Leaflet number of soybean controlled by Lf2 locus is the important trait in photosynthesis and plant type. The objective of this research was to identity molecular markers linked to the lf2 locus. A total of 115F2 plants were derived from a cross between normal three-leaflet type Sinpaldalkong (Lf2Lf2) and seven-leaflet mutant type T255 (lf2lf2). All leaflet counts of parents and F2 individual plants were made in the field on fully expanded leaves on the main stem when terminal growth of the main stem had ceased. One-thousand 10-mer oligonucleotide RAPD primers and 664 SSR primers were used. The segregation ratios of 3 : 1 were observed in the F2 population and the Chi-square values strongly suggested that the seven-leaflet was controlled by a single recessive gene. A genetic map was constructed from the 15 segregating markers (9 RAPDs, 5 SSRs, 1 lf2 locus). OPAD03 and OPAI13 RAPD markers were linked to the lf2 locus that controlled seven-leaflet type at a distance of 20.5 and 23.5 cM, respectively. Molecular markers identified in this study linked with lf2 locus will be helpful to locate lf2 locus on the public soybean molecular linkage map and would be useful for tagging the lf2 locus that controls seven-leaflet trait.

Leaf chlorophyll-deficient mutants controlled by y9 locus have been observed frequently and are useful in genetic stud-y9 locus. A mapping population con-sisting of 94 F2 progeny was derived from a cross between normal green leaf Clark (Y9 ) and chlorophy

Rice and weed interference in the paddy field caused by resource competition and allelopathy. Evaluation method of active weed suppressive behavior of rice to weed was developed by eliminating light competition at soil condition. Twenty eight days old rice seedlings (6-7 leaf stage) which was grown at saturated, no drainage pot were clipped above 3~~4cm from the soil surface. Weeds seeded around clipped rice stem, named ratoon seeding screening method, showed varietal suppressive difference to Echinochloa crus-galli, Echinochloa crusgalli var. praticola and Monochoria vaginalis. Potential allelopathic rice varieties, Sathi, AC1423 and PI312777 showed better suppressive activity to weed seedling growth than Nonganbyeo and Keumobyeo. Weed suppression of one plant of rice cultivars could be evaluated by the cell size of 2.5~times2.5cm at rice clipping of seedling 29 days after rice seeding.

The production of sweet (su) and super sweet corns (sh2) has been economically feasible in Korea in recent years. Major factors limiting super sweet corn production are low germination and low seedling vigor. Since seed quality is closely related to seed maturity, the optimum harvest time for the seed production of sweet and super sweet corns was studied and the quality of seeds with varying maturities was investigated in 2001 and 2002 cropping seasons. The parents of the sweet corn seeds were Hybrid Early Sunglow and 'Golden Cross Bantam 70' and those of super sweet corn were Xtrasweet 82 and 'For­tune'. Seeds were harvested at 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 days after silking (DAS). As the seeds developed, seed weight of sweet corn increased and the seed moisture content decreased faster than that of super sweet corn. Germination rates of sweet corn seeds harvested 21 and 28 DAS at 25~circC and emergence rates in the cold soil test were significantly lower than those of seeds harvested after 42 DAS in both years. Although the germination rates of super sweet corn seeds with varying maturities showed similar patterns as sweet corn seeds at 25~circC , the emergence rate of super sweet corn seeds in cold soil test continuously increased with seed maturity. This suggests that seed quality of super sweet corn should be tested in a cold soil test to estimate field emergence. As the seeds developed, leakage of total sugars and electrolytes from the both sweet and super sweet corn seeds decreased up to 42 or 49 DAS. The α-amylase activities of both sweet and super sweet corn seeds increased with seed maturity from 21 to 35 or 49 DAS depending on genotype and year. The optimum harvest time for the seed production of sweet corn was 42 DAS and 49 DAS for super sweet corn considering emergence rate and plumule dry weight in the cold soil test, leakage of sugars and electrolytes from the seeds, and α-amylase activity.