Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch; TSSM) is an agriculturally serious pest tat has acquired strong resistance against acaricide. Alternatively, mite-pathogenic fungi could be used to control the mites. The spider mite has symbiotic microorganisms which could be involved in the physiological and ecological adaption to biotic stress. In this study, mite-pathogenic fungi were used to control female adults, and the change of microbiome in the fungus-infected mites was analyzed. The acaricidal activity of fungal isolates was tested, and Akanthomyces attenuatus JEF-147 with the highest acaricidal activity was determined, followed by semi-field assay. Microbiome in the female adults which was infected by A. attenuatus JEF-147 was analyzed, and composition of microorganism was changed by fungal treatment. In bacteria abundance, the arthropod defense-related Rickettsia increased, but reproduction-associated Wolbachia decreased. The change in major bacterial abundance in the infected mites could be explained by the trade-off between reproduction and immunity. This work describes that a possible trade-off in arthropods against fungal pathogens could be predicted by the microbiome analysis.

Climate change has led to increased insect pests and pest distribution changes. Traditionally, chemical control using synthetic pesticides has been the main method for pest management, but the emergence of pesticide-resistant pests has become a problem. There is a need to develop new pest control agents to overcome these issues. Entomopathogenic fungi used in pest management have minimal environmental side effects and possess a mechanism of action distinct from that of synthetic pesticides. However, there is a need for the development of technologies to maximize the insecticidal effects of fungi against pests, and expressing and releasing dsRNA within the fungi can preemptively knock out the activation of the insect’s defense system, thereby enhancing the insecticidal effect. Controlling insect defense genes and using entomopathogenic fungi as bio-carriers forms a new pest management strategy. This approach, described as a “microbial insecticide agents development strategy of cassette concept, ” can versatilely modify genes and microbes. It is expected to overcome the limitations of synthetic pesticides.

This study presents a rapid and sequential radiochemical separation method for Pu and Am isotopes in radioactive waste samples from the nuclear power plant with anion exchange resin and TRU resin. After radionuclides were leached from the radioactive waste samples with concentrated HCl and HNO3, the sample was allowed to evaporate to dryness after filtering the leaching solution with 0.45 micron filter. The Pu isotopes were separated in HNO3 medium with anion exchange resin. For leaching solution passed through anion exchange column, the Am isotopes were separated with TRU resin. The purified Pu and Am isotopes were measured by alpha spectrometer, respectively, after micro-precipitation of neodymium. The sequential radiochemical separation of Pu and Am isotopes in radioactive waste samples using anion exchange resin and TRU resin was validated with ICP-MS system.

본 연구는 주변 환경의 차이에 따른 화분매개곤충의 유입 특성을 파악하기 위하여 국립수목원 내 진화속을걷 는정원과 부추속전문전시원에 식재된 울릉산마늘의 화분매개곤충을 조사하였다. 2023년 5월 22일부터 6월 2일 까지 꽃이 70% 이상 개화하였을 때 포충망을 활용하여 8일간 곤충을 채집하였고, 각 전시원 별 식생(피도), 기후 (온도·습도·조도)를 조사하였다. 조사 결과 진화속을걷는정원에서 피도 60% 온도 26.4℃, 습도 31.5%, 조도 40953.6lx, 화분매개곤충 20과 450개체, 부추속전문전시원은 피도 90%, 온도 25.6℃, 습도 31.6%, 조도 6387lx, 화분매개곤충 15과 196개체로 나타났다. 온도와 조도가 상대적으로 높은 진화속을걷는정원이 채집된 곤충의 다양성과 방문 빈도가 높았다. 시간대별 곤충의 방문 빈도를 비교해본 결과 온도와 조도는 개체수가 증가할 때 같이 증가하는 경향을 보였으며, 습도는 반대의 경향을 보였다.

Root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, inflicts significant greenhouse crop damage, causing over 40% economic losses. While chemical agents effectively control RKN, they leave harmful residue in soil and crops. To address this issue, we investigated soil-derived entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) in this study. We assessed the nematicidal impact of ten EPF species through in vivo and in vitro tests. Beauveria bassiana JEF-503 exhibited nematicidal effectiveness exceeding 65% in both experimental settings. In a semi-field test using greenhouse pots, we experimented with the application of B. bassiana JEF-503 suspension during tomato growth, which is an uncommon practice in comparison to chemical treatments due to residue concerns. B. bassiana JEF-503 was applied during transplantation, and the same application was repeated four weeks later. JEF-503 One-time and abamectin treatments were used as control groups. The JEF-503 two-time application notably reduced root damage compared to single JEF-503 or abamectin treatment. In conclusion, JEF-503 offers a promising, residue-free, and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical agents for RKN management.

In 2022, research for native prokaryotic species in Korea reported 10 unrecorded bacterial strains affiliated to phyla Actinomycetota, Bacillota, and Pseudomonadota. The strains formed monophyletic clades with the most closely related species (with ≥98.7% sequence similarity) in the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among them, four species of the phylum Actinomycetota, two species of the phylum Bacillota, and four species of the phylum Pseudomonadota have not been reported in Korea, suggesting unrecorded species in Korea. Information on strains such as Gram staining reaction, colony and cell morphology, biochemical characteristics, and isolation sources were provided in the species description.

This study was conducted to calculate the damage of Italian ryegrass (IRG) by abnormal climate using machine learning and present the damage through the map. The IRG data collected 1,384. The climate data was collected from the Korea Meteorological Administration Meteorological data open portal.The machine learning model called xDeepFM was used to detect IRG damage. The damage was calculated using climate data from the Automated Synoptic Observing System (95 sites) by machine learning. The calculation of damage was the difference between the Dry matter yield (DMY)normal and DMYabnormal. The normal climate was set as the 40-year of climate data according to the year of IRG data (1986~2020). The level of abnormal climate was set as a multiple of the standard deviation applying the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standard. The DMYnormal was ranged from 5,678 to 15,188 kg/ha. The damage of IRG differed according to region and level of abnormal climate with abnormal temperature, precipitation, and wind speed from -1,380 to 1,176, -3 to 2,465, and -830 to 962 kg/ha, respectively. The maximum damage was 1,176 kg/ha when the abnormal temperature was -2 level (+1.04℃), 2,465 kg/ha when the abnormal precipitation was all level and 962 kg/ha when the abnormal wind speed was -2 level (+1.60 ㎧). The damage calculated through the WMO method was presented as an map using QGIS. There was some blank area because there was no climate data. In order to calculate the damage of blank area, it would be possible to use the automatic weather system (AWS), which provides data from more sites than the automated synoptic observing system (ASOS).

우리나라는 2021년 기준 OECD 국가중 화학농약 사용량 3위로 농약사용의 개선이 필요하다. 특히 범국가적인 One Health 정책 관점에서 농작물에 사용되는 항생제 농약관리도 필요하다. 현재 시행중인 PLS, 판매관리인 교육 및 농약판매기록 제도들이 선정된 농약 사용의 안정성에 초 점을 맞춘다면, 진단과 처방을 중심으로 한 식물의약사 제도는 농약 선정의 정확성을 높일 수 있는 제도이다. 국내 발생 병해충은 연간 1,000여종 이 상이며, 하나의 고위험 병해충에 적용가능한 등록약제는 100~200개로 작용기작과 처리방법 측면에서 다양하다. 정확한 진단을 바탕으로 적합한 약 제를 선정하는 처방은 수백종 이상의 병해충에 대한 전문지식과 다양한 약제에 대한 이해와 실무경험이 요구된다. 본 연구에서 농업인에 대한 설문 조사 결과, 응답자중 81% 농업인이 농약구매와 사용에 대한 전문가의 도움이 필요하며, 이중 48% 농업인들은 매우 필요하다는 의견을 제시하였다. 판매관리인에 대한 설문조사 결과, 42%의 판매관리인이 진단 및 처방에 대한 전문성 강화가 절실함을 주장하였으며, 필요성을 인지하는 판매관리 인도 44%로 확인되어, 전체적으로 42~86%의 판매관리인들이 진단 및 처방에 대한 전문성 강화에 관심이 있었다. 식물의약사 제도화 초기에 현장 경험이 많은 판매관리인을 제도권으로 수용할 수 있는 특별전형을 고려해야 한다. 병해충 종류별 등록된 농약의 저항성 수준을 자료화하고 효과적인 방제력을 구축하여 진단 및 처방의 정확성을 높여야 한다. 판매관리인은 식물의약사 자격을 경쟁 우의 차별화 전략으로 인식하고, 더 이상 판매관리 인이 아니라 식물의약사로서 “믿음이 가는 식물의약사가 처방하는 농약”의 시장 포지셔닝을 통해 매출액 향상을 도모할 수 있다. 향후 법제화를 위 한 관련법 개정, 전문성 강화 교육 커리큘럼, 자격제도 운영에 대한 실무적인 논의가 필요하다. 식물의약사 제도화를 통해 판매관리인의 전문성을 상 향 평준화 함으로서 농업 현장의 병해충 진단 및 처방 기술을 선진화하고, 국민의 건강과 직결되는 합리적인 농약 사용을 위해 노력해야 한다.

This study presents a rapid and quantitative radiochemical separation method for Nb isotopes in radioactive waste samples from the nuclear power plant with anion exchange resin after Fe coprecipitation. After radionuclides were leached from the radioactive waste samples with concentrated HCl and HNO3, the Nb isotopes were coprecipitated with Fe after filtering the leaching solution with 0.45 micron HA filter, while the Sr, Tc and Ni isotopes were in the solution. The Nb isotopes were separated in HCl medium with anion exchange resin. The purified Nb isotopes were measured using a low level liquid scintillation counter after installing quenching curve with standard Nb-94 isotopes. The separation method for Nb isotopes investigated in this study was applied to neutron dosimeter samples from the nuclear power plant after validating the Nb activity concentration with gamma spectrometry system.