The world is transitioning towards sustainable agriculture, which includes reducing chemical fertilizers and increasing the adoption of eco-friendly materials. Red clay, known for its colloidal properties, adsorption, and ion exchange capabilities, has become eco-friendly due to its non-toxic nature. However, when red clay is applied in its insoluble powdered form, its absorption by plants is limited. Processed red clay (PRC) was developed to overcome these limitations, and microbial formulations containing Lactobacillus fermentum (MFcL) were applied alongside it. Chlorophyll content and fluorescence values decreased over time after cucumber transplantation. However, co-application of PRC and MFcL resulted in higher chlorophyll content than PRC alone, suggesting that this combination could alleviate plant growth reduction caused by stress. Although the total yield of cucumbers was highest in the NF group, yield per plant increased by more than 10% in the PRC treatment compared to NF. Additionally, yield was higher when PRC was applied alongside MFcL than with MFcL alone. While the proportion of marketable fruits decreased over time in the NF treatment, it increased in the PRC treatment. Soil analysis revealed that PRC application increased soil pH by 3% and available silicon content by 7.6% compared to NF, while available phosphate levels decreased by 13%. Analysis of microbial density in the soil showed that bacteria levels significantly increased by 2-fold in PRC+MFcL compared to NF, while actinomycetes decreased by 1.5-fold. In conclusion, PRC treatment positively influenced cucumber growth, and co-application with microbial fertilizers demonstrated a synergistic effect.

본 연구를 통해 라오스지역에서 분포하는 미소 나방인 Promalactis vittapenna종을 처음으로 기록하였다. 미기록 종의 분류학적 진단과 분포 정보, 성충과 생식기 도해사진을 제시하였다. 또한, 라오스 전체 종에 대한 분류학적 키를 함께 제공하였다.

During the last couple of decades, molecular techniques are widespread tools for the species diversity. However, their application to taxonomy provoked intense debates between traditional and molecular taxonomists. To prevent every kind of disagreement, it should be required to a threshold for standarizing the species delimitation. Here, we tested three species delimitation methods (ABGD, PTP and bPTP) and compared their results with morphospecies on the widest DNA barcoding dataset. Moreover, a possible threshold for species determination within the superfamily has been suggested. It is believed that it could be an important criterion in detection for hidden or cryptic species, tracing of variation, and can help in identification on immature stages of pests.

Promalactis established by Meyrick in 1908, is one of the highest species richness genera of the family Oecophoridae. Over 240 described species are mainly distributed from Oriental and Palaearctic regions. They are usually a tiny-sized and exhibit subtle morphological differences which make problems on morphological-based identification. In this study, we performed DNA barcoding study for the Promalactis by using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). From analyzing 155 COI sequences, we observed the usefulness of the COI in species identification with intraspecific genetic variation (range 0.0-2.1%) and interspecific genetic divergence (range 2.8-15.4%).

Here, we provided a lucid key for twelve lepidopteran quarantine pests in South Korea. They were selected based on border quarantine inspection data from 1996 to 2016 in S. Korea. They are belonging to eight families: Carposinidae, Crambidae, Pyralidae, Gelechiidae, Oecophoridae, Tineidae, Tortricidae and Geometridae, and also categorized into the three groups: prohibited, regulated and nonquarantine pests. The key includes diagnostic characters from head, thorax, fore- and hind-wings for each species examined.

The Lucid technology as an interactive fully illustrated identification tool, has developed and assisted in the diagnosis of agricultural and quarantine pests and invasive organisms over the past years. In this study, lepidopterans specifically relating to quarantine pests were selected for a lucid key development based on the border inspection data from 1996 to 2016 in South Korea. They belong to four families: Sphingidae, Noctuidae, Pyralidae and Crambidae, and also categorize into the three groups: regulated, potential regulated and non-quarantine pests. The key includes diagnostic characters from head, thorax, fore- and hind-wings for each species examined.

Gelechioidea is the superfamily that contains diverse groups comprising over 16,000 species in worldwide. It was estimated that only 25% of the species diversity of the Gelechioidea has been described. In this study, DNA barcoding was assessed based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) for the 154 morphologically identified Korean gelechioids. The results of three molecular species delimitation methods were consistent for 72% with their morphological identifications. Based on molecular operational taxonomic unit (MOTU) estimation, we discussed on discordant groups including barcode sharing pairs and cryptic species.

Trophic associations of lepidopteran larvae have been formed from a long period of evolution. The larva of Oecophoridaecan keep being concealed with several strategies. They may be sheltered within a web or hidden under bark or deadwood, or inside leaves rolled by them. Sometimes they bore stem or trunk or burrow under bark or hide in soil. In addition,they can also be found in very diverse and specialized microhabitats. This study was to assess the ancestral characterstate of microhabitat and larva sheltering strategy within the phylogenetic relationship of Oecophoridae to understand theirevolutionary transition and the adaptation of larva to microhabitats using sheltering strategies. Also, it is to investigatethe historical biogeography and evolution of the family Oecophoridae and related higher taxa for understanding their globalradiation and distribution.

The Oecophoridae is a mega-diverse microlepidopteran family within the Gelechioidea (Lepidoptera) comprising more than 3,300 described and numerous undescribed species. Based on comprehensive phylogenetic analysis using eight genes for 82 taxa, the results indicated that (i) Casmara, Tyrolimnas and Pseudodoxia did not belong to Oecophoridae; (ii) other oecophorids dividing into two subfamilies, Pleurotinae and Oecophorinae, were nested within the same clade, and (iii) Martyringa, Acryptolechia and Periacmini were clustered with core Xyloryctide. Reconstruction of ancestral microhabitat of oecophorids indicated that they might have evolved from dried plant feeders and further convergently specialized. The ancestral larva sheltering strategy of oecophorids might have used a silk tube by making itself, shifting from mining leaves.

Subfamily Cryptolechiinae Meyrick 1883 (Depressariidae sensu Heikkila et al., 2014) is reviewed from Korea. The Cryptolechiinae comprising nearly two hundred species worldwide (Wang, 2006), is characterized by forewing broadly lanceolate, the male genitalia without gnathos and female genitalia with well-developed lamella antevaginalis. In the Korea fauna, only four species of two allied genera, Acryptolechia and Cryptolechia, were recognized with two new species. A full bibliography, diagnosis and descriptions for all known species including new species are provided with illustration. Keys to species are also given.

The mitochondrial COI gene has proven successful for identifying the lepidopteran species. In addition, this gene has been applied to recognize cryptic species and confirm a polyphagous species as one species. However, it has been also reported misidentification in the COI gene. As a result, some researchers have suggested the use of additional genes in species identification, especially, nuclear genes. In this study, we observed that a nuclear EF1agene is better than the mitochondrial COI gene in recognizing Stathmopoda species. For example, among the all species, 47 individuals of nine species, a large intraspecific pairwise difference were detected, up to 15.0% in universal barcoding regions of the COI gene, 22.0% in other part of the COI gene; however, 2.0% in EF1a. In contrast, Stathmopoda sp2 and S. commoda were separated into several clusters in each different COI regions, and some individuals of S. auriferella and S. commoda, were closer to each other separating from the cluster of the same species. But, we get clear results from the EF1a, Stathmopoda species well clustered and could be distinguished.

Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, has most extensive network of ecosystems in the Indochina Peninsula, surrounded by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west. It is the tropical vegetation and warm climatic conditions influenced by monsoon. Such geographical and climatic condition is favorable for the diversity of insects. However, research or educative investigation on insects have been poorly conducted. Through recent expedition during dry season (between December 2012 and February 2013), mainly held at Phou Khao Khouay National Park (PKKNP), which varies from sheer sandstone cliffs and pristine river gorges to rough mountain slopes along the Mekong river, we recognized atotal of 88 lepidopteran insects belonging to 22 families, Arctidae, Attevidae, Choreutidae, Cossidae, Crambidae, Geometridae, Gracillariidae, Hesperidae, Hyblaeidae, Limacodidae, Lycaenidae, Lymantridae, Noctuidae, Nymphalidae, Oecophoridae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Pyralidae, Scythrididae, Sphingidae, Uraniidae and Zygaenidae, were recognized.

Oecophoridae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea), the concealer moths, is worldwide in distribution and comprises more than 4,000 described, particularly in Australia with over 3,000 endemic species. To date, the phylogenetic relationships of Oecophoridae have been poorly known, except a few works on the higher-level phylogeny of the superfamily Gelechioidea which includes some species of Oecophoridae. This study is the first comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of Oecophoridae, based on 4,395 base pairs of mitochondrial protein coding gene (COI), nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S and 28S) and nuclear protein coding genes (IDH, MDH, Rps5, EF1a and wingless) for 82 taxa. Data were analysed using maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian inference (BI) phylogenetic frameworks. The results are shown that the family Oecophoridae is not monophyletic, as the genus Casmara is closely clustered with Stathmopodidae far from the Oecophorid lineage and the genera Tyrolimnas and Phaeosaces are closely clustered with Depressariinae in the Elachistid lineage. Main clade of Oecophoridae comprises Xyloryctinae previously assigned to Xyloryctidae, closely claded with New Zealandian Oecophorids including the genera Hierodoris, Gymnobatra and Izatha; the problematic position group, Acryptolechia spp., Deuterogoniinae and Oecophorinae.

The family Pterophoridae (Lepidoptera), plume moths, consist of 1,136 species listed in the ‘world catalogue’ by Gielis (2003), and a few more described since then. Approximately 250 species are known in the Palaearctic Regions (Arenberger, 1995). In this study, 35 species of 21 genera have been reviewed from Korea (Matsumura 1931, 1938; Zoological Society of Korea 1968; Park 1983; Arenberger 1991; Kim et al., 2010a, 2010b, 2012a, 2012b). We suggest the problematic species, Platyptilia ignifera, is morphologically and genetically separated from congeneric species supporting the possibility as a new genus, and employ the classification system of Arenberger (1995) rather than that of Gielis (1993) using parsimony based on morphological characters.

Until now, seven species, Acosmeryx nega, Herpetogramma luctuosalis, Ostrinia furnacalis, Endoclyta excrescens, Spodoptera litura, Paranthrene regalis, and Nippoptilia vitis, have been known as lepidopteran grape pests in Korea (Woo, 1980; Lee, 1981; Kim, 1991; NIAST, 2002; Korea grape community, 2009). We discovered thirteen additional species belonging to eight families from Gwangwon and Chungbuk provinces, Korea. Additionally, we corrected the previous records of Deuterocopus albipunctatus and Nppoptilia vitis. They were identified by adult external or genitalic characters first, and also confirmed by the COI marker, compared with two public databases, NCBI and BOLD.

The tribe Oxyptilini Bigot et al. 1998 (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) consists of fifteen genera with more than 100 species worldwide. Almost half of them are mainly distributed in Palaeartic Region, others are in Afrotropical, Oriental, and Nearctic regions, and less than 10 species are in Australiasian, Neotropical, and Pacific regions (Gielis 2003). Nevertheless, it has been poorly known in the Asian part of Palaeartic region, with five species in Japan (Yano 1963), two species in Russia (Sinev 2008), and one species in China (Li et al. 2003). In Korea, only one species, Stenodacma pyrrhodes (Meyrick 1889), has been reported from North Korea (Arenberger 1991). During this study, four genera (Capperia Tutt, Oxyptilus Zeller, Procapperia Adamczewski, and Tomotilus Yano), are recognized for the first time from Korea, and a new generic combination of Tomotilus celebrates (Merick 1932), comb. nov., is proposed.

Systematic studies within the family Pterophoridae have been determined by external morpholgical characteristics (Yano 1963, Spuler 1910, Meyrick 1910). However, it is sometimes to be the result of species misplacement by the variation, depending on geographic isolation and genetic drift (Moran, 1986; Shufran et al., 2000; Anstead et al., 2002; Margaritopoulos et al., 2006). The genus Platyptilia Hübner [1925] is one of the largest genera of the family comprising more than 100 species according to the World’s Catalog by Gielis (2003) mainly distributed from Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions. Within the genus, Platyptilia ignifera has been suspected as very differentiated from other congeneric species in the morphological characters. In this study, to ascertain a placement of the species, we performed molecular analysis with one mitochondrial gene, COI and one nuclear gene, 28S, and morphometric analysis based on six ratios characters using principal components analysis (PCA). The sequences of the two genes, COI, 28S, implied that Platyptilia ignifera separated from Platyptilia spp. In addition, P. ignifera exhibited morphological characteristics distinct from other congeneric species. Based on these results, we propose that Neoplatyptilia gen. nov., for Platyptilia ignifera.