that OJIP transients and JIP parameters can be used to analyze damage to the photosynthetic apparatus by temperature stress and that they can serve as sensitive indicators for the occurrence pattern of exotic weeds.

The present study investigated effects of antifungal and carboxylesterase inoculant on rumen fermentation with different rumen pH. Corn silage was treated without inoculant (CON) and with a mixed Lactobacillus brevis 5M2 and L. buchneri 6M1 (MIX). Rumen fluid was collected from two cannulated Hanwoo heifers before morning feeding (high rumen pH at 6.70) and 3 h after feeding (low rumen pH at 6.20). Dried corn silage was incubated in the rumen buffer (rumen fluid + anaerobic culture medium at 1:2 ratio) for 48 h at 39oC. Eight replications for each treatment were used along with two blanks. Both in a high and a low rumen pH, MIX silages presented higher (p<0.05) the immediately degradable fraction, the potentially degradable fraction, total degradable fraction, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) than those of CON silages. Incubated corn silages in a low rumen pH presented lower (p<0.05) total degradable fraction, ammonia-N, total VFA (p=0.061), and other VFA profiles except acetate and propionate, than those in a high rumen pH. The present study concluded that application of antifungal and carboxylesterase inoculant on corn silage could improve degradation kinetics and fermentation indices in the rumen with high and low pH conditions.

The effects of supplemental lighting (SL) timing on vegetative growth and the photosynthetic assimilation rate of young Cymbidium hybrids were examined. Nine month old C. ‘Yang Guifei’ and ‘Wine Shower’ were treated with four different SL timings: 22:00 – 02:00 (middle of the night, MN); 17:00 – 21:00 (end of day extension, DE); 07:00 – 09:00 plus 17:00 – 19:00 (both beginning and end of the night as split day extension, SDE), and non SL (8/16 h, short day, SD) for 4 months. All SL were provided by two types of 100% red LEDs (640 and 660 nm), with 150 μmol･m-2 ･s-1 and 800 μmol･mol-1 of CO2 supplied during the night (16 h). Pseudobulb diameters were significantly higher under SL treatments compared with the SD of both cultivars, irrespective of SL timing. Net photosynthetic assimilation rates were enhanced with increased SL, due to the additional photosynthesis and reduction of dark respiration. Thus, daily net photosynthetic amounts of SL treatments effectively increased photosynthesis compared to the SD. These results indicate that SL helps promote vegetative growth by enhancing photosynthesis. Since there were no significant differences among the SL timings when CO2 was provided uniformly during the night, we concluded that growth and photosynthesis of young Cymbidium do not depend on the timing of SL application, but are related to the daily light integrals, which is the amount of photosynthetically active photons delivered over 24 hours.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid messenger mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (LPAR1-6). It is involved in the pathogenesis of certain chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In addition, it controls the self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells. Recent research has demonstrated the close relationship between periodontitis and various diseases in the human body. However, the precise role of LPA in the development of periodontitis has not been studied. We identified that LPAR1 was highly expressed in human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). In periodontitis-mimicking conditions with Porphyromonas gingivalis -derived lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) treatment, PDLSCs exhibited a considerable reduction in the cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation potential, in addition to an increase in the inflammatory responses including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β expression and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation. Of the various LPAR antagonists, pre-treatment with AM095, an LPAR1 inhibitor, showed a positive effect on the restoration of cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation, accompanied by a decrease in NF-κB signaling, and action against Pg-LPS. These findings suggest that the modulation of LPAR1 activity will assist in checking the progression of periodontitis and in its treatment.

경기도농업기술원에서는 2016년 백색 대형 스탠다드 장미 ‘Fascinar’을 육성하였다. 2011년 ‘Splash’ 품종을 모본으로, 향기가 강한 연보라색 장미 ‘Charming Easies’ 품종을 부본으로 교배하였고 5개월 후에 성숙한 꼬투리를 획득하여 암면배지에 파종하여 후대를 얻었다. 2012년 화색, 화형, 향기 유무 등의 특성검정을 통하여 G11-338 계통을 선발하였다. 선발된 계통을 2013년부터 2016년까지 1차, 2차, 3차 특성검정을 통하여 품종의 안정성과 균일성을 확인하여 ‘Fascinar’로 명명하였고 2017년에 국립종자원에 품종보호출원(제2017-198호) 한 후 2019년에 품종보호권이 등록(제7795호)되었다. 화색은 백색(RHS, N155D)으로 대조품종보다 짙은 백색이며, 화형은 스탠다드이며 고심형인 대형 장미이다. 향기는 대조품종 ‘화이트라임’ 보다 매우 강하며 주요향기 성분은 GERMACRENE-D, Nerol 등 테르펜류와 phenylethyl Alcohol이다. 잎의 형태는 타원형이고 가시가 적은 편이다. 연간 절화수량은 172.2본이고, 꽃잎수는 38.4매이며 절화품질 중 절화장은 75.0cm 절화경경은 6.2mm 절화중은 10.6g 이다. 절화수명은 11일, 화폭 9.2cm, 화고 5.2cm이다. 기존에 육성된 품종에 비해 향기 성분 함량이 높고 화형과 화색이 우수 하여 품종으로서 가치가 높은 품종이다.

Because of their attractive and colorful flowers, many species from the genus Aster serve as garden plants. Chrysanthemum owes its popularity to its ornamental and medicinal herb value. It can be used as a cut flower, potted plant, vegetable, and herbal tea. Plant breeders have attempted to identify the available species and produce new cultivars to improve the quality of chrysanthemum for commercial purposes. The use of cytogenetic studies has paved the way for identifying compatibility, ancestry, and other useful information for this undertaking. Thus, an investigation was conducted into the chromosome numbers of 23 wild Asteraceae species in Republic of Korea to determine their genetic characteristics and variations. The somatic chromosome spread has been used for chromosome counting. The results revealed that Asteraceae species have a chromosome range from 18 (diploid) to 54 (hexaploid). These findings provide primary and important information on the chromosome numbers in chrysanthemum plants that can be used to select the right variety for cultivation.