The objective of this study was to investigate the response of seed germination based on seed treatment of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) sterilization. Seeds of eleven species were treated with SC-CO2 at 150 bar, 55℃ and 15 min (condition of fungi sterilization). Standard germination tests were used to evaluate germinability of seeds. Compared with non-treated seeds, SC-CO2 treatment caused significant variation of germination rate in different species. Different species showed different response to SC-CO2 treatment. The results suggest that crop of Leguminosae family is suitable for SC-CO2 sterilization.

The objective of this study was to investigate the variation of Chinese milk vetch(Astragalus sinicus L.; CMV) seed quality after flowering. We tagged individual open flowers of CMV at the day of maximum flowering(11 May) in Seoul, Korea. Seed samples were harvested serially at 15, 20, 25 and 30 days after flowering(DAF). To compare with dried seeds, non-dried seeds were tested immediately after harvest and the remaining seeds were placed at room temperature for 4 weeks. Seed length, 1000 seed weight, moisture content, germination rate(GR), mean germination time(MGT), germination speed(GS), germination performance index(GPI) and physical dormancy rate(PDR) were investigated. Seed length increased to 2.6 mm and 1000 seed weight reached up to 2.2 g until 25 DAF. Seed moisture content dramatically decreased from 20 to 25 DAF. Moisture content of non-dried seed(7.5%) was similar to that of dried seed(5.5%) at 25 DAF. The rate of seed viability reached up to 94% at 25 DAF. In case of dried seed, GR increased up to 39% at 25 DAF whereas GR of non-dried seed varied from 5 to 10%. GS and GPI of dried seed were significantly higher than those of non-dried seed since 25 DAF. PDR of dried seed has decreased since 20 DAF, whereas PDR of non-dried seed has increased. GR, GS and GPI increased as PDR decreased. Our results evidenced that PDR might be one of major factor in variation of seed quality, of which development was completed at 25 DAF.

Chinese milk vetch (AstragaIus sinicus L.) is a biennial leguminous plant. Although this species is becoming a commongreen manure croP, Chinese milk vetch seed has a low germination rate due to low water permeability of the seed coat which islimiting fact

Overwintering capacity, closely related to winter hardiness, of Chinese milk vetch planted with different sowing times and sowing practices was investigated to improve the incorporation into cropping system in Korea. The tolerance to low temperature was evaluated with LT50 using leaf disc leaching method. Dry weight of CMV was reduced remarkably with delayed planting from Sep. 5 to Oct. 20. The differences in tolerance to freezing temperature were not conspicuous among CMV genotypes, however, the differences between genotype (collections at different regions) were due to the plant architecture, mainly to the leaf angle. The crouching genotype collected at central region of Korean peninsula, which showed excellent freezing tolerant, has planophile leaves. The feature of internal constituents of CMV genotypes did not show any noticeable differences with respect to the freezing tolerance which evaluated by leaf disc leaching experiment. To overcome the poor overwintering capacity, tolerant genotype should be developed by selection with considering the plant architecture. The reduction of CMV growth during overwintering period was ameliorated with furrow-sowing under late-sown condition, therefore, when the CMV is inevitably sown late after recommended time, the seeds should be sown on furrow to overcome the cold stress.

Changes in the level of metabolites in leaves and pods were examined with respect to the seed chemical composition in black soybean. There was no further increase in pod length after 42 days after flowering (DAF). Pod weight, however, persistently increase until 73 DAF, thereafter the weight was slightly lowered. The seed storage protein, however, increased drastically as the increasing rate of pod weight was lessened at 61 DAF. The accumulation of seed storage proteins was occurred conspicuously as the increasing rate of pod weight was slowed down. The chlorophyll content both in leaves and pods was drastically decreased after 50 DAF. The beginning of drastic reduction in chlorophyll content was occurred concomitantly with the reduction of soluble protein content in leaves. The sugar content in leaves showed similar tendency with chlorophyll and soluble protein content. The starch level in leaves, however, showed different changing pattern during seed development. The starch content in leaves was increased persistently until 66 DAF, thereafter the content was decreased drastically to about 55~% of maximal value at 66 DAF. Total phenolics content in leaves and the anthocyanins content in seeds were stable without noticeable increase until 66 DAF. The contents were increased dramatically after 66 DAF showing the synchronized pattern with the decrease in starch level in leaves. The levels of the selected metabolites in leaf and seed suggested that the accumulation of chemical components of black soybean seed is launched actively at 66 DAF. The profile of storage proteins was nearly completed at 61 DAF because there was no large difference in densitometric intensity among protein subunits after 61 DAF. In soybean, chemical maturation of seed begins around 61 to 66 DAF at which most metabolites in vegetative parts are decreased and remobilized into maturing seeds.

Germination and emergence habits of Chinese milk vetch (CMV) were examined to obtain the basic information for the effect of environmental conditions and cultural practices on the seedling density. Seed germination tests with different water potentials, temperatures, and soil and water depths showed the environmental effects on the characters related to seed germination in CMV. Imbibition under different temperatures reflects that initial velocity was rapid at higher temperature, however, the times to full imbibition were not different between 15 and 25~circ . The optimal germination temperature for CMV germination was ranged from 15 to 20 and the germination was highly affected by water potential of media at relatively high temperature above 20~circ . When the seeds were sown in flooded condition the germination was not proportionally affected by water depth. In addition, there was no correlation between water depth and oxygen concentration. The germination of seeds flooded by 2cm water depth were poorly germinated compared to other depths. Results indicated that the germination of submerged seeds was more highly influenced by flooding depth than the temperature, it was also affected more strongly at 10 than 20~circ . Emergence of CMV depending on the thickness of covered soil was poor when the soil layer was greater than 5cm. In the experiment with seeds collected between 22 days after flowering (OAF) and 52 DAF, the highest germination ability of CMV seeds was observed at 39 DAF and germinability was decreased subsequently as seeds became mature. The lower germinability may be due to the enhanced seed dormancy.

Introgression from genetically modified plants (GMPs) may be dependent on the genetic similarity to wild relative plants. In Korea, many wild plant species are botanically related to the cultivated plants that have a potential to be genetically transformed. The controversy for hazards of GMPs is continuing because the studies on gene flow or introgression are little. Based on the systematic criteria, we have surveyed Korean wild plant species that showed the similarity to cultivating crops. The consideration for feasibility of genetic pollution (introgression of transgene) is necessary for the successful accomplishment in the practical use of GMPs. Although the detrimental effects of GMPs on wild relatives have not been clearly verified, Korean wild plant species related to crop plant (potential GMP) have to be investigated with respect to the introgression. Korean flora consists of ca. 5,500 species. Among them, 1,448 species are classified as weed species (966 native, 325 naturalized, and 167 escaped ones), which is vulnerable to GMPs in term of introgression. We suggested the principal Korean wild plants related to major crops that might be affected by GMPs via introgression. The investigated species herein are selected based on the morphological and phenological relationship. It is necessary to verify the genetic relationship between cultivated plants and wild relatives sing more precise molecular techniques, which provide the information of likelihood for the introgression of transgene