There is little information about the seed longevity of wild plants, although seed bank storage is an important tool for biodiversity conservation. This study was conducted to predict the seed viability equation of Agastache rugosa. The A. rugosa seeds were stored at moisture contents ranging from 2.7 to 12.5%, and temperatures between 10 and 50℃. Viability data were fitted to the seed viability equation in a one step and two step approach. The A. rugosa seeds showed orthodox seed storage behaviour. The viability constants were KE=6.9297, CW=4.2551 CH=0.0329, and CQ=0.00048. The P85 of A. rugosa seeds was predicted to 152 years under standard seed bank conditions. The P85 predicted by seed viability equation can be used as basic information for optimization of seed storage processes.

Two cherry tomato plant cultivars (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller, cultivars ‘Koko’ and ‘Pepe’) were supplied with high (395 ppm), medium (266 ppm) and low (199 ppm) concentrations of nitrogen to determine the influence of nitrogen fertilization on development, cultivar preference and honeydew production by greenhouse whiteflies, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). The nitrogen, protein, andchlorophyll content of tomato leaves were higher in the high nitrogen supplied plants than in the medium or low nitrogen supplied plants, but the sugar content showed an inverse relationship. The developmental times of eggsand nymphs decreased as the nitrogen concentrations increased in both cultivars. The preference of T. vaporariorum was compared by counting the number of eggs deposited on leaves in choice and non-choice tests. In the non-choice test, no significant nitrogen treatment effects were observedbut the upper plant stratum was preferred for egg laying. In the choice test, there were significant main effects of cultivar and nitrogen concentration. T. vaporariorum laid eggs more on leaves of plants with higher nitrogen at the upper stratum. In both experiments, T, vaporariorum preferred the ‘Koko’ cultivar to the ‘Pepe’ cultivar. The honeydew production of T. vaporariorum nymphs increased with decreasing nitrogen treatment concentrations. The largest honeydew production was detected in the ‘Pepe’ cultivar grown at low nitrogen concentration. It is concluded that cultivar ‘Pepe’ had an advantage over ‘Koko’ in term of T. vaporariorum management program in tomato greenhouses.

Excessive soil water at vegetative growth stages during the rainy season induces yield losses in soybeans. Our objectives were to obtain basic information about the cultivar differences and to understand the stress-tolerance process for due to excessive soil water. Previous experiments revealed soybean genotypic differences in tolerance to excessive soil water. A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of Korea University near Seoul on 21 May 1998. Soybean[Glycine max (L.) Merrill] cultivars, 'Hannamkong' (sensitive) and 'Taekwan-gkong'(tolerant) were planted in vinyl-lined plots(1.2 x 4.2 x 0.3 m deep) and control plots. Drip irrigation began at VI growth stage to submerge the soil surface. Three weeks of excessive soil water treatment reduced all growth parameters measured to soybean plants. Excessive soil water stress resulted in decreases of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Cu, and increases of Fe and Mn contents in soybean leaves. The stress index of tolerant cultivars under excessive soil water showed no large difference in soybean growth characteristics measured at three growth stages. However, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn contents in soybean leaves appeared to differ between sensitive and tolerant cultivars. From the above results, stress and tolerance indices are proposed for a method to test cultivar differences in plant responses within a species under adverse growth environments.

Production of medicinal soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], characterized with black seed, white stripe at hilum border, yellow cotyledon and small seed, is increasing with increasing consumption. The objective of this study was to investigate the chemical composition of medicinal soybean seed and to provide basic information, for the characterization of these soybeans among genetic resources. Forty-four lines of medicinal soybeans collected from Korea and two control cultivars, 'Hwangkeumkong' (Yellow seed coat) and 'Geomjeongkong l' (Black seed coat) were planted at the Research Farm of the College of Natural Resources, Korea University, located at Namyangju City on May 25, 1996. Seeds of these lines were harvested at full maturity and analyzed for protein, oil, sugar, starch and mineral contents. Mean protein and oil content of the medicinal line seeds were 42.6 and 16.1%, respectively, and those of the control cultivars were in the middle range for protein and oil content. However, sugar and starch content of the medicinal line seeds appeared to be in the lower range of the distributions compared to the control cultivars and were 10.0 and 1.68%, respectively. Mean P, K, Ca, and Mg contents of the seeds of medicinal soybean lines were 15.9, 21.5, 3.11, and 2.81 mg/g, respectively, indicating that these lines had higher P, K, and Mg and lower Ca contents when compared to the control cultivars. Mean Na and Fe contents were 671 and 224 mg/kg, respectively, showing lower Na and similar Fe contents. The observed results provided that chemical compositions of medicinal soybean were, on average, different from those of the general soybean cultivars.