In April 2009 two wheat cropping fields, Jeonju and Gimje in Jeonbuk Province, showed yellowish leaves and dead tillers in stem bases with sharp lens-shaped darken lesions. The disease incidence in wheat cultivar Jopummil ranged from 2.2 to 43.5%, with a mean incidence of 28.5%. The different incidence was related the seeding date. Earlier seeding (15th October) fields showed severe incidence as 25.5 to 43.5% while late seeding around the end of October weakened incidence in the cultivar. Based on morphology and pathogenic characteristics, the fungus was identified as Rhizoctonia cerealis that causes sharp eyespot in wheat. The disease severely affected growth and yield including culm length, spike length, number of kernel. The average culm length of the infected cv. Jopummil was 66 cm while that of healthy plant was 74 cm. The number of kernel and tiller per unit area was decreased only in the case of more than 13% incidence, but the length of heads was not significantly different compared with that of the healthy plants.

This study attempted to verify the possibility of using germ cell aspiration (GCA) method as a non-fatal technique in studying the life-history of equilateral venus, Gomphina veneriformis (Veneridae) and granular ark, Tegillarca granosa (Arcidae). Using twenty-six gauge 1/2" (12.7mm) needle, GCA was carried out in equilateral venus through external ligament. In granular ark, GCA was performed by preventing closure of the shells by inserting a tongue depressor between the shells while still open. The success rate of sex identification using the GCA method was 95.6% for the equilateral venus (n=650/680) and 94.3% for the granular ark (n=707/750). Mortality of equilateral venus, which spent 33 days under wild conditions, was 13.8% (n=90/650) while the mortality of granular ark, which spent 390 days under wild conditions, was 2.4% (n=17/707). Although we believe that GCA does not appear to cause death in equilateral venus or granular ark, the success rate in employing of this methodology may differ depending on the level of proficiency of the researcher and reproductive stage of the bivalve. This study concludes that GCA is a convenient non-fatal methodology, which can be employed to identify sex and investigate gonadal maturity in Gomphina veneriformis and Tegillarca granosa.