The citrus flatid planthopper Metcalfa pruinosa, a invasive species causes serious damages to field crops, including sweet persimmon, soybean, maize, especially ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A meyer). We selected six chemical pesticides and one environmental friendly pesticide made from the mixture of derris extracts, citronella oils, and cinnamon extracts in laboratory. These pesticides showed over 90% of control effect in open ginseng field. This study was carried out with the support of the cooperative research program for RDA (project No. PJ0124992018), Republic of Korea.
The production of therapeutic proteins from transgenic animals is one of the most important successes of animal biotechnology. Endostatin is 20 KDa C-terminal fragment derived from type XVIII collagen and an endogenous inhibitor of tumor growth by inhibition of angiogenesis. In this study, we are developed knock-in vector consists of 5’ arm region (1.02 kb), human Endostatin cDNA, CMV-EGFP, and 3’ arm region (1.83 kb). To express Endostatin gene as transgene, the F2A sequence was fused to the 5’ terminal of Endostatin gene and inserted into exon 3 of the β -casein gene. If this knock-in vector is inserted into the porcine β-casein gene locus by homologous recombination, human Endostatin mRNA are expressed using the gene regulatory region of the β-casein. Also, the β-casein and Endostatin fusion protein is translated and Endostatin protein is separated by F2A self cleavage during translation. In conclusion, our knock-in vector may help to create transgenic pig expressing human Endostatin protein via the endogenous expression system of the porcine β-casein gene in the mammary gland.
The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) are major insect pests that causes crop damage worldwide by piercing leaves, sucking sap and transmitting numerous plant viruses. A new strategy for IPM, the push–pull method uses a combination of repellent intercrops (push) and alluring trap plants (pull) to manipulate the distribution of insect pests and control their populations. So, we surveyed the responses of these pests of tomato to several plants in green house. Lavandula angustifolia, Petunia hybrid, Ocimum basilicum and Rosmarinus officinalis showed about forty-percent push response to F. occidentalis in tomato. However, Gypsophila paniculata attracted the F. occidentalis in tomato on the contrary. Pelargonium tomentosum showed about fifty-percent push response to B. tabaci in tomato. However, Mentha spicata and Gypsophila paniculata attracted the B. tabaci in tomato. The utilization technique of these plants should be more inspected in further study.
Effects of Vegemil® containing soybean proteins and isoflavones on the growth and bone density of broiler chickens were investigated. One-week-old male and female Arbor Acres broiler chickens were fed on Vegemil® A containing 3% soybean proteins and 162 ppm isoflavones, instead of water, for 30 days and their growth indices (body weight, leg weight and femur length) and bone density were analyzed. The body weight gains in male and female chickens were increased by 15.6% and 31.7%, respectively, following feeding Vegemil® A compared to normal water. Vegemil® A increased leg weight as well as femur length of females by 22.9% and 15.0%, respectively. In addition, Vegemil® A feeding enhanced femoral bone density by 21.3% in comparison with water feeding. Therefore, it is suggested that Vegemil® A not only facilitates body growth, but also strengthens bone density of normal chickens, and that it could be a promising candidate for the improvement of infant growth and for the prevention of menopausal osteoporosis.