The genus Chroomonas is a group of blue-green colored cryptomonads. This study describes two freshwater Chroomonas species for the first time in South Korea: Chroomonas nordstedtii Hansgirg and Chroomonas coerulea (Geitler) Skuja. We examined the morphology and ultrastructure of these species by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. These two Chroomonas species were blue-green colored and ovate to oval-shaped. Chroomonas nordstedtii was characterized by two Maupas ovals with hexagonal periplast plates, whereas C. coerulea was characterized by one eyespot with rectangular periplast plates. A molecular phylogeny with data from nuclear SSU rRNA and chloroplast rbcL genes revealed that Korean C. nordstedtii formed a distinct clade with NIES-708, NIES-1004 from Japan, and UTEX 2779 from Colorado, USA, while C. coerulea formed a clade with ACOI 1366 from Portugal.

Geneally, rice seeds regardless indica or japonica are showing low germination ratio or completely lost germination ability together with lost of good eating quality under high temperature and humidity conditions. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate a longevity for conservation of good eating quality during long term storage in rice. For the longevity evaluation, germination ability was studied after 5 days of high temperature and humidity stress (50℃/RH 95%). Dharial, originated from Bangladesh and showing weedy type with red pericarp, was selected as a good donor for longevity genes. A mutant was developed from Dharial through EMS mutagenesis and two populations of Dharial/4*Ilmibyeo and Dharial/4*Gopumbyeo were also developed for genetic study. In the 2-DE analysis followed by MALDI-TOF MS with wild and mutant lines, several candidate genes were identified. In the longevity test of two populations, a few lines showing good germination ability after high temperature and humidity stress were selected and subjected to confirm the relationships between longevity and conservation of good eating quality under long term storage.