Multiple starters consisting of two Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains (MJ1-4 and EMD17), Pichiafarinosa SY80, and Rhizopus oryzae were used for Doenjang making. Bacillus strains were selected based on their abilities to inhibit toxinogenic fungi and Bacillus cereus, fibrinolytic activity, and their ability to confer good flavor to Cheonggukjang. P. farinosa SY80 and R. oryzae, previously isolated from soy sauce, were selected because they were not inhibited by two bacilli. Doenjang was prepared by inoculation of multiple starters (A1 Doenjang). Control Doenjang was prepared by inoculation of B. subtilis KACC 16750 (Natto strain) and Aspergillus oryzae KCCM 60166 (A2 Doenjang). Another control (A3 Doenjang) was prepared by inoculation of microorganisms present in rice straw. Doenjang samples were fermented for 70 days at 20℃. pH of 3 samples decreased from the initial value of 6.4 to 5.8~6.0 and titratable acidity (TA) increased from 0.6 to 1.1~1.3. The amount of amino-type nitrogen increased during fermentation. There were slight differences in moisture, crude-protein, and crude-fat contents after 70 days. Contamination of fungi was observed only in A3 Doenjang and B. cereus was not detected from all 3 samples. A1 Doenjang showed the highest fibrinolytic activity and A2 Doenjang the second. These results indicate that Doenjang made with carefully selected starters was functionally improved and microbially more safe.

The planthopper subfamily Achilinae (Metcalf, 1938) from Korea is taxonomically revised. Six genera and seven species are recorded among Korean fauna. Among them, one genus, Phenelia Kirkaldy, and two species, Phenelia striatella (Matsumura, 1914) and Deferunda qiana Chen and He (2010) are new to Korea. The male genital structures of all these species are described and illustrated, plus an identification key to the tribe, genus, and species is provided.

Nine accessions of red rices collected from different regions were tested for germination characteristics in relation to seed maturity and several storage conditions after harvest. No red rice seeds germinated at five days after anthesis (DAA). Wanjuaengmi (long-grain red rice) seeds at 10DAA germinated up to 30% of total samples, producing only abnormal seedlings, whereas 10D-AA-seeds of normal cultivar showed only 3.3% germinability. Some red rice seeds absorbed more water than cultivated varieties, and showed less decrease in germination rate than cultivated varieties when seeds were exposed at -1, -5 or -10~circC for up to 60 hours after soaking. Red rice accessions maintained more than 95% germination when stored. indoor for 120 days. Two short-grain red rices showed about 50% germination when overwintered in the field, while other long-grain red rices and cultivated rices germinated less than 10%. Germination of seeds overwintered in clay loam soil was lower than that in loam soil, and seeds on surface germinated less than those in 1~7cm depth