Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd) is a serious pathogen affecting chrysanthemum that has caused significant economic losses to Chrysanthemum flower production worldwide. Control of CSVd disease is difficult due to its contagious nature and long latent period in the field. As chrysanthemum is most often produced by implanting seedlings, it is necessary to diagnose CSVd infection before cultivation. In this study, we screened CSVd infection in seedlings from 30 varieties including 5 domestic, 6 Japanese, and 19 European varieties. Molecular diagnosis of the combination of RT-PCR and nested PCR showed that CSVd was not detected by the first RT-PCR but detected by the second nested PCR analysis in 10 varieties, including 1 domestic, 2 Japanese, and 7 European varieties. Further comparison of 10 identified CSVd nucleotide sequences showed that those are highly conserved (99-100%) and the most similar to an isolate (AB006737) identified in Hokkaido, Japan. Our study suggests that the combination of RT-PCR and nested PCR analysis is successful for the CSVd diagnosis of seedlings and the molecular diagnosis is necessary to prevent the introduction and propagation of viroid disease into the fields.

We trace the dynamical evolution of dark matter (DM) content in NGC 6397, one of the native Galactic globular clusters (GCs). The relatively strong tidal field (Galactocentric radius of ~ 6 kpc) and short relaxation timescale (~ 0.3 Gyr) of the cluster can cause a significant amount of DM particles to evaporate from the cluster in the Hubble time. Thus, the cluster can initially contain a non-negligible amount of DM. Using the most advanced Fokker-Planck (FP) method, we calculate the dynamical evolution of GCs for numerous initial conditions to determine the maximum initial DM content in NGC 6397 that matches the present-day brightness and velocity dispersion profiles of the cluster. We find that the maximum allowed initial DM mass is slightly less than the initial stellar mass in the cluster. Our findings imply that NGC 6397 did not initially contain a significant amount of DM, and is similar to that of NGC 2419, the remotest and the most massive Galactic GC.

Vector-borne plant virus transmission is a complex mechanism involving various interactions of viruses, vectors and plants. Plant viruses modify, either directly or indirectly, the rates of development, reproduction and behavior of vector insects in a positive, negative, or neutral manner. The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is the only known vector of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) which is a virus that seriously damaged tomato cultivars all around the world. Acquisition of TYLCV influences on various developmental, physiological and molecular mechanisms of Q1 biotype B. tabaci. We compared several behavioral and physiological characteristics between non-viruliferous (NV) and TYLCV-viruliferous (V) of Q1 biotype whiteflies. When B. tabaci acquired TYLCV, total life span was shorter and fecundity was lower than NV ones. V whiteflies were more susceptible to thermal stress by increasing hsp mRNA levels but higher in mortality by either heat or cold shocks. Furthermore, V whiteflies increased the rates of plant sap probing and light attraction behaviors than NV ones. All together, our results show that TYLCV acquisition regulates B. tabaci to enhance the rates of development and environmental susceptibility. Our results provide insights to understand vector’s role in relation to the acquisition and transmission of plant viruses.

겨울철 해표면 수온 및 한국 주변역 생태계의 장기 변화 특성 및 상관관계를 분석하였다. 기후 및 해양환경의 변화와 동반된 어획강도의 변화는 1970 년대 이후 어획량 증가의 주요 원인으로 나타났다. 한국 주변역의 겨울철 SST는 1980년대 후반 기후체제변환 시점을 중심으로 상대적으로 저수온에서 고수온으로 변화되었다. 평균영양단계(MTL)는 1970년대 중반 이후 지속적으로 감소하기 시작하였으며, 하위영양단계 어류의 어획량 증가가 중요 변수로 작용하였다. 통합생태계 기반 자원평가 방법중 한가지인 FIB 지수는 1970년 초부터 1970년 후반까지 증가하였으며, 이후 일정 수준을 유지하였다. 특히, 중간영양단계에 위치하는 멸치와 정어리의 개체수 변화는 1970년대 초 이후 MTL 변화의 주요 인자로 작용하였다.

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, acts as a vector of more than 100 plant viruses. B. tabaci is known to harbor a primary endosymbiont (Portiera) and 6 secondary endosymbionts (Arsenophonus, Cardinium, Fritschea, Hamiltonella, Rickettsia and Wolbachia). These endosymbionts play important roles in the acquisition and transmission of plant viruses. Using PCR analysis, we identified endosymbiotic bacteria in various B. tabaci populations collected from different places of Korea. Distribution of endosymbionts was different according to the biotype of B. tabaci. Subsequently, their relative densities of endosymbionts were compared between TYLCV-viruliferous and non-viruliferous populations of the Q biotype using quantitative realtime PCR. We found that the densities of Portiera, Cardinium and Hamiltonella are higher in viruliferous than non-viruliferous whiteflies. Our results suggest the role of endosymbiont for the TYLCV transmission of whiteflies.

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is a vector of more than 100 plantdiseased viruses as well as a serious pest to various horticultural crops. Virus acquisition affects the vector’s development and reproduction, but its mechanism is largely unknown. Here we compared the temperature responses between non-viruliferous and TYLCV-viruliferous Q biotype of B. tabaci. When both non-viruliferous and viruliferous whiteflies were exposed for 1 and 3 h at 4, 25, and 35°C, the mortality rate of viruliferous whiteflies is higher than nonviruliferous after exposure at 4°C and 35°C, but no differences at 25°C between them. Analysis of the expression levels of heat shock protein (hsp) genes using the quantitative realtime PCR showed that viruliferous whiteflies has higher expression in hsp70, and hsp90 at both 4°C and 35°C, but no differences at 25°C. The results suggest that vector insects may not be durable to unfavorable temperature conditions when they acquisite plant viruses.

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is a vector insect of more than 100 plant-diseased viruses as well as a serious pest of various horticultural crops. B. tabaci is a species-complex that consists of at least 24 biotypes, which show different biological characteristics including host range, fecundity, insecticide resistance and virus transmission. Here we identified biotype, endosymbiotic bacteria, and tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) acquisition of various B. tabaci populations collected in Korea. In addition, we compared those profiles with B. tabaci collected from Bangladesh and Myanmar, and the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum. PCR diagnosis of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) showed that all B. tabaci populations of Korea were Q-biotype and closely related with a subgroup I (MedBasin 1), which is indigenous to the Western Mediterranean area. Ribosomal DNA analysis of 5 endosymbionts showed that both Cardinium and Hamiltonella were detected in most tested populations while the presence of Arsenophonus, Fritschea and Wolbachia dependent on populations. Our results suggest that the acquisition of TYLCV do not related with the endosymbiont profile of B. tabaci.

This study evaluated the potential of utilizing the osmotic solution from dried mango processing as alternative raw material for mango wine making. Fermentation was carried out using two kinds of yeast strains Saccharomyces bayanus, Lalvin EC-1118 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lalvin D-47 at 20oC for 28 days. Physicochemical analysis during fermentation was performed for each treatment and the resulting wine samples were analyzed for color, volatiles and sensory properties. Results of physicochemical analysis between the two fermenting samples as well as the wine samples show almost similar results regardless of the yeast strains. Wine color of sample wines after storage were not significantly different at p<0.05 and when compared with a commercial mango wine. From the volatile analysis, esters and alcohols constituted majority of the compounds. Production of several esters, alcohols, acids and terpenes were affected by yeast strain used in fermentation. Results of sensory analysis showed that wines fermented by S. bayanus EC-1118 strain was more acceptable although sensory scores between the treatments and the reference wine showed significant differences in all the attributes evaluated, except for bitterness. The utilization of osmotic solution from dried mango process could produce similar properties with existing commercial mango wines although there is still need for further work on the improvement of some sensory attributes of the mango wines.

The present investigation establishes deltamethrin resistance in the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, populationcollected from New York City (NY-BB). The mortality resistance ratio indicated that NY-BB population was 264-fold more resistant to 1% deltamethrin in contact bioassay compared to one insecticide- susceptible population collected in Florida (FL-BB). Specific enzyme activities (general esterase, glutathione S-transferase, and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase) of NY-BB were not statistically different from those of FL-BB, indicating that the metabolic factors are not associated with the deltamethrin resistance in NY-BB. Complementary DNA fragments that encoded the open reading frame of voltage-sensitive sodium channel α-subunit genes from the FL-BB and NY-BB were obtained by homology probing PCR and sequenced. Sequence alignment of the internal and 5’ and 3’ RACE fragments generated a 6500 bp cDNA sequence contig, which was composed of a 6084 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 2027 amino acid residues and 186 bp 5’ and 230 bp 3’ untranslated regions (5’ and 3’UTRs, respectively). Sequence comparisons of the complete open reading frames of the sodium channel genes identified two point mutations (V419L and L925I) that were presented only in the NY-BB population. L925I, located the intracellular loop between IIS4 and IIS5, has been previously found in the pyrethroid-resistant populations of whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) that was more than 100-fold resistant to fenpropathrin. V419L, located in the IS6 transmembrane segment, is a novel mutation. This evidence suggests that the two mutations are likely the major resistance-causing mutations in the deltamethrin-resistant NY-BB via a knockdown-type nerve insensitivity mechanism.

Predation, development, and ovipostion experiments were conducted to evaluate Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) as a potential biological control agent for tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici (Massee) (Acari: Eriophyidae) which is a periodic pest of greenhouse tomatoes. Results show that A. swirskii attacked all developmental stages of A. lycopersici, and had a type II functional response on the prey densities given. The predation rates of A. swirskii on A. lycopersici in the presense of alternative food sources such as pollen, thrips first instar, or whitefly eggs were recorded as 74%, 56%, and 76%, respectively of the predation rate on A. lycopersici alone. Amblyseius swirskii successfully completed their life-cycle on either A. lycopersici or cattail pollen. At 25oC, 70% RH, development time of female A. swirskii fed on A. lycopersici or on cattail pollen took 5.0 and 6.2 days, respectively. For the first 10 days after moulting to the adult stage, A. swirskii fed on A. lycopersici had higher daily oviposition rate (2.0 eggs per day) than on pollen (1.5 eggs per day). From this laboratory study, it can be concluded that A. swirskii has promising traits as a predator against A. lycopersici and that their populations can be stably maintained using alternative food such as cattail pollen. We suggest that the effectiveness of A. swirskii against A. lycopersici under field conditions deserves to be investigated.

We measured the non-carbon content of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in SWCNT soot using thermogravimetric analysis. The weight increased percentage by the oxidation of metal in the raw soot is well obtained by TGA graph which was confirmed with ICP-AES, XRD, and XPS. This work will be very useful for the purity precise evaluation of SWCNT with UN-vis-NIR spectroscopy.