Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM2.5 influence regional climate change by scattering and absorbing solar radiation. Recent attention has focused on the long-range transport of OC and EC to high-altitude regions due to their potential role in accelerating spring snowmelt. Although subalpine and alpine areas account for only about 1% of South Korea, these high-elevation zones are highly vulnerable to climate change and provide important insights into how ecosystems may respond and adapt in the future. We collected 29 PM2.5 samples near Nogodan Peak (1,440 m a.s.l.) in Jirisan National Park and 10 samples at Seoul National University (91 m a.s.l.) between March 2022 and April 2024 to quantify OC and EC concentrations. The mean concentrations and standard deviations of OC and EC were 2.0±1.4 and 0.2±0.1 μg m-3 in Jirisan, and 3.6±0.9 and 0.3±0.2 μg m-3 in Seoul, respectively. These concentrations are lower than previously reported values across ~20 sites in South Korea, likely due to the national reduction in PM2.5 during the study period. Given these lower concentrations, the effect of EC on snowmelt might have been small in Jirisan. High OC/EC ratios (Jirisan: 22.1; Seoul: 12.5) may reflect biomass burning or the formation of secondary organic aerosols. As biomass burning is projected to increase under future climate scenarios and may alter the source and composition of carbonaceous aerosols, long-term research is essential to better understand their potential impacts on high-altitude ecosystems.

The availability and proper use of native plant seeds are essential for effective ecological restoration in the face of rapid climate change. This study established practical seed zones for South Korea to aid in seed collection, management, and production, while also analyzing their current and future climatic characteristics. We delineated 15 seed zones based on administrative boundaries, topographic features, and ecological regions. Using six key bioclimatic variables derived from a 1-km climate dataset (current: 2000- 2019; future: SSP3-7.0, 2041-2060), we conducted evaluations using PERMANOVA and Linear Discriminant Analysis. The analysis revealed significant climatic differentiation among seed zones (R 2=0.6453, p<0.001). Projections indicate that the North Central Hilly (SZ01) and East Central Coastal (SZ11) zones will experience notable qualitative climatic changes, underscoring their susceptibility to climate change. These results serve as a foundation for prioritizing the collection of genetic resources and developing adaptive seed-sourcing strategies. Future work should focus on refining micro-scale seed zones and incorporating species-level genetic information.

The growing global demand for Agaricus bisporus has focused on automated harvesting systems, prompting the adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance precision and efficiency. This study aimed to prove the possibility of automated analysis for mushroom phenotypic traits including pileus diameter and color parameters (L*, a*, b*) by using AI model, YOLOv11-seg. Mushroom images were obtained in custom-designed imaging chamber and image training was processed using YOLOv11-seg. By achieving an mAP50 of 0.96, model demonstrated high detection and segmentation performance with stable predictive behavior. To evaluate biological validity, predicted phenotypic traits were compared with mechanically measured values. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis showed that the correlation coefficient for chromaticity was above 0.69, while the correlation coefficient for shoulder diameter was very low at 0.03. Linear regression analysis showed correlations above 0.69 for all phenotypic traits, indicating that the model analysis reflected the actual measurement variation well. Mean absolute error (MAE) analysis showed less than 10% error of 1.32, 2.43, 0.55, and 0.90 in pileus diameter, L*, a*, and b*, respectively, resulting in significant model accuracy. Based on these results, YOLO-based estimation of pileus area was processed to prove the model’s capacity to extract phenotypic traits beyond the limits of traditional analysis. These results indicate that AI models including YOLOv11 show the possibility of the automated growth monitoring for the next-generation smart cultivation systems.

Tricholoma matsutake, one of the most favorable ectomycorrhizal mushrooms, forms a symbiotic relationship with its host, Pinus densiflora. In this study, co-cultivation of T. matsutake mycelium with bacteria from fairy rings was conducted to explore artificial cultivation. Among the isolates tested, strain B22_9_B28 promoted mycelial growth across five T. matsutake isolates: KMCC05631 from Yangyang-gun (124.23%), KMCC05632 and KMCC05633 from Yeongdeok-gun (127.68% and 156.61%, respectively), and KMCC05634 from Yeongdong-gun (153.31%), and KMCC05644 from Bonghwa-gun (171.59%). 16S rRNA sequence analysis suggested that B22_9_B28 may represent a novel species of Paenibacillus. These results highlight the potential of a new Paenibacillus species with pan-regional growth-promoting effects on T. matsutake mycelium, offering a promising avenue for the artificial cultivation of this valuable mushroom.

In this study, the development of a new white beech mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus) cultivar, ‘Baekmaru24’, is described, and its growth characteristics and field adaptability are evaluated. ‘Baekmaru24’ was bred from the parent strains, KMCC05528 and KMCC05529, through controlled crossing and multi-stage line selection, resulting in the final elite line, ‘HWD-22-116’. Mycelial growth tests demonstrated that the cultivar had superior growth under low temperatures (10–15 °C) and on YM medium, with optimal growth at 20–25 °C. In indoor bottle cultivation, the per-bottle yield was 146 g per 850 mL, which was 8% higher than that of the control cultivar (135 g). The fruiting bodies had stipes with a mean of 70.5 mm, which is approximately 10 mm longer than that of the control, and they had highly uniform clusters, enhancing marketability. Field trials at two farms confirmed a significant increase in yield of approximately 11 % over existing commercial cultivars, together with a generally superior morphology, including larger caps, longer stipes, and greater tissue firmness. Somatic incompatibility testing revealed a distinct demarcation zone between ‘Baekmaru24’ and its parent strains, indicating that it is a genetically independent cultivar. Overall, these results demonstrate that ‘Baekmaru24’ has stable growth, high productivity, and favorable fruiting-body characteristics under both controlled and farm conditions, supporting its potential as a high-quality commercial mushroom cultivar.

CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated gene editing has recently been applied to Ganoderma lucidum as a promising tool for functional genomics and strain improvement. However, the multinuclear nature of this basidiomycete can result in genetic mosaicism, raising concerns about the long-term stability of edited strains. In this study, we report the occurrence of revertant phenotypes in CRISPR/Cas9-edited transformants of G. lucidum. Although the edited colonies initially exhibited the expected phenotype, repeated subculturing led to the reappearance of wild-type phenotypes. PCR and sequencing analyses revealed the coexistence of edited and non-edited nuclei, and the progressive loss of edited genotypes over successive generations. These findings demonstrate that multinuclearity is a key factor contributing to the instability of CRISPR/Cas9-based edits in G. lucidum. This brief report provides the first direct documentation of revertant occurrence in edited G. lucidum strains and underscores the need for rigorous selection strategies and novel approaches to secure stable homokaryotic transformants in mushroom genetic engineering.

This study reports the development of a new pure white Flammulina velutipes variety, ‘Seoldan’. The breeding process involved a primary cross between a brown strain (KMCC02267) collected by the Rural Development Administration and a white cultivar ‘Baekwoon’ (KMCC05472). From this cross, a white line ‘Fv-23-553’ was selected and subsequently crossed with a superior pure white resource (KMCC05474), resulting in the novel cultivar Seoldan. Mycelial growth tests showed that both varieties grew best at 25°C; however, Seoldan exhibited faster mycelial growth than the control variety under four temperature conditions except at 20°C. In media tests, Seoldan also demonstrated superior growth on three media types, with the exception of YM medium. In sawdust bottle cultivation, The time from scratching to the first fruiting was 2 days shorter in Seoldan than in the control variety, contributing to an overall reduction in cultivation time. The most distinct morphological trait of Seoldan is its pure white cap color. The average yield was 218.8 ± 10.6 g per bottle, comparable to that of the control. Morphologically, Seoldan produced smaller pileus and thinner stipes than the control. Furthermore, somatic incompatibility tests confirmed that Seoldan is genetically distinct from the control variety. These results indicate that Seoldan is a promising pure white variety with stable productivity, improved cultivation efficiency, and clear genetic differentiation from existing varieties.

Synthesis of high-purity magnesium hydroxide using dolomite and bittern is important for use in various applications. We synthesized magnesium hydroxide using bittern and dolomite, which are domestic resources. In Bittern, there is a high concentration of Mg2+ ions, but the impurity Ca2+ ion content is also significant, requiring a purification process to remove it. There are two main methods for this purification. Firstly, there is a separation method that utilizes the difference in solubility between Mg2+ ions and Ca2+ ions by using sulfuric acid on dolomite. Adding MgSO4 solution from dolomite to Bittern removes Ca2+ ions as CaSO4. This process simultaneously purifies Ca impurities and increases the Mg/Ca ratio by adding extra Mg2+ ions. In this study, purified bittern was obtained by using dolomite and sulfuric acid to extract MgSO4, which was then used to purify Ca2+ ions. High-purity Mg(OH)2 was synthesized by optimizing the NaOH and NH4OH ratio as an alkaline precipitant. Mg(OH)2 synthesis technology made by effectively removing Ca ions from dolomite and bittern can contribute to domestic pilot production.

Due to recent increase in the number of elderly patients, there is a problem of nutritional imbalance and immune function in the elderly due to decreased ability to consume food. To solve these problems, this study was conducted to verify an immunityenhancing effect of Sagunja-tang porridge (SP) on cyclophosphamide (CPA)-induced immunosuppression using an animal model. Experimental groups were set as normal control, CPA-treated group, positive control group, and SP-treated groups (0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%). Except for the normal control group, experimental groups were injected with 100 μL of CPA dissolved in 0.9% NaCl at a concentration of 150 mg/kg twice at the beginning of the experiment and 3 days later to induce immunosuppression. When spleen cell proliferation was analyzed, both B and T cells were decreased in the immunosuppressed group, but increased in test substance-treated groups in a concentration-dependent manner. To see the effect of improving immunity, levels of IgA known to protect the mucosal surface were measured. Higher levels of IgA were found in SP-low concentration (SL) and SP-middle concentration (SM) groups. These results suggest that using SP might be an effective way to improve nutritional imbalance and immune function in the elderly.

Tricholoma matsutake, one of the most famous edible mushroom in Asia, has been cultivated in red pine forest. Because of its difficulty in artificial cultivation, T. matsutake cultivation has relied on foraging in the forest. Under certain environmental conditions, T. matsutake form the Shiro, the condensed mycelium, and develop into fruiting bodies. Among the certain environmental conditions, fungal communities play a major role in the mushroom development. Therefore, fungal community investigations for Bonghwa and Yangyang have been conducted on soil with fairy rings in the past, soil with existing fairy rings, and soil with presumptive fairy rings developing in the future. From the six soil samples, total 163 genera of fungi were detected and species diversity and species abundance of each sample were also analyzed. In result, the species diversity and species abundance of the fairy rings in Yangyang were lower than those in Bonghwa. In comparison with the fairy rings in Yangyang and Bonghwa, the dominance of the genus Tricholoma was higher and that of the genus Motilella was lower in Yangyang. Through the continuous study, establishment of optimal environmental conditions to promote the T. matsutake cultivation is highly expected.

Despite their historical use, studies on the genetic functions of mushrooms and varietal improvement via biomolecular techniques are limited compared to other organisms. Recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas9 have enabled precise genetic modifications in mushrooms, with RNP-based systems offering high editing efficiency without foreign gene insertion. In this study, we optimized gene-editing conditions for Ganoderma lucidum (Yongji 2) by utilizing RNP/nanoparticle complexes to enhance efficiency. The optimal conditions included a 0.2 M sorbitol buffer (pH 7.0) and a protoplast-to-complex ratio of 10:1. Among eight gRNAs designed for the catA gene, three were identified with high activity, and PEG-mediated transformation resulted in successful gene edits, primarily involving 1 bp deletions. The editing efficiency reached 7–8%, demonstrating that nanoparticle-supported RNP systems are effective for marker-free gene editing in mushrooms. These findings highlight a promising approach for advancing genetic research and varietal improvement in G. lucidum and other mushroom species.