Urbanization is a driving force of global biodiversity changes, and species that successfully adapt to city environments can become pests with the assistance of human factors. Here we present the first genomic data of Plecia longiforceps, an invasive pest exhibiting intensive outbreaks in the Seoul Metropolitan Area of Korea. HiFi and Pore-C sequencing data were used to construct a highly continuous genome assembly with a total size of 707 Mb and 8 major pseudochromosomes. Gene annotation using transcriptome data and ab initio predictions revealed significant numbers of genes related to detoxification and heat tolerance. Comparison to the Bibio marci genome showed high levels of synteny with some regions of chromosomal rearrangement. Our data will serve as an essential resource for population and functional genomic studies on dispersal and outbreaks of P. longiforceps, and facilitate research on eco-evolutionary processes of dipterans in urbanizing habitats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the quality of high moisture rye silage. Rye forage (Secale cereale L.) was harvested at the heading stage (27.3% of dry matter (DM)) and cut into approximately 3-5 cm lengths. Then, the forage divided into 4 treatments with different inoculants: 1) No additives (CON); 2) Lactobacillus brevis strain 100D8 at a 1.2 x 105 colony-forming unit (cfu)/g of fresh forage (LBR); 3) Leuconostoc holzapfelii strain 5H4 at a 1.0 x 105 cfu/g of fresh forage (LHO); and 4) Mixture of LBR and LHO (1:1 ratio) applied at a 1.0 x 105 cfu/g of fresh forage (MIX). About 3 kg of forage from each treatment was ensiled into a 20 L mini-bucket silo in quadruplicate for 100 days. After silo opening, silage was collected for analyses of chemical compositions, in vitro nutrient digestibilities, fermentation characteristics, and microbial enumerations. The CON silage had the highest concentrations of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber (p = 0.006; p = 0.008) and a lowest in vitro DM digestibility (p < 0.001). The pH was highest in CON silage, while lowest in LBR and MIX silages (p < 0.001). The concentrations of ammonia-N, lactate, and acetate were highest in LBR silage (p = 0.008; p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Propionate and butyrate concentrations were highest in CON silage (p = 0.004; p < 0.001). The LAB and yeast counts were higher in CON and LHO silages compare to LBR and MIX silages (p < 0.001). However, the mold did not detect in all treatments. Therefore, this study could conclude that L. brevis 100D8 and Leu. holzapfelii strain 5H4 can improve the digestibility and anti-fungal activity of high moisture rye silage.

본 연구는 몇가지 전처리제 및 보존용액 처리가 국내 육성 절화 프리지아 ‘Gold Rich’의 수확후 절화수명과 개화 품질에 미치는 영향을 구명하고자 수행하였다. 10% sucrose, 200mg･L-1 Al2(SO4)3, 200mg･L-1 GA3, 150mg･L-1 citric acid가 혼용된 전처리 용액에서 절화 관상 기간 동안 수분 흡수량과 생체중은 유의적으로 증가한 것으로 조사되었지만 절화수명에는 큰 영향을 미치지 않았다. 보존용액으로 5% sucrose와 살균제인 300mg･L-1 8-HQ를 혼용 처리하였을 때 절화수명 연장(1일 이상), 높은 개화율(82.3~89.1%) 및 만개율(71.5~84.2%) 등의 개화 품질이 향상되었다. 이러한 결과들을 통해 10% sucrose, 200mg･L-1 Al2(SO4)3, 200mg･L-1 GA3, 150mg･L-1 citric acid를 혼합한 전처리제와 5% sucrose, 300mg･L-1 8-HQ를 혼합한 보존용액 처리는 절화수명 연장, 개화율 및 만개율 증가에 효과적일 것이라고 판단된다. 특히, sucrose가 포함된 보존용액은 절화 프리지아 ‘Gold Rich’ 의 상품성 향상에 있어 매우 유용할 것이다.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis and SFTS virus is transmitted to humans by tick bites. The aim of this study was to monitor tick population and its SFTS virus infection. During March 2014 to October 2015, ticks were monthly sampled using dry-ice bait trap and flag method from 4 collecting points in Boeun-gun. A total of 16,500 ticks, including 14,646 Haemaphysalis longicornis (88.7%), 1,825 H. flava (11.1%), and 29 Ixodes nipponensis (0.2%), were collected. Ticks were pooled (5,156 ticks in 456 pools) and tested by RT-PCR and nested PCR and the minimum infection rate of ticks was 0.27% (14 pools) consisting of 0.13% H. longicornis (6 pools), 1.19% H. flava (8 pools). This annual surveillance study will be needed for long-term monitoring of ixodid ticks in Korea.

A surveillance of chigger mites was performed to monitor the incidence of scrub typhus vectors at 5 environmental collection points of 3 locations (Muju, Namwon and Gimge) from April 2016 in Jeollabuk-Do, Korea. During the surveillance period, 3,292 chigger mites were collected and the predominant species were Leptotrombidium pallidum (42.9%). The high environmental collecting rates were recorded at reservoir bank (31.6%) and grassfield (29.7%). We detected Orientia tsutsugamushi from the samples collected in Jeollabuk-Do using nested polymerase chain reaction. The specific DNA of O. tsutsugamushi were detected in 11 pools among total 119 pools and its minimum positive rate was 0.35%. In order to clarify the relationship between chigger mites and scrub typhus cases, further survey will be needed.

We investigated the distribution of ixodid ticks in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) case reported areas using flagging method from May to November 2014 in Korea. We collected 13,471 ixodid ticks with 2 genera and 3 species. Among them, Genus Haemaphysalis and Ixodes accounted for 99.9% (13,455) and 0.1% (16), respectively. Genus Haemaphysalis consisted of 2 species, H. longicornis (96.2%) and H. flava (3.7%). I. nipponensis was only collected in Genus Ixodes. H. longicornis was the dominant species (over 90%) in most study areas. Ixodid ticks were evenly distributed at various environmental sites, such as residences, hills, grassfields, fields, graves, copses, other sites. The further study on SFTSV infection in ixodid ticks will be needed.

A surveillance of chigger mites was performed to monitor the incidence of scrub typhus vectors at 4 environmental collection points of 6 locations from September to November 2014 in Korea. During the survey period, 420 chigger mites were collected and the dominant species was Leptotrombidium scutellare (42.6%). The first appearance of chigger mite was at 37th week (9.3.-9.10.) and the collected numbers of chigger mites was the highest at 43rd week (10.17.-10.23.). In Goryeong-gun, 299 chigger mites were collected, whereas 5 chigger mites were collected In Yesan-gun. The high environmental collecting rates were recorded at rice field (56%) and waterway (20%). The annually collected numbers (2012-2014) of chigger mites were compared with the average temperatures in August. This result suggests that the average temperature in August might be related with the annual incidence of scrub typhus vectors in Korea. However, the relationship between climate factors and the density of chigger mites needs to be studied by long-term periodical surveillance.

This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value and the quality of ensiled kenaf after fermentation with three cultivars at three different times of harvesting. Experimental plot were allocated with three harvest date (Early;8/3, medium;8/15 and late;8/28) and three cultivars (Tainung-a, Everglade, Whitten). The DM (dry matter) yield increased with maturity in all three cultivars, especially in Whitten which showed the highest yield at each harvest time. The DM content in Whitten at late harvesting time was higher than other treatments (231 g kg 1DM). The CP (crude protein) contents of the kenaf silage of all three cultivars ranged from 151 to 164 g kg 1. Highest content of NDF (neutral detergent fiber) was observed in Everglade at medium harvesting date, but the ADF (acid detergent fiber) content was highest in Everglade at early harvesting date (p<0.05). All treatments produced a pH less than 4.0, which is sufficient for stable storage. The pH of Tainung-a was higher than other cultivars at all harvesting times (p<0.05). Whitten showed the higher content of lactic acid (25.8 g kg 1 DM) showed at early harvesting date than other cultivars (p<0.05), while the acetic acid content (21.1 g kg 1 DM) was higher in Tainung-a at medium harvesting date (p<0.05). No significant difference was observed in ammonia-Nand butyric acid concentrations among all treatments. These results indicate that a kenaf silage could be used as fodder for ruminants. Especially, the Whitten harvested at late growing stage showed promise as a forage silage crop under Koran environments.

The first occurrence of oak wilt disease(OWD) in Korea was reported in 2004 and a Platypodid beetle, Platypus koryoensis, was known to contribute significantly the occurrence of the disease. To reduce the oak wilt disease, it is necessary to control density of P. koryoensis under injury level. This experiment conducted to clarify the flying period of adult P. koryoensis. Four forests containing dead trees by OWD were selected and the location of the experimental sites were Mt. Surak in Seoul, Goyang-si, Paju-si in Gyeonggi-do, Hongcheon-gun in Gangwon-do. Sticky trap or vertical multi-funnel trap was settled on Quercus mongolica trees located in infested forest. Density of P. koryoensis was survey with one or two week interval from May to October in 2007 and 2008. The number of the beetle collected by the vertical trap and sticky trap was positively correlated (r2=0.69). The optimum flying period of the beetle was ranged from late June to late July with geographical variations.

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops has increased due to their economic and agronomic advantages. Before commercialization of GM crops, however, we must assess the potential risks of GM crops on human health and environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible impact of Bt rice on the soil microbial community. Microbial communities were isolated from the rhizosphere soil cultivated with Bt rice and Nakdong, parental cultivar and were subjected to be analyzed using both culture-dependent and molecular methods. The total counts of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes in the rhizosphere of transgenic and conventional rice were not significantly different. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes revealed that the bacterial community structures during cultural periods were very similar each other. Analysis of dominant isolates in the rhizosphere cultivated with Bt and Nakdong rice showed that the dominant isolates from the soil of Bt rice and Nakdong belonged to the Proteobacteria, Cloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria. These results indicate that the Bt rice has no significant impact on the soil microbial communities during cultivation period. Further study remains to be investigated whether the residue of Bt rice effect on the soil environment.