This study describes the efficient method for the discrimination of 'Cheonryang' in Panax ginseng Meyer using a STS primer. A total of 208 STS primers were applied to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification for discriminating Korean ginseng cultivars. Co-dominant polymorphic band patterns were generated with two primers, MFGp 0019, MFGp 0248, and successful identification of 'Cheonryang' was achieved from out of 11 Korean ginseng cultivars. Two different sizes of DNA band patterns were detected with MFGp 0019 primer. Ten Korean ginseng cultivars shared the same size of amplified DNAs (389 bp), but 'Cheonryang' showed a different size. Thus 'Cheonryang' can be efficiently distinguished from the other ten ginseng cultivars by using the MFGp 0019 primer. In the case of MFGp 0248, two different sizes of DNA band patterns were detected in the eleven ginseng cultivars. Same sized amplified DNA bands (307 bp) were shown in five cultivars (Chunpoong, Gopoong, Kumpoong, Cheongsun, Sunhyang) and 254 bp sized DNA bands were identified in the other 6 cultivars (Yunpoong, Sunpoong, Sunun, Sunone, Cheonryang, K-1). In conclusion, the two STS primers, MFGp 0019, and MFGp 0248, provide a rapid and reliable method for the specific identification of 'Cheonryang' cultivar from a large number of samples.

This study was performed to identify optimal harvesting time of ginseng seeds and to examine the effect of GA3 treatment for improvement of seed stratification rate. Ginseng seeds harvested from Land race, Chunpoong and Yunpoong cultivar in July 20 were tested for stratification rate. It was shown that stratification rates of land race, Yunpoong and Chunpoong cultivar were 94.1%, 93.1%, and 82.6%, respectively. Seeds of Chunpoong cultivar harvested 10-15 days later showed a comparable stratification rate to that of Land race, indicating that late harvest of Chunpoong seeds is beneficial for the increase of stratification rate. The higher stratification rate was found in mature seeds (92.3%) than immature seeds (37.8%), both of which were harvested in July 20. Stratification rate of mature seeds harvested in July 15 was 87.5%, demonstrating optimal harvesting time of ginseng seeds with higher stratification rate is after mid-July. An exponential growth of endosperms of ginseng seeds was observed from early June to mid-June and then slow growth was observed. There was no obvious growth of embryos from fertilization to mid-August. After the this time, embryos quickly grew until late October. Thus, appropriate stratification control is essential during the period (from early September to late October) in order to optimize embryo growth and development. While no increase of stratification rate was observed in seeds treated with 50 ppm of GA3, significant increases were observed in seeds treated with 100 ppm of GA3. At this concentration of GA3, the stratification rate of Land race, Chunpoong and Yunpoong cultivar was 95.0%, 95.3%, and 96.5%, respectively.

This study was conducted to find out the optimum composition of nursery soil for raising seedling of ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer). Total 9 kinds of raw materials were used such as peat-moss, perlite, leaf mould, rice bran, gull's guano, castor-oil plant bark, palm bark, cow manure and chicken manure for optimum composition of nursery soil in ginseng. Occurrence of damping-off in ginseng was lowered about 50% in nursery soil type 1, 2 and 4 than in other types nursery soil in June, and occurrence rate of rusty root also lowest in nursery soil type 1. As the salinity of nursery soil increased, so did the occurrence of physiological disorder in ginseng seedling. The cause of salinity increasing in nursery soil has closely relation to NO3-N, P2O5 and Na+ content. Plant height, root length, diameter and weight were longer and heavier in nursery soil type 1 (mixing ratio of peat-moss, perlite and leaf mould was 50 : 20 : 30 based in volume) than in other types of nursery soil. So nursery soil type 1 was selected for raising seedling of ginseng. pH and electric conductivity (EC) of selected nursery soil type 1 was 5.55 and 0.13 dS/m. Contents of NO3-N and P2O5 were 21.0 and 40.0 mg/L, and K+ 0.36, Ca2+ 3.38, Mg2+ 2.01 and Na+ 0.09cmol+/L, respectively.