A crustose red alga, Lithophyllum neo-okamurae A.Kato, D.Basso, Caragnano, Rodondi, V.Peña & M.Baba, is reported a new record from Korea and its biogeographic distributions are extended in Korea. Lithophyllum neo-okamurae has been known as endemic species in Japan. Despite the resemblance between L. neookamurae and L. okamurae, our molecular and morphological analyses have revealed the simultaneous presence of both species in Korea. Although L. neo-okamurae and L. okamurae share morphological similarities, there are notable variations in gene sequences, with a range of 9.1-11.3% in psbA and 14.8-15.3% in rbcL. Specifically, while L. neo-okamurae is distributed throughout the entire coastline of Korea, L. okamurae is predominantly found in southern region. Furthermore, our analyses have revealed their detailed distributions in Korea.

This study aimed to develop the in vitro method using domestic commercial diets to estimate nutrient digestibility in dogs. The existing in vitro method were tested and compared with literature data to develop new in vitro method. The development of in vitro method progressed as follows: modification of pepsin solution to an activated form and supplementation with 1% lipase. All the in vitro method progressed to 4 hours of stomach simulation and 2 hours of small intestine simulation. In vivo digestibility was measured using the same diets as beagle dogs. The supplementation of lipase methods showed significantly improved (p < 0.05) DM, OM, and EE than the existing and modified pepsin solution methods. The correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in DM, OM, and EE digestibility was high (r2 = 0.889, 0.907, and 0.721, respectively), and the correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in CP and GE digestibility was medium (r2 = 0.681 and 0.536, respectively). The current in vitro method is similar to in vivo digestibility and helps potentially predict digestibility for dogs. In conclusion, this developed in vitro method suggests that it can help estimate the nutrient digestibility of dogs' diets without in vivo experiments.

Acinetospora filamentosa and Microspongium stilophorae are reported as new records from South Korea based on morphological and molecular analyses. A. filamentosa is mainly characterized by having the sparsely branched erect filaments, the scattered meristematic zones, forming crampons, plurilocular sporangia on both prostrate filaments and lower part of erect filaments, and spherical to oval unilocular sporangia formed either sessile or with a pedicel. M. stilophorae is an epiphytic thalli mostly on Stilophora sp. It is characterized by prostrate filaments with irregular cells, short erect filaments with short ramuli, phaeophycean hairs, uniseriate plurilocular sporangia on the terminal part of erect filament. Our molecular analyses of rbcL and cox1 genes reveals that A. filamentosa and M. stilophorae are nested within the clades of Acinetospora and Microspongium, respectively.

Feldmannia chitonicola is reported as a new record from Korea based on morphological studies in laboratory-cultured materials and molecular analyses. F. chitonicola is mainly characterized by a small size (1-2 mm), erect filaments mostly unbranched, plurilocular sporangia produced on both prostrate and laterally on the basal part of erect filaments, and 2 types (lanceolate and ovate) of sporangia. In our cultures, sporangia production was slower at 10°C than in 16°C and 20°C. Our molecular analyses of rbcL and cox1 genes supported its independence from other congeners reported for Korea. This is the first report of F. chitonicola for western Pacific.

Acinetospora asiatica and Botrytella reinboldii are reported as two new records from S. Korea based on morphological studies and molecular analyses. A. asiatica is mainly characterized by the presence of sparsely branched uniseriate filaments with diffused meristematic zones, the formation of crampons at right angles, and the formation of plurilocular sporangia on both prostrate and erect filaments. B. reinboldii is characterized by the presence of irregularly alternating branched uniseriate filaments attached by rhizoids, and single or clustered plurilocular sporangia with a single opening. Molecular analyses of rbcL gene revealed that A. asiatica and B. reinboldii are placed within each clade of Acinetospora and Botrytella, respectively.

The morphology, anatomy and reproduction (tetra/bisporic and male) of Lithothamnion japonicum Foslie was studied, using holotype material and materials collected from Korea. Lithothamnion japonicum is characterized based on the presence of encrusting, warty to fruticose thallus, branched or unbranched short and cylindrical protuberances, conical shaped spermatangial conceptacles, branched (dendroid) spermatangial systems formed on floor, walls, and roof of conceptacle chamber, cylindrical shaped spermatangial conceptacle canal, 9-10 cell layered spermatangial conceptacle roof, raised tetra/bisporangial conceptacles without rims, flattened tetra/ bisporangial conceptacle pore plate, 16-50 pores on each pore plate, 6-8 rosette cells surrounded by each pore, pore canal lining filaments composed of tetra/bisporangial conceptacle roof, and buried senescent tetra/bisporangial conceptacles completely infilled with relatively large and irregularly arranged calcified sterile cells. In this study, we report a new record of Lithothamnion japonicum from Korean coasts.

Bryopsis africana and Pyropia kinositae are reported for the first time on the list of Korean marine algal flora based on integrated morphological-molecular study. Bryopsis africana from Korea is recognized with distinct main axes, robust thalli, pinnately and radially branched above, and basally denuded. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that B. africana was placed within a clade of Bryopsis. Bryopsis africana differs from B. corymbosa by 2.7% gene sequence divergence. Pyropia kinositae is characterized by oblong to lanceolate thalli, entire margin, purplish red in color, twice as long as broad cells in transversal section view. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that P. kinositae was placed within a clade of Pyropia. Pyropia kinositae differs from P. tenera by 1.5-1.8%, P. ishigecola by 1.2-1.3%, and P. yezoensis by 1.5-1.8% gene sequence divergence respectively.

Detailed morphological studies and molecular analyses based on plastid-encoded rbcL gene sequences were undertaken on Peyssonnelia species, a poorly known genus from Korea. We report new records for the Korean coast, Peyssonnelia harveyana and P. rumoiana. Peyssonnelia harveyana is chiefly characterized by P. rubra-type anatomy, closely packed perithallial filaments in firm matrix, hypothallial filaments arranged in parallel rows, thalli with appressed margins, hypobasal calcification, and unicellular rhizoids. Peyssonnelia rumoiana is principally characterized by two vegetative features, hypothallial filaments arranged in a polyflabellate layer, and perithallial filaments arising from the whole upper surface of each hypothallial cell (Peyssonnelia rubra-type anatomy). Our rbcL analyses revealed that P. harveynana and P. rumoiana were placed within a clade of Peyssonnelia. We also propose the new combination, Sonderophycus cauliferus comb. nov., for previous Peyssonnelia caulifera. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that our S. cauliferus was placed within a clade of Sonderophycus.

We have used bulked segregant analysis to screen the strain-specific DNA marker associated thermophilic strain of Pleurotus eryngii. Bulked genomic DNAs of Pleurotus eryngii were amplified by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using OP-A, OP-B, OP-L, OP-P, OP-R and OP-S primers to screen the strain-specific DNA marker. A unique DNA fragment of 550 bp was amplified with OP-S07 primer from the thermophilic strain and sequenced. A sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker was designed on the basis of the determined sequence and named as OP-S07-1. The PCR analysis with the OP-S07-1 primer showed that this SCAR marker clearly distinguish the thermophilic strains from the control strains.

“Jinpumbyeo” is a new japonica rice cultivar developed from a cross between lodging tolerant semi-dwarf plant type, SR14703-60-5-GH1 and high eating quality cultivar Suweon353 by the rice breeding team of National Crop Experiment Station, RDA made in 1987

Nineteen japonica and Tongil-type rices were selected from seventy nine Korean and Japanese rice cultivars grown in 1989 based on the water uptake behavior of milled rice under the room temperature and boiling conditions. The selected rice cultivars were investigated for water absorbability and some physicochemical characteristics of milled rice, proper water amount for cooking and sensory evaluation of cooked rice. The relationships among the tested grain properties were also examined. The highest varietal variation of water uptake rate was observed at twenty minutes after soaking in water. The maximum water uptake of milled rices at room temperature occurred mostly at about eighty minutes after soaking in water. Newly harvested rices showed a significantly lower water uptake rate of milled rice at 20 minutes after soaking, a relatively higher maximum water absorption ratio under the room temperature, and the less water uptake and volume expansion of boiled rice compared with the one-year old rice samples. The water uptake rate and the maximum water absorption ratio showed significantly negative correlations with the K/Mg ratio and alkali digestion value(ADV) of milled rice. The rice materials showing the higher amount of hot water absorption exhibited the larger volume expansion of cooked rice. The harder rices with lower moisture content revealed the higher rate of water uptake at twenty minutes after soaking and the higher ratio of maximum water uptake under the room temperature condition. These water uptake characteristics were not associated with the protein and amylose contents of milled rice ansd the palatability of cooked rice. The water/rice ratio(in w/w basis) for optimum cooking was averaged to 1.52 in dry milled rices (12% wet basis) with varietal range from 1.45 to 1.61 and the expansion ratio of milled rice after proper boiling was averaged to 2.63(in v/v basis). The water amount needed for optimum cooking was the lowest in Cheongcheongbyeo (Tongil-type rice) and the highest in Jinbubyeo, and the amount could be estimated with about 70% fittness by the multiple regression formula based on some water uptake characteristics, ADV and amylose content of milled rice as the independent variables. Nineteen rice cultivars were classified into seven groups based on scatter diagram projected by principal component analysis using eight properties related to water uptake and gelatinization of milled rice.