The mechanical properties of ceramics materials can be tailored by designing their microstructures. We have reported that development of texture can be controlled by slip casting in a strong magnetic field followed by heating even for diamagnetic ceramics such as alumina. A strong magnetic field of 12T was applied to the suspension indcuding alumina powder to rotate each particle during slip casting. The sintering was conducted at the desired temperature in air without a magnetic field. C-axis of alumina was parallel to the magnetic field. Bending strength of textured alumina depended on the direction of oriented microstructure.

Root and shoot development of two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars with different genetic backgrounds was studied with reference to their relative growth. Tongil type (indica-japonica hybrid) cultivar 'Kuemkangbyeo' and japonica cultivar 'Koshihikari' were grown in 5000-1 a Wagnar pots under flooded condition. Three plants with roots of both cultivars were taken in every phyllochron through the heading stage to record morphological characteristics of shoot and root system. Compared to Koshihikari, Kuemkangbyeo produced more tillers and had greater shoot weight and leaf area per hill. Length and weight of the root system in both cultivars increased exponentially with time. At the same time, root system development was significantly faster in Kuemkangbyeo than in Koshihikari after the panicle initiation stage. As a result, Kuemkangbyeo has a vigorous root system which consists of larger number of nodal roots compared to Koshihikari. Also, the root length and weight per unit leaf area of Kuemkangbyeo were larger than those of Koshihikari in the later half of growing period, which suggests possible higher physiological activity of the root system of Kuemkangbyeo which is known as a high-yielding cultivar. The relationship between root traits (crown root number, total root length, and root dry weight) and shoot traits (leaf area and leaf+culm dry weight) in both cultivars closely showed allometry until the flag leaf stage.