Tissue culture systems to optimize regeneration plant species of Ocimum spp were evaluated as a method to micropropagate individual plants and to better study their biology in vitro. Ocimum species were also evaluated for the production of natural plant products during and following the regeneration process. The primary goal of this project was to enhance the regeneration efficiency of basil. Several factors were examined using different Ocimum species and commercial varieties. The effect of cytokinin combination, activated charcoal, gelling agents, and different carbon sources were investigated. Anthocyanin callus spots were produced only in four varieties among six tested. 'Sweet Dani' showed the best results on anthocyanin accumulation, while 'African beauty', 'Tree basil' and 'Methylcinnamate' produced only a few spots. Shoot regeneration was only achieved from 'Sweet Dani' explants. As the activated charcoal concentration increased, callus formation rate decreased respectively compare to the controls for all varieties. There was a decrease in callus growth with increasing concentration of agar and phytagel.

This study was carried out to develop convenient and reproducible methods for identifying the genetic relationship among germplasms of Panax species based on molecular genetics. Using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analyses, genetic polymorphism of the Panax species was investigated with following cultivars and accessions, such as Chunpoong, Yunpoong, Kopoong, Sunpoong, and Kumpoong in domestic cultivars, Hwangsuk, Jakyung and Suckju in domestic accessions, and Panax quinquefolius L. and Panax japonicus C.A. Meyer in foreign introduced accessions, respectively. Specific DNA fragments ranging from 200 to 3,000 base pairs in size could be obtained with various ISSR and RAPD primers under the optimized PCR conditions. The dissimilarity coefficients among the genetic polymorphisms of ginseng cultivars and accessions were calculated from 0.26 to 0.90 in RAPD and from 0.12 to 0.89 in ISSR analysis, respectively. Eleven plant samples were grouped siblings together with cultivars and parents based on cluster analysis of genetic distance depending on genetic property such as origin of the species. In results, both RAPD and ISSR analyses were useful for identifying the genetic relationship among cultivars and accessions of Panax species at DNA level.

An analysis of RAPD-PCR (random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction) was performed with three Angelica species (A. gigas Nakai, A. sinensis (Olive.) Diels and A. acutiloba Kitag) in an effort to distinguish between members of these three species. Two arbitrary primers (OPC02, OPD11) out of80 primers tested, produced 17 species-specific fragments among the three species. Eight fragments were specific for A. sinensis, four fragments specific for A. gigas, five specific for A. acutiloba. When primers OPC02 and OPD11 were used in the polymerase chain reaction, RAPD-PCR fragments that were specific for each of the three species were generated simultaneously. Primer OPC02 produced eight species-specific fragments: four were specific for A. sinensis, one for A. gigas, and three for A. acutiloba. Primer OPD11 produced nine speciesspecific fragments: four for A. sinensis, three for A. gigas, and two for A. acutiloba. The RAPD-PCR markers that were generated with these two primers should rapidly identify members of the three Angelica species. The consistency of the identifications made with these species-specific RAPD-PCR markers was demonstrated by the observation that each respective marker was generated from three accessions of each species, all with different origins. We also performed the RAPD-PCR analysis with the dried Angelica root samples that randomly collected from marketed and from the OPC02 primer, obtained a A. gigasspecific band and the band were cloned and sequenced.

Myristica fragrans seed from Myristica fragrans Houtt (Myristicaceae) has various pharmacological activities peripherally and centrally. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans seed (MF) on kainic acid (KA)-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured rat cerebellar granule neuron. MF, over a concentration range of 0.05 to 5 μg/ml inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced neuronal cell death, which was measured by trypan blue exclusion test and 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. MF (0.5 mug/ml) inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by KA (500 μM), which was measured by HPLC. Pretreatment of MF (0.5 mug/ml) inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c), which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fura 2-AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that MF prevents KA-induced neuronal cell damage in vitro.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of medicinal plants on ethanol-metabolism. Sprague Dawley rats divided into 6 groups (n=8), fed with 10% ethanol and diets supplemented with each 1% of four plant extracts, α-tocopherol (as positive control) and fiber (as negative control) for 4 weeks. Group supplemented with plant extract of Ulmus davidiana showed the most high value (322 nM NADH/min/mg protein) in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity among the experimented groups (144~312 nM NADH/min/mg protein) at p〈0.05. Groups fed with Lagerstroemia indica and Zelkova serrata extract-supplemented diets indicated high activity in aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH, 16.7 & 12.3 M NADH/min/mg protein), which were comparatively lower than 20.1 M NADH/min/mg protein of α-tocopherol fed group. All of the groups fed with plant extracts indicated very low GPT activities (13.9~17.3 IU/l) compared to those (146.1 & 128.6 IU/l) fed with α-tocopherol and fiber at p〈0.05. From these results, it is suggested that Lagerstroemia indica have a potent ethanol-metabolizing activity.

Polygalae Radix (PR) from Polygala tenuifolia. (Polygalaceae) is traditionally used in China and Korea, since this herb has a sedative, antiinflammatory, and antibacterial agent. To extend pharmacological actions of PR in the CNS on the basis of its CNS inhibitory effect, the present study examined whether PR has the neuroprotective action against kainic acid (KA) -induced cell death in primarily cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons. PR, over a concentration range of 0.05 to 5μg/ml inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced neuronal cell death, which was measured by a trypan blue exclusion test and a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y1]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. PR (0.5μg/ml) inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by KA (500 μM), which was measured by HPLC. Pretreatment of PR (0.5μg/ml) inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c) which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fura 2-AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that PR prevents KA-induced neuronal cell damage in vitro.

To identify the variation of the RAPD patterns between two Atractylodes species, 52 kinds of random primers were applied to each eight of A japonica and A. macrocephala genomic DNA. Ten primers of 52 primers could be used to discriminate between the species and 18 polymorphisms among 67 scored DNA fragments (18 fragments are specific for A. japonica and A. macrocephala) were generated using these primers, 26.9% of which were polymorphic. RAPD data from the 10 primers was used for cluster analysis. The cluster analysis of RAPD markers showed that the two groups are genetically distinct. On the other hand, to identify the variation of the AFLP patterns and select the species specific AFLP markers, eight combinations of EcoRI/MseI primers were applied to the bulked A. japonica and A. macrocephala genomic DNA. Consequently, three combinations of EcoRI/MseI primers (EcoRI /Mse I ; AAC/CTA, AAC/CAA, AAG/CTA) used in this study revealed 176 reliable AFLP markers, 42.0% of which were polymorphic. 74 polymorphisms out of 176 scored DNA fragments were enough to clearly discriminate between two Atractylodes species.

“Daeyou” was developed at the National Crop Experiment Station, RDA in 2001 through the crossing lines of high oil content Yeupsildlkkae and Heukim's hybrid line and it was combined by Pakesa and low seedcoat ratio variety Suwon 8 in 1991. Daeyou has grey

“Kwangim” was developed at the National Crop Experiment Station, RDA in 2001 through induced mutations breeding by EMS treatment on the Suwon 38 perilla seeds in 1993. Kwangim has dark brown seedcoat colour with abundant and long clusters. Anthesis of Kwa

“Dasil” was developed at the National Crop Experiment Station, RDA in 2001 through induced mutation by γ-ray irradiation on local perilla accession “Yechon” in 1994. Dasil is characterized as short plant height, dark-brown seedcoat color, medium size of s

A new malting barley cultivar, “Sinho”, with a resistant gene (rym5) to barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) was developed by the barley breeding team of National Crop Experiment Station (NCES), RDA in 1999. This cultivar was derived from the cross between

“Jaeanchal” is a new six-rowed, naked and waxy barley cultivar developed by National Crop Experiment Station (NCES), RDA in 2001. This cultivar was derived from a cross between “Suwon261” and “SB881115-6” in 1989. The final selection was made at NCES in 1

A new two-rowed naked waxy barley cultivar, 'Pungsanchal', was developed for split polished grains by the National Crop Experiment Station(NCES), RDA in 2001. This cultivar was derived f rom a cross between 'SB901258GG-B' and 'Suwon212' in 1991. The f ina

This study was carried out to investigate varietal differences on growth characteristics under the conditions of PE film-mulching and non-mulching in sesame. At maturing stage from 76 to 95 days after sowing, Yangbaeckkae, non-branching plant type, under non-mulching showed larger leaf area index (LAI) than that of film-mulching, while plant height and the number of capsules per plant were similar to those of film-mulching. LAI of Ahnsankkae, branching plant type, under non-mulching was similar to film-mulching, while plant height and the number of capsules per plant were smaller than those of film-mulching. Net assimilation rate (NAR) of two varieties under non-mulching was lower at seedling stage from 25 to 35 days after sowing but higher at flowering stage from 45 to 55 days after sowing. At maturing stage from 66 to 77 days after sowing, NAR and crop growth rate (CGR) of Yangbaeckkae under non-mulching were greater than those of film-mulching, whereas those of Ahnsankkae under non-mulching were lesser than those of film-mulching. Yield under non-mulching was decreased by 7 % in Yangbaeckkae and 33 % in Ahnsankkae compared with that of film-mulching, therefore Yangbaeckkae was more adaptable for non-mulching than Ahnsankkae. Main factors decreasing yield of Yangbaeckkae under non-mulching were small LAI, NAR, and CGR at the stage of young seedling, and small number of capsules at early maturing stage from first flowering to 20 days after first flowering.