Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a herb primarily distributed throughout in the world. We have used the inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) technique to investigate the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity of C. tinctorius. Of all germplasms, 88.7% were polymorphic among all germplasms. Mean genetic diversity within germplasms was very low (0.048). The Turkey germplasm had the highest expected diversity (0.082) and Australia germplasm was the lowest (0.020). These values indicate that most of the genetic diversity of safflower is found among germplasms and there is a high among-germplasm differentiation. We found eight phenetic bands for determining the specific marker of germplasm with SCAR markers. The regions of the Mediterranean Sea and India may be the most probable candidates for the origin of safflower. The tree showed four major clades: (1) European germplasms, (2) Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Ethiopia, (3) Australia, and (4) America.

We described the associated variation in site index of Pinus densiflora for. erecta in responses to site variables of soil properties. Additionally, this study was conducted to estimate site index in unstocked land by the physico-chemical properties derived from stocked forest soil and to investigate the effects of the physico-chemical properties by soil layers on site index of surveyed area, totally 77 sites in central Korea. At each site, there were surveyed 14 items of the physico-chemical properties, namely, content of sand, silt and clay, soil pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, available P2O5, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable K+, Na+, Ca++, Mg++, and base saturation. The multiple regression equations using stepwise regression method were applied to this study. In the degree of contribution of the variables to site index by soil horizons, the highly effective variables were Base Sat., Exch. Ca++, T.N., Exch. Mg++, and C.E.C. in A horizon and Base Sat., Exch. Mg++, C.E.C., Soil pH, and O.M. in B horizon of P. densiflora for. erecta stands. As a result, it was concluded that the regressive prediction induced by significant soil site factors by forest soil horizons had useful guidance for finding out the best suitable area especially in unstocked land and further more for establishing successful stands of this species.

A bismuth-coated carbon fiber microelectrode was prepared using cyclic voltammetry (CV). An analytical application was performed for the copper analysis with Square Wave Stripping Voltammetry (SWSV). Gallic acid n-propyl ester (PG) was used for the complex formation with a copper ion, and electrochemical measurements were performed with a pre-amplifier of a low-current module for nano amper detection. The effects of various parameters on the response were optimized. Analytical working ranges of 0.03-25.9 μgl-1 and 0-25 mgl-1 Cu(II) were obtained. The relative standard deviation at 13 mgl-1 Cu was 0.9% (n = 12) in optimum conditions. The detection limit was found to have been 0.019 μgl-1, with a 30-sec accumulation time. The developed methods were applied to a copper assay in water samples.