We carried out the effect of Si levels (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mM) on ethylene and salicylic acid (SA) of hydroponically grown rice plants, after 6h, 12h and 24h of Si application. All samples were analyzed after applying wound stress for 30 minutes. In 6 h treatments, 0.5 and 1.0 mM of Si decreased ethylene production by 7% and 9.9% respectively, while elevated level of Si (2 mM) insignificantly affected ethylene production under same conditions. However 0.5 and 1 mM of Si enhanced endogenous SA contents by 2.6% and 17.3% respectively, while 2 mM of Si decreased SA contents by 3% as compared to control. Samples analyzed after 12h of 0.5, 1 mM and 2 mM Si application showed reduction of 11%, 4% and 1.7% respectively, while SA contents increased by 4% and 9.5% in 0.5 and 1 mM Si treatments. Samples analyzed after 24 h of Si treatment showed that 0.5 and 1.0 mM of Si inhibited ethylene production by 12.6% and 18.2% respectively, while 2 mM Si increased ethylene production by 11.9% as compared to control. It was observed that the SA content of rice was almost similar to control in 0.5 mM Si applied treatments, while 1 mM and 2 mM of Si increased SA contents by 6.5% and 6.9% as compared to control. It was concluded that Si alleviates the effect of wounding stress in rice by regulating ethylene and SA production.

The starch properties of two chinese yams were evaluated in this study. Amylose content ranged 13.5% to 19.3%. The swelling power of starches varied 10.98% to 11.43%. Water binding capacity in chinese yam starches ranged 93.46% to 107.21%, high WBC was observed in Ma 1. The onset temperature (To) of two chinese yam starches ranged 62.9 to 75.0~circC , peak temperature (Tp) ranged 76.2 to 84.7~circC . The PHI(peak height index) was about 4-fold higher in Anwon cultivar than in Ma 1 cultivar. SEM revealed that starches has a presence of large oval or spherical to small irregular-shape granules. Starch granule size ranged 15.23 to 15.52 ~mum , showing a typical C-type X-ray pattern.

Agricultural productivity is subjected to enormous environmental constraints, particularly to salinity and drought due to their higher magnitude of adverse impacts and worldwide distribution. Silicon (Si) was found to play a favorable role in salinity and drought stress alleviation of soybean cultivar Daewonkong. All growth attributes insignificantly improved with Si nutrition. The endogenous bioactive GA1 and GA4 content increased with the application of elevated Si level both under normal and stressful condition. JA contents sharply increased with NaCl and PEG application but decreses with Si added to salt and drought stress treatments. SA level increased with NaCl and PEG and was further enhanced with Si in the salt treated plants, but reduced with the combined application of Si and PEG. The endogenous bioactive GA1 and GA4, JA and ABA content of soybean leaves were analyzed through chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, while SA content was quantified with HPLC.

The adverse effects of salinity and drought on soybean cultivar Hwangkeumkong were also investigated. Endogenous bioactive gibberellins GA1 and GA4, jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA) content and pertinent changes in response to basic and double NaCl (70 mM & 140 mM) and PEG (8% & 16%) were examined. We found that plant growth and yield components significantly reduced with the application of NaCl and PEG during pre-flowering and post-flowering growth periods. The endogenous bioactive GA1 and GA4content decreased under elevated salt and drought stress. However, an insignificant increase in GA4level was noted with 8% PEG, applied during post-flowering growth stage. JA levels significantly increased with NaCl and PEG applications, but declined with elevated PEG applied during post-flowering period. SA level drastically reduced with NaCl, while insignificantly reduced with PEG. Endogenous ABA contents of leaves increased with elevated NaCl and PEG application. The endogenous bioactive GA1 and GA4, JA and ABA content of soybean leaves were analyzed through chromatograph/ mass spectrometer (GC/MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, while SAcontent was quantified with HPLC.

When GA4 was applied to heading stage, it was examined to understand the change of plant hormones and starch during grain filling and ripening. Exogenous gibberellin caused a dramatic decrease in endogenous ABA content. Endogenous GA4 content in both superior and inferior part was more promoted in GA4-treated rice grain than in the control. GA1 content of an inferior part was not detected in the control and GA4-treated rice otherwise GA4 was detected in all grain parts. Ripened grain rate in GA4-treated rice grain was lower than that of the control plant. Amylopectin from GA4-treated grain contained more very short chains with degree of polymerization (DP) between 4 and 8 than amylopectin from the control plant. It suggests strongly that fine structure of rice endosperm may be changed by exogenously applied GA4 in rice plants.

Gibberellic acid did not affect ethylene production, whereas gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitors triggered ethylene production in dormant tubers. Gibberellic acid did not induce sprouting of dormant tubers, however, treatment of gibberellin biosynthesis retardants enhanced sprouting rates. Sprouting rate in ancymidol-treated tubers was highest among gibberellin biosynthesis retardants. Sprouting rate of tubers treated with ancymidol increased to 91.4~% . Batatasin-III content in GA3 treated tuber was increased in the highest concentration (30~mug~;I-1) . Tubers treated with mepiquat chloride, Batatasin-I was increased steadily, but contents of Batatasin-III and V showed dramatic decrease at the 1,000~mug~;I-1) concentration. This infers that gibberellin biosynthesis retardants play key roles in promoting breaking dormancy on dormant tubers of Chinese yam.

For storage periods of tubers in Chinese yam, the levels of ~textrmGA44 and ~textrmGA20 was constant, meanwhile both ~textrmGA53 and ~textrmGA19 level were always higher than that of ~textrmGA44 and ~textrmGA20 ㆍ ~textrmGA9 content as precursor of ~textrmGA4 was not changed during storage. ~textrmGA24 content was low to below 0.2 ng for 90 days after storage, ~textrmGA36 content as precursor of ~textrmGA4 like ~textrmGA9 was about 6-8 fold higher than that of ~textrmGA9 during storage. GA contents of the two gibberellin biosynthetic pathways were gradually increased when storage periods were progressed. Bioactive GA1 content as the GA members of an early C-13 hydroxylation was always constant, and its content was very low as below 0.1ng per dry weight, meanwhile, bioactive ~textrmGA4 content as the GA members of non C-13 hydroxylation was drastically increased, also, its content was highest at 90 days after storage, and then decreased at 120 days after storage. Consequently, we suggest that ~textrmGA4 may be involved in controlling tuber sprouting in Chinese yam.

The metabolism of [14~textrmC ] ~textrmGA12 in the Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb. var. Tsukune) was examined to determine the identification of endogenous gibberellins. [14~textrmC ] ~textrmGA12 was metabolized to ~textrmGA53 , ~textrmGA44 , ~textrmGA19 , ~textrmGA20 , ~textrmGA1 , ~textrmGA8 , ~textrmGA15 , ~textrmGA24 , ~textrmGA9 , ~textrmGA36 and ~textrmGA4 . Radioactivity of GAs in non C-13 hydroxylation route was five-fold higher than that of early C-13 hydroxylation in analyzed GA-metabolites. Radioactivity of ~textrmGA4 was always four times higher than that of ~textrmGA1 at every feeding time. ~textrmGA1 radioactivity has always a lower level to below 200 DPM. The major pathway of endogenous GA metabolism in seedlings of the Chinese yam might be the non C-13 hydroxylation pathway.

Endogenous ABA and batatasins were first quantified in the stored tubers and bulbils of the Chinese yam, Dioscorea opposita Thunb. cv. 'Tsukune' by GC-MS with comparison of internal standard, and sugar content was also analyzed by HPLC with comparison of external standard. Endogenous ABA content in stored tubers and bulbils was rapidly decreased as storage period prolonged. ABA content of the bulbils was always higher than that of tuber during storage periods. All batatasins of stored tubers and bulbils at 30 days after storage decreased steadily compared to 120 days after storage. On the contrary, batatasin-Ⅲ of the stored tuber and bulbils was only decreased at 60 days after storage. In Dioscorea opposita Thunb. cv. 'Tsukune' like D. japonica, D. alata, and D. bulbifera, may be controlled by endogenous batatasins and ABA, In these compounds, batatasins rather than ABA might be closely related to dormancy-inducing compound during dormancy of the Chinese yam, Dioscorea opposita Thunb. cv. Tsukune.

The induction of enzymes and the accumulation of their end products associated with self-defense mechanism in rice were investigated. When rice leaves were irradiated with UV light, activities of diterpene cyclase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (CA4H) were induced and rice phytoalexin, momilactone A was accumulated. The content of p-coumaric acid in rice leaves was closely correlated with self-defense or allelopathic potential against barnyardgrass. UV-challenged rice leaves gave rise to the inhibition of barnyardgrass growth

Barnyardgrass had relatively higher growth vigor at the earlier growth stage than inbred rice did, showing the 2 fold higher α -amylase activity during the periods of germination and large leaf area Expansion with high net photosynthetic rate at the earlier autotrophic stage, but it performed weak growth at the late growth stage. However, the hlybrid rice Shanyou 63 had significantly higher α -amylase activity and net photosynthetic rate than that of barnyardgrass, exhibiting heterosis for two physiologica1 traits during the germination (6~12 days) and autotrophic phase, respectively. Accordingly, hybrid rice, Shanyou 63, exhibited heterotic effect at the early growing stage when were presented with barnyardgrass. Shanyou 63 exhibited stronger tillering ability, faster leaf area expansion and higher net photosynthetic rate than those of barnyardgrass.

To determine whether the enhanced UV-B causes oxidative stress, and to test the relationship between plant growth response and biochemical defense response to UV-B, two soybean plants, Keunolkong, a highly UV-B susceptible cultivar, and Danyeubkong, a less UV-B susceptible cultivar, were subjected to the enhanced UV-B [daily dose : 0.06 (control) and 11.32 (enhanced UV-B) kJ m^-2 ; UV-B_BE] for 3 weeks. Contents of malondialdehyde and total carotenoid were increased in Keunolkong compared with Danyeubkong by UV-B. In control plants, ascorbate level of Danyeubkong was 3 times higher than that of Keunolkong. The ratio of dehydroascorbate/ascorbate was highly increased in Keunolkong by UV-B. The activities of antioxidative enzyme such as superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase were increased in both cultivars by UV-B. This results indicate that enhanced UV-B caused oxidative stress in both two cultivars, especially in Keunolkong. Susceptibility of two soybean cultivars to UV-B is closely related to the levels of antioxidants such as carotenoid and ascorbate.

The experiment was conducted to determine the effects of enhanced UV-B on growth and differential responses among cultivars in soybean. The soybean cultivars subjected to enhanced UV-B irradiation at daily dose of 11.32 kJ m^-2(UV-B_BE) revealed that the growth was significantly depressed. Plant height, leaf number, leaf area and dry weight were inhibited by UV-B irradiation showing differential responses among cultivars used. Danyeubkong seems to be less sensitive to the enhanced UV-B irradiation, while Keunolkong more sensitive. Reduction of chlorophyll content was also found significantly greater to Keunolkong. Specific leaf weight, an index of leaf thickness, and flavonoid content known as UV-absorbing compounds were significantly increased in Danyeubkong by UV-B, but those in the other cultivars were not significantly affected. The results indicated that there are cultivar differences in the growth and physiological responses to the enhanced UV-B irradiation and specific leaf weight and UV-absorbing compounds in the leaves were highly related to the sensitivity of soybean by UV-B irradiation.

To define the relations between endogenous GA levels and growth and flowering in short-day plant sorghum, growth retardant BX-112 was applied to two sorghum genotypes, wild-type and phytochrome B mutant (phyB-1), which grows faster and flowers earlier than the wild-type. BX-112 and GA3 were applied as a soil drench, and plant height, culm length, and date to floral initiation were investigated. Endogenous GAs contents were measured with GC-MS-SIM. BX-112 treatments inhibited shoot growth in both genotypes and drastically reduced GA1 and GA8 levels. With increasing BX-112 concentrations, GA1 concentrations declined linearly, but caused the accumulation of intermediates from GA12 to GA20 . This result implies that GA1 is the major active endogenous GA in shoot elongation in a short day plant sorghum. The inhibition of plant growth in both of wild type and phyB-1 by BX-112 was very similar, while BX-112 effects on floral initiation in two types of plants differed significantly. Floral initiation of phyB-1 was not affected by BX-1l2, but that of wild-type was delayed as BX-1l2 concentration increased. Because BX-112 treatment causes accumulation of biosynthetic intermediates between synthetic pathway from GA12 to GA20 and because phyB-1 is altered in GA metabolism in this same region of the early C13-hydroxylation pathway, BX-112 may fail to block flowering of phyB-1.

Three different male-sterile cytoplasmic lines and their common maintainer 'Zhenshan 97B' and two elite restorer lines were used to study cytoplasmic effects on agronomic trait manifestation per se under different nitrogen supply levels. The result showed that cytoplasmic effects could be modified by nitrogen environments. The cytoplasmic effect on grain yield under 150 kg N/ha varied depending on crosses, while it was significantly negative in most crosses under both 60 and 330 kg N/ha. The correlation and path-coefficient analyses suggested that it was expected to improve cytoplasmic effects through reducing maximum tillers and increasing the percentage of productive tillers, leading to increased productive tillers and higher yield in hybrid rice by the aid of cultural practice and genetic transformation. This study also revealed that the same cytoplasm in different combinations had differential effect under the same nitrogen environment, indicating that cytoplasmic effect was produced by interaction of nuclear genes with cytoplasm rather than cytoplasm per se. These results indicated the usefulness of evaluating diverse cytoplasmic sources in various nuclear genotypes bred for hybrid rice breeding program. The finding also suggested that negative cytoplasmic effect could be effectively overcome by elite restorer lines through the interaction of nuclear genes with female cytoplasm.