Broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV2) is a species in the genus Fabavirus and family Secoviridae, which is transmitted by aphids and has a wide host range. The BBWV2 genome is composed of two single-stranded, positive-sense RNAs, RNA-1 and RNA-2. The representative symptoms of BBWV2 are mosaic, mottle, vein clearing, wilt, and stunting on leaves, and these symptoms cause economic damage to various crops. In 2019, Perilla fructescens leaves with mosaic and yellowing symptoms were found in Geumsan, South Korea. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) was performed with specific primers for 10 reported viruses, including BBWV2, to identify the causal virus, and the results were positive for BBWV2. To characterize a BBWV2 isolate (BBWV2-GS-PF) from symptomatic P. fructescens, genetic analysis and pathogenicity tests were performed. The complete genomic sequences of RNA-1 and RNA-2 of BBWV2-GS-PF were phylogenetically distant to the previously reported BBWV2 isolates, with relatively low nucleotide sequence similarities of 76-80%. In the pathogenicity test, unlike most BBWV2 isolates with mild mosaic or mosaic symptoms in peppers, the BBWV2-GS-PF isolate showed typical ring spot symptoms. Considering these results, the BBWV2-GS-PF isolate from P. fructescens could be classified as a new strain of BBWV2.

토마토반점위조바이러스 (TSWV)는 고추, 토마토 등 경제적으로 중요한 작물에 심각한 피해를 주는 바이러스들 중 한 종이다. TSWV의 넓은 기주범위, 매개충인 총채벌레 방제의 어려움 및 TSWV의 효과적인 치료제가 없기 때문에, 저항성 품종을 사용하는 것이 TSWV를 예방하는 가장 효과적인 수단이 될 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 토마토에서 분리된 TSWV 분리주 (SW-TO2)의 유전학적·생물학적 특성을 구명하고, 최근에 국내에서 분리된 구기자, 머위, 당귀 TSWV 분리주와 비교하였다. 순수분리된 SW-TO2는 28 종의 지표식물 중 토마토를 포함한 17종에서 원형반점, 모자이크 증상 등 전신감염 증상을 보였다. SW-TO2의 유전자 계통분석 결과 국내에서 분리된 고추, 구기자 TSWV 분 리주와 98~99%의 상동성을 보이며 같은 그룹에 속하였다. TSWV 저항성 평가를 위한 생물검정법을 확립하고, 시판되고 있는 고추와 토마토 품종을 대상으로 4종의 TSWV 분리주에 대한 저항성 평가를 검정하였다. TSWV 저항성 평가는 첫째, 접종엽에 괴사반점 증상이 나타나거나 병징이 없는 경우, 둘째, 상엽에 병징이 없는 경우, 셋째, 상엽을 RT-PCR 진단한 결과 음성이 나왔을 경우 등 3가지 조건이 다 충족될 때 저항성으로 평가하였다.

Geminiviruses are plant-infecting viruses with monopartite or bipartite single-stranded circular DNA genomes. They are known to be mediated by insects such as whiteflies, treehoppers, leafhoppers or aphids and can cause devastating plant diseases in a wide range of economically significant crops worldwide. In Korea, occurrence of geminiviruses were reported officially after the 2000s. Although Honeysuckle yellow vein virus (HYVV) and Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV) were identified from honeysuckle and sweet potato in 2004 and 2006 respectively, these viruses did not spread and cause much concern for geminiviruses. In 2008, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) that has caused severe tomato production loss in many subtropical and tropical countries was first reported in tomato plants cultivated in Tongyeong. TYLCV rapidly spread through the country and has been continuously reported from tomato cultivating areas in Korea. In addition to TYLCV, Tobacco leaf curl virus and Sweet potato golden vein associated virus have occurred. In recent years, new geminiviruses including Papaya leaf curl Guangdong virus (PaLCGdV) and Euphorbia leaf curl virus (EuLCV) have been introduced. Newly emerging geminiviruses from tropical and subtropical countries are due to increased demand for various fruits and vegetables, and climate change. In addition, there are reports that some geminiviruses including TYLCV can be transmitted by infected seeds. Therefore it is important to study on epidemiology of virus introduction and spread among the countries and within country.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) causes a highly serious disease in tomatoes in many countries. The most important thing in management is the prevention of virus transmission. TYLCV had been known to be only transmitted by a vector, the sweetpotato whitelfy, Bemisia tabaci. However, we identified two other important routes of TYLCV transmission into tomatoes. It is seed-transmissible. Many seeds available in domestic and global markets were infected by TYLCV. It is also infective into various weeds and other horticultural crops and transmit virus through vector insects. Therefore, we need a new strategy for the virus and vector management.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a rapid, specific, cost-effective detection method by amplifying nucleic acid under isothermal conditions. In this study, we used LAMP for detection of Hamiltonella defensa that lives as a facultive endosymbiont of whitefly ‘Bemisia tabaci’. We designed the Hamiltonella-specific primers by targeting 16S ribosomal RNA gene and validated the specificity of one primer set. To find the optimum temperature for our primer set, the LAMP reaction was held at the temperature, 60℃, 62℃ and 65℃. As a result, 62℃ was the optimum reation temperature for LAMP reaction. Specificity of primer set was tested by the reaction to both Trialeurodes vaporariorum and B. tabaci. After the whole procedure, the amplicons by LAMP were visualized by adding SYBR Green to the reaction tube.

Field surveys for the B. tabaci species complex were conducted from 2009 to 2013 in Korea, and the results were compared with published data of the B. tabaci complex. Three species, Mediterranean, Middle East-Asia Minor 1, and JpL, were determined from several regions based on mitochondrial COI sequences. The Mediterranean was mainly collected in greenhouses, displacing the earlier invasive species, Middle East-Asia Minor, and the JpL was collected in the field. The JpL is newly confirmed as a unique species of B. tabaci complex in Korea and Japan.

Rice planthoppers (RPH) such as brown planthoppers (BPH), small brown planthoppers (SBPH), and white-backed planthoppers (WBPH) have been serious constraints to the rice production in Asian countries. It is important to manage their outbreak through the international cooperative network between concerned countries. RDA initiated a regional AFACI (Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative) project for this purpose. And to facilitate information exchange of planthopper scouting data and technical knowledge between AFACI member countries, the internet-based AMIVS (www.amivs.org) Platform was being operated since 2011. In this system, scouting data includes daily light trap, aerial net data and weekly field collection data on BPH, WBPH, and SBPH and virus occurrence in scouting fields. Analysis results of the 2012 light trap and field collection data showed that each country or region has unique seasonal dynamics and dominance pattern of planthoppers according to the cropping pattern and environment. The high BPH density was mainly observed in Thailand and Vietnam. In other coutries, BPH density was rather low. Now, more and more scouting sites and data from member countries are entered in this system regularly, and we could expect that more substantial scouting information could be produced and shared in near future.

The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is one of the most important agricultural pests by direct feeding and begomovirus transmission in the world. B. tabaci species complex consisting of about 30 species worldwidely has been mainly distinguished by molecular methods because of difficulties detecting morphological differences. In Korea, distribution of two exotic groups, the Mediterranean (Q biotype) and the Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (B biotype), were confirmed by comprehensive molecular methods in 2012. Of them, the Q biotype as a vector of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) has caused significant crop yield losses. Tobacco leaf curl virus (TbLCV), one of four begomoviruses in Korea, was first reported in 2011. It damaged, although not frequent, to greenhouse tomatoes at Iksan, Gimje, Sunchang, and Jeju. The vector transmitting TbLCV, however, is not known yet. In this study, we sampled an unknown B. tabaci populations on leaves of the Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) at Iksan in outdoor conditions. PCR analysis revealed that some populations were infected with TbLCV. We identified an unknown indigenous genetic group named as JpL and clarified its phylogenetic relationships based on nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene.

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, acts as a vector of more than 100 plant viruses. B. tabaci is known to harbor a primary endosymbiont (Portiera) and 6 secondary endosymbionts (Arsenophonus, Cardinium, Fritschea, Hamiltonella, Rickettsia and Wolbachia). These endosymbionts play important roles in the acquisition and transmission of plant viruses. Using PCR analysis, we identified endosymbiotic bacteria in various B. tabaci populations collected from different places of Korea. Distribution of endosymbionts was different according to the biotype of B. tabaci. Subsequently, their relative densities of endosymbionts were compared between TYLCV-viruliferous and non-viruliferous populations of the Q biotype using quantitative realtime PCR. We found that the densities of Portiera, Cardinium and Hamiltonella are higher in viruliferous than non-viruliferous whiteflies. Our results suggest the role of endosymbiont for the TYLCV transmission of whiteflies.

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is a vector of more than 100 plantdiseased viruses as well as a serious pest to various horticultural crops. Virus acquisition affects the vector’s development and reproduction, but its mechanism is largely unknown. Here we compared the temperature responses between non-viruliferous and TYLCV-viruliferous Q biotype of B. tabaci. When both non-viruliferous and viruliferous whiteflies were exposed for 1 and 3 h at 4, 25, and 35°C, the mortality rate of viruliferous whiteflies is higher than nonviruliferous after exposure at 4°C and 35°C, but no differences at 25°C between them. Analysis of the expression levels of heat shock protein (hsp) genes using the quantitative realtime PCR showed that viruliferous whiteflies has higher expression in hsp70, and hsp90 at both 4°C and 35°C, but no differences at 25°C. The results suggest that vector insects may not be durable to unfavorable temperature conditions when they acquisite plant viruses.

The oral toxicities of symbiotic bacteria Photorhabdus temperata ssp temperata (Ptt), mutually associated with entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis megidis, and P. luminescens ssp. laumondii (TT01) with H. bacteriophora, were demonstrated to adults of the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Sucrose solution (25%) containing bacteria-free supernatant of culture media of symbiotic bacteria was ingested into adult whiteflies within the glass tube. Whitefly mortalities were shown similar patterns against two bacterial media. Mortalities were significantly increased to 60-64% at 36 hours and almost 100% at 60 hours after treatments. In addition, We demonstrated the effect of oral ingestion of symbiont culture media on the gene expression of B. tabaci. Several genes fluctuated those expression levels. Our results suggest that oral ingestion of symbiont culture media of entomopathogenic nematodes significantly changed metabolic rates and highly lethal to whiteflies. The use of symbiotic bacteria of entomopathogenic nematodes provides a great potential as an alternative genetic resource of Bacillus thuringiensis, a major resource of microbial insecticide.

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is a vector insect of more than 100 plant-diseased viruses as well as a serious pest of various horticultural crops. B. tabaci is a species-complex that consists of at least 24 biotypes, which show different biological characteristics including host range, fecundity, insecticide resistance and virus transmission. Here we identified biotype, endosymbiotic bacteria, and tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) acquisition of various B. tabaci populations collected in Korea. In addition, we compared those profiles with B. tabaci collected from Bangladesh and Myanmar, and the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum. PCR diagnosis of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) showed that all B. tabaci populations of Korea were Q-biotype and closely related with a subgroup I (MedBasin 1), which is indigenous to the Western Mediterranean area. Ribosomal DNA analysis of 5 endosymbionts showed that both Cardinium and Hamiltonella were detected in most tested populations while the presence of Arsenophonus, Fritschea and Wolbachia dependent on populations. Our results suggest that the acquisition of TYLCV do not related with the endosymbiont profile of B. tabaci.

The small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatelleus (Fallén), is a insect vector of Rice stripe virus (RSV) in temperate countries such as Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan. As SBPH is able to overwinter successfully in these areas, RSV disease in subsequent rice fields has been believed to be endemic. In Korea, however, the RSV disease outbreaks have been observed mainly but not continuously at some western regions since 2001, caused a severe damage to the rice production. Although many efforts are underway to explain the outbreak phenomenon, the exact related factors are not known yet. In the meantime of the study on SBPH population dynamics in 2009, we catched unusually large numbers of SBPH adults by aerial net traps, maximally over 900, in early June at western coastal counties such as Taean, Seocheon, Buan, Sinan, and Jindo in Korea. Age distribution changes of SBPH in winter and post-winter seasons at some selected fields shows that the adults might be not related to overwintering population. The adults of overwintering population emerged from early April. Newly hatched nymphs of first generation were found from mid-May. In late May, just before the unusual catch of adults, the developmental stages of SBPH were mostly below 5th instars. This means that the big adult populations would be results of mass migration of SBPH abroad. We present also spacial distribution and host relationship of overwintering population as well as viruliferous rate changes of immigratory population.

Effector-triggered immunity (ETI) is an active immune response triggered by interactions between host resistance proteins and their cognate effectors. Although ETI is often associated with the hypersensitive response (HR), various R genes mediate an HR-independent process known as extreme resistance (ER). In the soybean-Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) pathosystem, the strain-specific CI protein of SMV functions as an effector of Rsv3-mediated ER. In this study, we used the soybean (Rsv3)-SMV (CI) pathosystem to gain insight into the molecular signaling pathway involved in ER. We used genome-wide transcriptome analysis to identify a subset of the type 2C protein phophatase (PP2C) genes that are specifically up-regulated in Rsv3-mediated ER. Gain-of-function analysis of the most significantly expressed soybean PP2C gene, GmPP2C3a, showed that ABA-induced GmPP2C3a functions as a key regulator of Rsv3-mediated ER. Our results further suggest that the primary mechanism of ER against viruses is the inhibition of viral cell-to-cell movement by callose deposition in an ABA signaling-dependent manner.

This study was conducted to determine the optimal planting distance in cultivation of yacon (Polymnia sonchifolia Poeppig ＆ Endlicher). Plug seedlings were planted with 6 different plant densities of 80 ~times 60, 80 ~times 50, 70 ~times 50, 70 ~times 45, 70 ~times 40 and 60 ~times 45 cm. The plant height and the petiole length were increased with increasing the planting distance. The tallest plant height of yacon was 165.4cm with the plant density of 80 ~times 60 cm. However, branch number per plant, leaf number on main stem and stem diameter were not significantly difference among planting densities. Tuberous root was harvested 31.42 tons/ha in 70 ~times 50 cm spacing. The ratio of heavier tuberous roots than 200 g to total tuberous roots decreased significantly according to increase of planting density. Fresh weights of shoot and root, contain the crown bud, were decreased, as planting distance was shorter. Tuberous root number was fewer but its weight was heavier in wide planting than in dense planting. We think that optimal planting density is about 30,000 plants/ha, if it were to be 70 cm row spacing, intrarow spacing should calculate about 47cm.