In Korea livestock farms breeding cattle have been suffering from re-emerging problems of Brucella (B.) abortus infection while steady decline of bovine brucellosis. Therefore, this study underscored the identification and association of etiological agent of brucellosis in cattle in South Korea. The incidence of brucellosis in cattle was analyzed by bacteriological and molecular methods in 187 brucellosis-suspicious farms of 11 regions between 2018 and 2020. Brucella isolates from various specimens were identified by Brucella-specific multiplex PCR. Epidemiological data were collected by local official veterinarians through history taking from farmers and animal data systems. In 230 of 560 cattle (40.9%) and 94 of 187 farms (50.3%), a total of 313 B. abortus were isolated from various specimens, the majority of isolates were from supramammary lymph node (41%). In epidemiological findings, the majority of positive cases were mainly caused by resurgence (43.7%) and unknown (37.2%). Of 94 positive cases isolated B. abortus, abortion in cattle infected by B. abortus occurred in 51 farms (54.3%) where led to resurgence in 30 farms and environmental survival of B. abortus in 9 farms. Consequently, these findings revealed the existence of etiological agent of bovine brucellosis in Korea, which still occurred at low levels in distinct regions where are allowed to call for persistent biosecurity. Thus, we highlight that brucellosis in Korea needs to take more effective control strategies with potential evidence. Moreover it is ultimately important to maintain a constant monitoring for eradication of brucellosis.

Background: Rehmannia glutinosa is a perennial herb belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae. Its roots have been utilized as a traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to elucidate the basic information of the roots of the R. glutinosa cultivars and their utilization. Methods and Results: The roots of R. glutinosa cultivars were harvested in the end of March. The two iridoid glycosides, aucubin and catalpol, were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), whereas γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The aucubin content was the highest in the Dakang cultivar, whereas no aucubin was detected in the five cultivars. All cultivars had more than 12 ㎎/g catalpol content, and the maximum catalpol content was found in Jihwang 1. The GABA content was the highest in Suwon 1, and it was 40 times more than that in the Yeongang cultivar. Conclusions: The highest aucubin, catapol and GABA contents were detected in the Dakang, Jihwang 1, and Suwon 1, cultivars respectively. This study provides the crucial information regarding the versatile utilization and pedigree selection of R. glutinosa cultivars.

Background : Rehmannia glutinosa is a perennial herb belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae. Its roots have been utilized as a traditional medicine but the aerial parts (flower, flower stalk, leaf) were not used. In this paper, we aimed to determine the content of three compounds [aucubin, catalpol, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] in different organs of R. glutinosa. Methods and Results : The flower, flower stalk, leaf, and root of R. glutinosa were harvested in the end of August. The aucubin and catalpol were analyzed by LC/MS, whereas GABA was analyzed by GC/MS. The aucubin content was the highest in the leaf, while catalpol and GABA were the highest in the flower. The aucubin content of in the leaf was 1.43, 0.81, and 1.07 ㎎/g, respectively. The catalpol content of flower in Dakang, Tokang, and Suwon 9 was 41.06, 28.78 and 37.48 ㎎/g, respectively. The GABA content of flower in Dakang, Tokang, and Suwon 9 were 0.79, 0.76 and 0.65 ㎎/g, respectively. Conclusions : The contents of aucubin, catalpol, and GABA were higher in leaf and flower than that of root. This study provides the important information of R. glutinosa leaf and flower as a potential supplement.

Background: Rehmannia glutinosa is a perennial herb belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae. Its root has been utilized as a traditional medicine but the aerial parts (flower, flower stalk, leaf) are not used. We aimed to determine the content of three compounds [aucubin, catalpol, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] in the different organs of R. glutinosa cultivars (Dakang, Tokang, and Suwon 9) Methods and Results: The flower, flower stalk, leaf, and root of R. glutinosa were harvested at the end of August. The aucubin and catalpol contents were analyzed by LC/MS, whereas the GABA content was analyzed by GC/MS. The aucubin content was the highest in the leaf, while catalpol and GABA were the highest in the flower. The aucubin contents of leaf in Dakang, Tokang, and Suwon 9 were 1.43, 0.81, and 1.07㎎/g, respectively. The catalpol contents of flower in Dakang, Tokang, and Suwon 9 were 41.06, 28.78, and 37.48㎎/g, respectively, the GABA contents were 0.79, 0.76, and 0.65㎎/g, respectively. Conclusions: The aucubin, catalpol, and GABA contents were higher in the leaf and flower than that in the root. This study show that R. glutinosa leaf and flower can be used as a potential supplement.

Soybean is a crop of importance economically and nutritionally in many parts of the world. Thanks to many new genes brought from genomic research, It is possible to introduce various candidate genes through genetic transformation to see the performance of the genes in field. In our lab, soybean transformations have been tried for last 10 years to probe the possibility of traits improvement by transformation of new gene into soybean. For this purpose, three different genes were transformed into Korean soybean variety, Kwangan. First, the gene that controls early flowering of plant was transformed into Kwangan. Second, a candidate gene for soybean mosaic virus (SMV) resistance was transformed to produce transgenic plants. Third, another candidate gene for drought tolerance was transformed. All the transgenic plants from three genes transformation were produced for their gene insertion and their expression using PCR, qRT-PCR. Further analysis including harvesting seeds is currently undertaken.

This experiment was carried out to compare the morphological traits of Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Southeast Asian(SEA) soybeans from RDA genebank. Days to flowering were ranged from 51 to 125 days with an average of 75 days. Those of China were the shortest with an average of 58 days and those of SEA were the longest with an average of 99 days. Growth days were the shortest with 94 days from China, and longest with 188 days from Korea and SEA. The 100 seed weight of soybeans was ranged from 3.4g to 46.4g, with an average 22.2g. The 100 seed weight was the lightest with an average 11.8g from SEA and the heaviest with an average 24.6g from Korea. In growth habit, over 50% of being collected from Korea, Japan and China were erect type, but 94% from SEA were intermediate type. The highest percentage of seed coat color was yellow(66.1%), followed by yellowing green(10.0%). As a result of cotyledon color in 760 black seed was 76.1% with yellow, 23.9% with green. Green cotyledon was much more in Korea(38.6%) and Japan(33.3%) than other countries. One thousand seven accessions from Korea, Japan, China and SEA were analyzed using 7 SSR markers. One hundred eighty alleles were detected with a lowest 16 at the Satt537 and a highest 35 at the Satt390. The average polymorphism information content(PIC) was 0.68, the highest with 0.7 in Japan. Gene diversity was the highest with 0.73 in China and Japan, while the lowest in SEA with 0.68.

ORE7 gene incorporated into 3 different promoters including pCKLSL-35S, pCKLSL-TP and pCSENIF was transformed to Korean soybean variety Kwangan using highly efficient soybean transformation system. The gene is known to exhibit a delayed leaf senescence phenotype in Arabidopsis. Fourteen, Fifteen and nine transgenic plants were produced from pCKLSL-35S::ORE7, pCKLSL-TP::ORE7 and pCSENIF::ORE7, respectively. Moreover, transgenic plants were confirmed for gene introduction and their expression using PCR, qRT-PCR and RT-PCR. To identify the transgene insertion events, the analysis of flanking sequence was determined. As a results, T-DNA was integrated intergenically in transgenic line 1 of pCKLSL-35S::ORE7 and line 1 of pCSENIF::ORE7. Currently, flanking sequence analysis with pCKLSL-35S::ORE7, pCKLSL-TP::ORE7 and pCSENIF::ORE7 is carrying out to investigate the stable T-DNA insertions.