본 연구는 옥수수 재배 시 환경에 영향을 미치는 노균병 저항성과 관련된 유전자 후보군을 탐색해서 노균병으로 인한 토양오염과 옥수수 생산량 감소를 해결하기 위하여 노균병 저항성 품종을 효율적으로 발굴하기 위한 연구이다. 옥수수의 6번 염색체의 152,892,333과 154,335,437 사이에 있는 노균병 저항성 유전자를 탐색하였으며 이 부분에 존재할 것으로 예상되는 전사체에서 38개의 프라이머 세트를 디자인하여 이 중 16개의 예측 전사체를 가려 내었다. 또한 RT-PCR을 수행하여 감염된 Ki11의 발현이 높은 7개의 전사체로 5개의 품종에 대하여 건강한 샘플과 감염된 샘플을 검정하였고 최종 5개의 후보 유전자군[알려지지 않은 미확인 유전자 2개, OFP transcription factor, bZIP transcription factor, pentatricopeptide repeat (Ppr)]이 발견 되었다. 본 연구의 결과로 추가적인 실험 설계를 통해 5개의 후보 유전자군에 대한 재검정을 통하여 확실한 노균병 저항성 유전자를 발굴하고 이를 노균병 저항성 품종 개발 및 방재에 이용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

Drought is one of important environmental stress for plant. Drought has deleterious effect to plant growth including maize (Zea mays L.) such as vegetative and/or reproductive growth, root extension, photosynthesis efficiency, flowering, anthesis-silking interval (ASI), fertilization, and grain filling. In this study, we screened drought tolerant maize in 21 cultivars from different sources, sixteen NAM parent lines (B73, CML103, CML228, CML247, CML277, CML322, CML333, CML69, Ki11, Ki3, Ky21, M37W, Mo18w, NC350, Oh43 and Tx303), four Korean hybrids (Cheongdaok, Gangdaok, Kwangpyeongok and Pyeonganok) and one Southeast Asian genotype (DK9955). Drought stress (DS) index was evaluated with leaf rolling score at seedling stage and ASI at silking date. The leaf rolling scoring of CML228, DK9955 and Ki11 were determined 1.28, 1.85, 1.86, respectively. However, M37W, Kwangpyeongok, B73 and NC350 were determined over the 3. ASI analysis revealed that CML228, CML103, Cheongdaok, NC350, B73, CML322, Kwangpyeongok and Ki11 are represented less than 5 days under DS and less than 3 days of difference between DS and well-watered (WW), but CML69, Ki3, Pyeonganok, M37W, Mo18w and Gangdaok were represented more than 10 days under DS and more than 8 days of difference between DS and WW. Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) analysis determined CML228, Ki11, and CML322 were regarded as drought tolerance cultivars. Eventually, Ki11 showed genetic similarity with Korean cultivars by QTL analysis and MDS analysis. Ki11 has a potential for development of drought tolerance maize with Korean cultivars.

Anther culture is useful and significant tool for producing haploid or doubled haploid (DH) plants in crop breeding system. Androgenesis is the way of inducing haploid and DH plants from anther (immature pollen) or microspore culture. In vitro androgenesis is efficient technique for introducing complete homozygous lines in one generation, thus less time and expense could be necessary than conventional plant breeding. In maize, anther culture is important system for shortening the breeding cycle and enhancing selection efficiency. Anther culture technique is also applicable to various researches such as molecular genetics, genetic engineering, genomics, and plant biotechnology. We review the past and present studies on anther culture and provide useful information for future researches on androgenesis in maize. The combination of androgenesis with other techniques such as molecular breeding and biotechnology is producing a variety of variety of maize species. In addition, we suggest strategy to develop androgenesis technique adapted to Korean research environment.

This study was conducted to evaluate maize downy mildew resistance using spreader row technique in Cambodia. A total of forty maize lines were used in this experiment. Seven Korean varieties and seven breeding lines showed high infection rates (80~100%) and highly susceptible (HS) to downy mildew disease in both spring and fall. Also most of nested association mapping (NAM) parent lines were highly susceptible (HS). Meanwhile three inbred lines, Ki3, Ki11, and CML228, showed highly resistant (HR) or resistant (R) in spring and moderately resistant (MR) in fall. These three lines were already known as resistant inbred lines against downy mildew disease. It appears that spreader row technique was suitable for selection of maize downy mildew resistance in Cambodia. The incidence of downy mildew was influenced by weather conditions, especially relative humidity and temperature. Among several inoculation methods to screen for downy mildew resistance, this spreader row technique is effectively and easily used in the field of Southeast Asia.

Drought stress has detrimental effects on the seedling development, vegetative/ reproductive growth, photosynthesis, root proliferation, anthesis, anthesis-silking interval (ASI), pollination and grain yield in maize. Typically, two weeks before silking through pollination are an important time in maize life. Here we reviewed the effects of drought stress on growth, physiological/ molecular researches for drought tolerance, and breeding to genomics in maize. Drought stress during kernel development increases leaf dying and lodging, decreases grain filling period and grain yield. Physiological factors of drought stress/ effects are water content, water deficits, and water potential. Nowdays molecular marker assisted breeding method is becoming increasingly useful in the improvement of new germplasm with drought stress tolerance.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the drought tolerance in maize seedling using leaf rolling. Nineteen maize resources, seven Nested Association Mapping parents lines, six Korean commercial cultivars, and six Southeast Asia commercial cultivars, were used to examine drought tolerance. The leaf rolling scores were measured on each leaf in three stress conditions with moderate drought (10%), severe drought (7%), and extreme drought (5%). Generally leaf rolling score of seedlings increased at the lower soil water potentials (5~7%). As a result, drought-tolerant cultivars showed lower leaf rolling score (below 2.5) than the drought sensitive cultivars (above 3.5). Nine varieties, NK4043, CML322, DK9955, NK4300, Ki11, DK8868, CML228, LVN99, and LVN10, have been selected for tolerance to drought stress. These results suggest that the leaf rolling score in maize seedling has been made available to indirect index for drought tolerance.

Maize is one of the most important food and feed crops in the world including Southeast Asia. In spite of numberous efforts with conventional breeding, the maize productions remain low and the loss of yields by drought and downy mildew are still severe in Asia. Genetic improvement of maize has been performed with molecular marker and genetic engineering. Because maize is one of the most widely studied crop for its own genome and has tremendous diversity and variant, maize is considered as a forefront crop in development and estimation of molecular markers for agricultural useful trait in genetics and breeding. Using QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) and MAS (Marker Assisted Breeding), molecular breeders are able to accelerate the development of drought tolerance or downy mildew resistance maize genotype. The present paper overviews QTL/MAS approaches towards improvement of maize production against drought and downy mildew. We also discuss here the trends and importance of molecular marker and mapping population in maize breeding.

국내산 밀의 부가가치 향상을 위하여 유기농 밀에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있으며, 유기농산물 인증을 받기위해 서는 사용되는 밀 종자도 유기농으로 생산된 것(유기종자)을 사용해야 한다. 이와 관련하여 유기질 비료의 시비가 밀 종자의 주요성분에 미치는 영향을 검토하였으며, 금강밀 등 24개 품종을 대상으로 amylose, 조단백, 무기이온 함량을 분석하였다. 밀의 amylose 함량은 유기질 비료 시비조건에서 12.5%로서 무비(13.1%) 및 화학 비료(13.2%) 조건에서 보다 낮았다. 밀 종자의 조단백질 함량은 무비<화학비료<유기질비료 순으로 유의하게 증가하였으며, 이러한 경향은 전체 아미노산 함량 차이에서도 동일하게 나타났다. 무기이온별로 시비조건에 따른 함량차이를 조사한 결과, 4가지 무기이온(Fe, Na, Ca, Mg, P)의 경우 유기질비료<무비<화학비료 순으로 증가하였다. 특히, Na 이온의 경우 유기질비료 시비조건 보다 화학비료 시비조건에서 함량이 2배 이상 증가하 였다. 한편, K 이온의 경우 유기질비료와 화학비료 조건에서는 유사한 함량을 나타내었으나 무비조건에서 약 6% 증가하였다. 이런 결과들로 볼 때, 유기농 밀 재배시 생산되는 밀의 이용성 등을 고려하여 적절한 유기질비료의 종류와 시비방법을 선택하는 것이 중요할 것으로 생각되며, 유기농 재배에 적합한 품종육성도 필요할 것으로 판단되었다.