In this study, we investigated the relationships between benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and various environmental factors in Iancheon (NIA) and Bukcheon (NBC) streams, Korea. We collected benthic macroinvertebrates and 33 environmental factors in April 2017 at 9 sites (5 sites in NIA and 4 sites in NBC). We identified 93 species (5 phyla, 9 classes, 16 orders, and 53 families) and 69 species (5 phyla, 9 classes, 17 orders, and 47 families) in NIA and NBC streams, respectively. Considering benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMI), NIA (88.2) and NBC (80.2) streams were in “very good” status. Upstream areas showed the highest scores, 95.5 (NIA1) and 94.2 (NBC1), whereas BMI score was the lowest in downstream areas of both streams, especially in NBC4 (51.0 “bad” status). Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis represented the differences of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages according to spatial and anthropogenic gradients. Our findings provide reference data and highlight the need for the continued monitoring to maintain the good status and manage macroinvertebrate diversity in these two streams, in Sangju-si, Korea.

The PepMoV has been considered the most frequently detected potyvirus. When it co-infects with CMV or PMMoV, it gives severe impact to total pepper harvest in Korea. Since F1 hybrid that resistant to PepMoV has not been developed, we have developed transgenic peppers using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with a Hc-Pro gene of the PepMoV. A large number of GM peppers were tested for resistance to the PepMoV, and after consequent self-crossing up to T4 generation, a highly tolerant pepper to PepMoV called T20 was selected. So far, BC4F1 lines have been selected by back-crossing with 4 elite lines through a breeding program. Very recently, based on molecular analysis, we have selected another event, #10-2, which is also resistant to PepMoV. Horticultural difference was investigated for both GM lines, #T20 and 10-2, and no significance was found comparing to non-GM lines.

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), a member of Potyviridae family, is one of the most typical viral diseases and results in yield and quality loss of cultivated soybean. Due to the depletion of genetic resources for resistance breeding, a trial of genetic transformation to improve disease resistance has been performed by introducing SMV-CP and HC-Pro gene by RNA interference (RNAi) method via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants were infected with SMV strain G5 and investigated the viral response. As a result, two lines (3 and 4) of SMV-CP(RNAi) transgenic plants and three lines (2, 5 and 6) of HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants showed viral resistance. In genomic Southern blot analysis, most of lines contained at least one T-DNA insertion in both SMV-CP(RNAi) and HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants. Subsequent investigation confirmed that no viral CP and HC-Pro gene expression was detected in two SMV-resistant lines of SMV-CP(RNAi) and three lines of HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants, respectively. On the other hand, non-transgenic plants and other lines showed viral RNA expression. Viral symptoms affected seed morphology, and clean seeds were harvested from SMV-resistant line of SMV-CP(RNAi) and HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants. In addition, strong viral gene expression was detected from seeds of SMV-susceptible non-transgenic plants and SMV-susceptible transgenic lines. When compared the viral resistance between SMV-CP(RNAi) and HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants, soybean transgenic plants with the HC-Pro gene using RNAi strategy showed much stronger and higher frequency of viral resistance.

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), a member of Potyviridae family, is one of the most typical viral diseases and results in yield and quality loss of cultivated soybean. Due to the depletion of genetic resources for resistance breeding, a trial of genetic transformation to improve disease resistance has been performed by introducing SMV-CP and HC-Pro gene by RNA interference (RNAi) method via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants were infected with SMV strain G5 and investigated the viral response. As a result, two lines (3 and 4) of SMV-CP(RNAi) transgenic plants and three lines (2, 5 and 6) of HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants showed viral resistance. In genomic Southern blot analysis, most of lines contained at least one T-DNA insertion in both SMV-CP(RNAi) and HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants. Subsequent investigation confirmed that no viral CP and HC-Pro gene expression was detected in two SMV-resistant lines of SMV-CP(RNAi) and three lines of HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants, respectively. On the other hand, non-transgenic plants and other lines showed viral RNA expression. Viral symptoms affected seed morphology, and clean seeds were harvested from SMV-resistant line of SMV-CP(RNAi) and HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants. In addition, strong viral gene expression was detected from seeds of SMV-susceptible non-transgenic plants and SMV-susceptible transgenic lines. When compared the viral resistance between SMV-CP(RNAi) and HC-Pro(RNAi) transgenic plants, soybean transgenic plants with the HC-Pro gene using RNAi strategy showed much stronger and higher frequency of viral resistance.

CGMMV (cucumber green mottle mosaic virus) infects many cucurbitaceae species causing mosaic symptoms, yellowish leaf, and fruit deterioration. Several isolates of CGMMV from Korea, Israel, Japan, Greece and Spain have been characterized. In fact, CGMMV outbreaks have caused huge losses in the total yields of cucurbitaceous crops in Korea. Unfortunately, no genetic source is available for the resistance against CGMMV infection, and therefore, the breeding management offers no access to a solution yet. Thus, an alternative was to transform the viral gene such as CGMMV-CP into crops to induce tolerance against CGMMV. Here, we present the successful transformation of watermelon rootstock (gongdae) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with the CGMMV-CP gene. We obtained 29 independent T0 watermelon rootstock plants from the transformation of 7,887 explants. T0 plants were self-crossed and T1 plants were screened by the virus infection. Those gongdaes tolerant to virus were selected continuously, and BC2T1 and T3 generation were obtained. We have also obtained watermelons of BCF generation by crossing GM gongdae to watermelon line and those BCF watermelones were strongly tolerant to CGMMV.

Korean soybean variety Kwangan was transformed with coat protein (CP), helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro), and ABRE binding factor 3 (ABF3) genes using highly efficient soybean transformation system. Among these genes, CP and HC-Pro were transformed using RNAi technology. Transgenic plants with CP were confirmed for gene introduction and their expression using PCR, real-time PCR, RT-PCR, Southern blot, and Northern blot. To investigate the response of viral infection with CP, T1 plants were inoculated with SMV-infected leaves and confirmed the existence of mosaic symptom in both leaves and seeds. Two transgenic lines with CP were highly resistant to SMV with clear leaves and seeds while SMV-susceptible lines showed mosaic symptom with seed mottling. The transcript levels of T1 plants with CP were also determined by northern blot, suggesting that SMV-resistant T1 plants did not show viral RNA expression whereas SMV-susceptible T1 plants showed viral RNA expression. Currently, the response of viral infection with HC-Pro is investigating to produce SMV-resistant soybean transgenic plants, and the physiological experiment with ABF3 is also carrying out to produce drought-tolerant soybean transgenic plants.

"Seolhyangchalbyeo", an aromatic and glutinous rice cultivar, was developed by the rice breeding team of National Crop Experiment Station, RDA during the period from 1991 to 1999 and released in 2000. The cultivar is derived from a cross between Miyagaori