Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant disease for both humans and animals worldwide. The genus Mycobacterium includes several species that cause TB disease in humans and other animals. Amongst the members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), M. tuberculosis is mainly a human pathogen, whereas M. bovis has a broad host range and is the principal agent responsible for TB in domestic and wild mammals. M. bovis also infects humans, causing zoonotic TB through ingestion, inhalation. M. bovis accounts for only a small percentage of the reported cases of TB in humans. In recent years, TB in farmed deer has become a disease as public health importance in several countries. Nowadays, there has been rapid outbreak of bovine TB in cattle and deer in Korea. Investigations are needed to elucidate the relative importance of M. bovis on TB incidence in humans, especially in Korea where bovine TB remains a problem. Also, the human sources as the cause of animal infection, M. tuberculosis from the farm workers also important for TB control of animals in Korea. Differentiation between the causative organisms may only be achieved by sophisticated laboratory methods involving bacteriological characteristics, biochemical properties, and routine resistance to pyrazinamide (PZA). M. bovis shows inherently resistant to PZA whereas M. tuberculosis is susceptible to PZA. In this study, we developed a multiplex-PCR assay based on a 12.7-kb fragment for the differential detection of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. A total of 131 M. tuberculosis complex isolates were randomly obtained from cattle and deers that were PPD positive. they all yielded M. bovis. M. tuberculosis was not isolated from animals. and, a total of 25 M. tuberculosis complex isolates which is resistant to PZA were obtained from patient. PZA resistant MTC in humans was caused entirely by M. tuberculosis. The multiplex-PCR protocol was highly species-specific and time saving for identification of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. This multiplex-PCR assay will be easily used as a routine monitoring tool in veterinary and medical laboratories.

In the fishing process on the sea eel pots, the most dangerous and difficult labor is manually separating process of several thousand pots from main line with high speed hauling operation. In this study, the automatic separating system of the pot from main line is developed. This system is composed with the clip connected to the pot by branch line, the keeper attached to the main line by pressing and the separator separating the clip and the keeper. In the experiment, static and dynamic characteristics of the system are investigated. From the considerations on the experimental results, it is ascertained that the automatic separating system of the pot from main line proposed in this study has good operating performance.

In nine commercial watermelon cultivars, the effects of osmotic seed priming were evaluated for seed viability and seedling growth at different germination temperatures and field conditions. Generally, primed seeds showed improved germination rate and reduced time for emergence at different germination temperatures, as compared to untreated seeds. In particular, priming effect on seed germination was significantly high at 15℃, which is an environment normally resulting in poor germination. Depending on the watermelon cultivar, germination rate under low temperature (15℃) was improved by up to 15~66% in primed seeds, as compared to untreated seeds. However, priming effect on germination was gradually reduced as the temperature reached to its optimum level for seed germination. Seed priming tended to improve the viability, fresh weight, and dry weight of watermelon seedlings, but its effect on seedling stage was not large, as compared to untreated seeds. Primed watermelon seeds showed improved emergence rate and facilitated germination in the field, but their seedling growth after 30 days from germination was not significantly affected. Our results indicated that seed priming can greatly improve the seed germination at poor temperature conditions in the watermelon.

This study was conducted to investigate days after anthesis (DAA) and fruit after-ripening period (FAP) for seed-harvesting of high quality watermelon seeds. Fruit weight and number of seed per fruit increased according to DAA, while those did not significant about FAP. Ratio of cotyledon at whole seed was higher about 2 to 4% compared to seed coat irrespective of DAA and FAP. Germinability of watermelon was not a significant effect by DAA, however, it had differences by FAP. Percent of germination (PB) was below 50%, when 30 days maturated fruits after anthesis was omitted ripening, while PB was increased to 92% by ripening. In addition, seeds at DAA 40 and FAP 20 were higher general seedling vigors (hypocotyl length, diameter etc.) in BP test. Results indicated that considering seed productivity, it had maximized seed viability at DAA 40 and FAP 20.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fruit set internode on the germination of watermelon seeds. Generally fruits setted in higher than 20 internode were high percent of germination, fruit setted in low internode(5-10) is low. The higher fruit-set internode, fruit weight was significantly increased, but 1,000 seed weight was decreased the more fruit set internode. However number of seed was about 300 seeds irrespective of fruit-set internode. Investigating viability of seed by BP test, general percent germination was recorded highest at 5 flower cluster above 20 internode of fruit-set internode. In contrast, condition of fruit setted on 3, 4, 6 flower cluster were high percent of germination, regarded as unnormal germination not to be as normal seedling by 2~3%. Seed harvested at 5 flower-cluster had high viability on hypocotyl height and diameter of seedling through early growth test, but were not significant. Therefore 5 flower-cluster was optimum fruit-set internode to obtain high-quality seed.