방울토마토의 수경재배 중 붕소+칼슘+규소 및 칼슘+규소의 복합 엽면시비가 수확 후 품질과 MAP 저장 중 저장성에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 본 연구를 실시하였다. 엽면시비한 방울 토마토(‘Unicorn’)는 반숙 과상태에서 수확하여 산소투과성 필름으로 포장한 5oC, 11oC, 그리고 24oC에서 25일, 15일, 10일간 저장하였다. 붕소+칼슘+규소 복합처리한 방울토마토가 3가지 저장온도 모두에서 호흡과 에틸렌 발생이 억제되어 MAP 저장중 가장 낮은 생체중 감소와 가장 높은 외관상 품질을 보였다. 수확 후 조사한 방울토마토의 경도, 산도, 비타민 C 함량은 붕소+칼슘+규소 복합처리에서 가장 높았으며, 3가지 온도 모두에서 MAP 저장 후에도 모두 높게 유지되었다. 그러나 과피색, 라이코펜 함량과 당도는 수확 후에는 엽면시비 처리로 차이가 없었으나, 3가지 온도 모두 붕소+칼슘+규소 복합처리에서 가장 낮은 수치를 보였다. 이상의 결과로 볼 때 붕소+칼슘+규소 복합처리는 방울토마토의 수확후 생리 작용을 억제하고 경도, 산도, 비타민 C 함량을 높여 저장성을 향상시키는 것으로 판단되었다

Several species of the genus Aphidius are used in biological control programs against aphid pests throughout the world and their behavior and physiology are well studied. But despite knowing the importance of sensory organs in their behavior, their antennal structure is largely unknown. In this study, the external morphology and distribution of the antennal sensilla on the antennal of both female and male adults of A. colemani were described using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Generally, the filaform antennae of males (1,515.20±116.48 ㎛) are longer than females (1,275.06±116.42㎛). Antennae of this species is made up of scape, pedicel and flagellomeres. Male and female antennae differed in the total number of flagellomeres as 15 in males and 13 in females. Female and male antennae of A. colemani has samely seven types of sensilla. We classified sensilla placodea, Bohm bristles, 2 types of sensilla coeloconica, , 2 types of sensilla basiconica as with a tip pore and with wall pores, sensilla trichodea. In addition, the possible functions of the above sensilla types are discussed in light of previously published literature; mechanoreception(Bohm bristles, sensilla coeloconicaⅡ and sensilla trichodea) and chemoreception(sensilla coeloconicaⅠ, sensilla basiconicaⅠ,Ⅱ and sensilla placodea). Future studies on the functional morphology of the antennal sensilla of A. colemani using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with electrophysiological recordings will likely confirm the functions of the different sensilla identified in this study.

The multicolored Asian ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis, is a generalist predator of aphids also, shows a high level of phenotype polymorphism in color pattern of elytra. Although, it is not sure about genetic information of color polymorphism, it has been confirmed that this phenomenon comes from their genetic traits. The color of H. axyridis elytra is mainly composed of black and red pigment. Phenoloxidase (PO) plays an important role in many insect physiological functions, i.e. sclerotization and pigmentation of cuticle and melanization of parasites. Following activation, PO catalyses the hydroxylation of tyrosine and subsequent oxidation of phenolic substance into quinines, which are further converted to melanin. However, the molecular bases of H. axyridis color pattern formation are almost unknown but it may be that the different pro-POs have different expression. In this study, total RNA samples from four each color pattern individuals, for example, succinea 1, succinea 2, conspicua and spectabilis was extracted. A cDNA enconding pro-PO was molecular cloned from each color pattern of H. axyridis and its putative amino acid sequence shared homology with pro-PO of other insects. We are pursuing to elucidate that their pro-PO sequence will be similar with those other insect PPO sequence. There are also regions of high sequence similarity, including putative activation site and two copper binding sites.

Several species of the genus Aphidius are used in biological control programs against aphid pests throughout the world and their behavior and physiology are well studied. But despite knowing the importance of sensory organs in their behavior, their antennal structure is largely unknown. In this study, the external morphology and distribution of the antennal sensilla on the antennal of both female and male adults of A. colemani were described using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Generally, the filaform antennae of males (1,565.60± 194.64㎛) are longer than females (1,303.83±156.41㎛). Antennae of this species is made up of scape, pedicel and flagellomeres. Male and female antennae differed in the total number of flagellomeres as 15 in males and 13 in females. Female and male antennae of A. colemani has samely ten types of sensilla. We classified 3 types of sensilla trichodea as without pores, with a tip pore and with wall pores, 3 types of sensilla coeloconica, 1 sensilla placodea and 1 Bohm bristles. In addition, the possible functions of the above sensilla types are discussed in light of previously published literature; mechanoreception (Bohm bristles and sensilla coeloconica) and olfaction (sensilla trichodea and sensilla placodea). Future studies on the functional morphology of the antennal sensilla of A. colemani using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with electrophysiological recordings will likely confirm the functions of the different sensilla identified in this study.

To identify DNA markers linked to a elytra polymorphism, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was performed on DNA samples from four each colour pattern individuals (2 females and males), for example, succinea 1, succinea 2, conspicua, and spectabilis. As a result of performing AFLP analysis with the restriction endonuclease combination EcoRⅠ and Mse I, total of 2,269 AFLP fragments which were specific to succinea, conspicua and spectabilis was identified using 24 different AFLP primer combinations. Among these 2,269 fragments, 16 bands which were the most specific to one color patterns were isolated, cloned and sequenced. Subsequent UPGMA cluster analysis revealed that population of H. axyridis was divided four major group and these genetic tree showed that H. axyridis elytra colour diversity was affected by genetic polymorphism. It is considered that these genetic analyses may be facilitated the understanding of molecular genetic mechanism related with the wing colour pattern formation in this species.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seeds have long been clinically used in Korea to promote bone formation and prevent osteoporosis. In addition, the safflower buds (SB) were found to have more useful functional ingredients than safflower seed. Thus, we investigated the preventive effects of SB diet in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The rats were divided into five groups; sham operated group, OVX alone group, OVX plus 17β-estradiol (E2 10 ㎍/㎏, i.p.) and OVX plus SB diet feeding group (0.3% or 1%). Feeding of SB diet (0.3% or 3%) to OVX rats markedly increased trabecular formation in femur compared to OVX rats. Feeding of SB diet (0.3% or 3%) to OVX rats also decreased TRAP activity compared to OVX rats. These results suggest that SB diets have bone sparing effects by the decrease of osteoclast activity. We also observed that OVX rats fed with SB diet (0.3% or 3%) exhibited the decrease of calcium and phosphorus in serum compared to OVX-induced rats. Therefore, SB may be beneficial for the patients of osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women.