An efficient method for the rapid propagation of Smilax china from axillary buds was established. Plants with thick leafage were selected from Korea native S. china population. Axillary buds of S. china collected from selected plant and were cultured in various culture media (2MS, MS, 1/2MS, WPM, B5 and SH medium). Shoot was induced from axillary bud on MS basal medium after 4 weeks of culture. 1/2MS medium showed a higher growth rate than those of the others, while the lowest shoot growth was obtained in 2MS medium. Among the sucrose concentrations, 5% sucrose was the optimum level for shoots growth from axillay buds. Among cytokinins, 0.5 mg L -1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) treatment showed the best performance on shoot multiplication, yielding average shoot multiplication forming about 2.4. Rooting was induced directly near the base of the shoot on 1/2MS medium containing with three-auxins α-napthalene acetic acid (NAA), indole acetic acid (IAA) and β-indolebutyric acid (IBA) (0.5 and 1.0 mg L -1 ). The 1.0 mg L -1 IBA treatments induced earliest rooting with maximum of root number and root growth. These rooted plantlets were successfully transferred to pots for 4 weeks hardening process, and were transferred to soil with above 90% survival rate.

The antimicrobial activities of Smilax china L. against spoilage bacteria isolated from Mang-gae rice cake were investigated and the storage stability of the Mang-gae rice cake was enhanced. Spoilage bacteria, which cause Mang-gae rice cake to rot, were isolated from commercial Mang-gae rice cake, and most of the isolated strains were identified as Bacillus sp. After the leaves, roots, shoots, and stalks of the Smilax china L. were extracted using 50% ethanol as the solvent, their antimicrobial activities were investigated using the paper disc method by treating them with 50 μL of Bacillus cereus, which is known as a major pathogenic micro-organism in foods that contain starch, as the test organism. The antimicrobial activities of the extracts were compared according to the size of the clear zones around the paper discs. The root extract showed significant antimicrobial activities. When red beans, which are used as stuffing for Mang-gae rice cake, were treated with the root extract of the Smilax china L., the viable cell count of the Mang-gae rice cake was 5.04 Log CFU/g after 48-hr storage, and the cake showed significantly slower growth of bacteria than with commercial products. These results show that treatment of red beans with Smilax china root extract could improve the storage stability of Mang-gae rice cake.