A crustose red alga, Lithophyllum neo-okamurae A.Kato, D.Basso, Caragnano, Rodondi, V.Peña & M.Baba, is reported a new record from Korea and its biogeographic distributions are extended in Korea. Lithophyllum neo-okamurae has been known as endemic species in Japan. Despite the resemblance between L. neookamurae and L. okamurae, our molecular and morphological analyses have revealed the simultaneous presence of both species in Korea. Although L. neo-okamurae and L. okamurae share morphological similarities, there are notable variations in gene sequences, with a range of 9.1-11.3% in psbA and 14.8-15.3% in rbcL. Specifically, while L. neo-okamurae is distributed throughout the entire coastline of Korea, L. okamurae is predominantly found in southern region. Furthermore, our analyses have revealed their detailed distributions in Korea.

This study was conducted to assess the genetic variability and correlation of phenotypic characteristics in 12 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotypes including 11 WorldVeg and one commercial variety (Pusa Ruby) in Terai (plain) region of Nepal in 2021–2022. This experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The phenotypic traits, including days to 50% flowering, plant vigor and height, fruit number/plant, fruit yield, fruit weight and diameter, fruit firmness and fruit pericarp thickness, and total soluble solids (TSS) content of the fruits, were studied. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits except for plant vigor. The genotype of AVTO1705 resulted the highest fruit yield (2.9 kg/plant) than Pusa Ruby, a commercial check (0.5 kg/plant). The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits and PCV values were maximum for the number of fruits, fruit yield, and fruit weight. High PCV, GCV, and genetic advance (GA) were observed for yield, fruit weight, and plant height, respectively, indicating the additive gene effect. High heritability for fruit yield/plant and plant height inferred the phenotypic selection for their genetic improvement. Fruit yield was significantly (P<0.05) positively correlated with the fruit number and fruit weight, and direct selection of these traits are reliable for yield improvement in tomato.

Transport packages have been developed to transport the decommissioning waste from the nuclear power plant. The packages are classified with Type IP-2 package. The IAEA requirements for Type IP-2 packages include that a free drop test should be performed for normal conditions of transport. In this study, drop tests of the packages were performed to prove the structural integrity and to verify the reliability of the analysis results by comparing the test and analysis results. Half-scale models were used for the drop tests and drop position was considered as 0.3 m oblique drop on packages weighing more than 15 tons. The strain and impact acceleration data were obtained to verify the reliability of the analysis results. Before and after the drop tests, radiation shielding tests were performed to confirm that the dose rate increase was within 20% at the external surface of the package. Also, measurement of bolt torque, and visual inspection were performed to confirm the loss or dispersion of the radioactive contents. After each drop test, slight deformations occurred in some packages. However, there was no loss of pretension in the lid bolts and the shielding thickness was not reduced for metal shields. In the package with concrete shield, the surface dose rate did not increase and there was no cracks or damage to the concrete. Therefore, the transport packages met the legal requirements (no more than a 20% increase of radiation level and no loss or dispersion of radioactive contents). Safety verifications were performed using the measured strain and acceleration data from the test, and the appropriate conservatism for the analysis results and the validity of the analysis model were confirmed. Therefore, it was found that the structural integrity of the packages was maintained under the drop test conditions. The results of this study were used as design data of the transport packages, and the packages will be used in the NPP decommissioning project in the future.

공공정원이 현대도시의 새로운 영역으로 등장하며 시민가드너 양성교육이 확대되는 현상에 주목하여, 시민가드너 교육 참가자, 참여의향자, 일반시민으로 집단을 구분하여 도시정원에 대한 이미지와 효과 및 공동체성을 분석하여 다음과 같은 결과를 도출하였으며, 교육 의의 및 활성화 방안을 함께 고찰하였다. 24개 형용사 어의구별척도를 이용한 도시정원 이미지 평가 결과, 자연과의 관계를 나타내는 “친숙한, 정서적인” 등의 어의변수와 정원활동에 대한 태도를 나타내는 “상호교류적인, 적극적인”, 그리고 공간적 평가와 관련된 “확장적인, 자율 적인” 이미지에서 상대적으로 높은 평가치를 보였다. 교육참 가자는 “자율적인, 지속적인” 등의 어의변수를 높게 평가하여, 도시정원의 형태나 디자인보다는 유지관리와 지속성을 중시함을 알 수 있었다. 주성분분석에 의한 요인분석 결과로부터 교육참가자 집단의 요인적재값을 중심으로 요인별 특성을 파악하면, 잠재적(Potential) 차원의 1 요인은 “도시정원의 공공적 역할과 공동체성”, 평가적(Evaluative) 차원의 2 요인은 “공공조경으로서의 차별성”, 활동적(Active) 차원의 3 요인은 “미적 체험성”으로 명명할 수 있었다. 도시정원 효과에 대해 교육 참가자일수록 사회적, 환경적 측면을 중요하게 인식하고 있었고, 공동체의식지표 평균값(3.4)은 잠재참가 집단(3.31)과 일반시민 집단(2.69)에 비해 높게 나타났다는 점에서 공공성 인식 상의 차이를 볼 수 있었다. 시민가드너 교육이 정원식물 지식 습득의 의미를 넘어 평생교육이나 공동체 활동으로 인식 된다는 점에서 지속가능성을 위한 교육의 체계화 필요성을 확인할 수 있었다.

Acinetospora filamentosa and Microspongium stilophorae are reported as new records from South Korea based on morphological and molecular analyses. A. filamentosa is mainly characterized by having the sparsely branched erect filaments, the scattered meristematic zones, forming crampons, plurilocular sporangia on both prostrate filaments and lower part of erect filaments, and spherical to oval unilocular sporangia formed either sessile or with a pedicel. M. stilophorae is an epiphytic thalli mostly on Stilophora sp. It is characterized by prostrate filaments with irregular cells, short erect filaments with short ramuli, phaeophycean hairs, uniseriate plurilocular sporangia on the terminal part of erect filament. Our molecular analyses of rbcL and cox1 genes reveals that A. filamentosa and M. stilophorae are nested within the clades of Acinetospora and Microspongium, respectively.

Feldmannia chitonicola is reported as a new record from Korea based on morphological studies in laboratory-cultured materials and molecular analyses. F. chitonicola is mainly characterized by a small size (1-2 mm), erect filaments mostly unbranched, plurilocular sporangia produced on both prostrate and laterally on the basal part of erect filaments, and 2 types (lanceolate and ovate) of sporangia. In our cultures, sporangia production was slower at 10°C than in 16°C and 20°C. Our molecular analyses of rbcL and cox1 genes supported its independence from other congeners reported for Korea. This is the first report of F. chitonicola for western Pacific.

Acinetospora asiatica and Botrytella reinboldii are reported as two new records from S. Korea based on morphological studies and molecular analyses. A. asiatica is mainly characterized by the presence of sparsely branched uniseriate filaments with diffused meristematic zones, the formation of crampons at right angles, and the formation of plurilocular sporangia on both prostrate and erect filaments. B. reinboldii is characterized by the presence of irregularly alternating branched uniseriate filaments attached by rhizoids, and single or clustered plurilocular sporangia with a single opening. Molecular analyses of rbcL gene revealed that A. asiatica and B. reinboldii are placed within each clade of Acinetospora and Botrytella, respectively.

The morphology, anatomy and reproduction (tetra/bisporic and male) of Lithothamnion japonicum Foslie was studied, using holotype material and materials collected from Korea. Lithothamnion japonicum is characterized based on the presence of encrusting, warty to fruticose thallus, branched or unbranched short and cylindrical protuberances, conical shaped spermatangial conceptacles, branched (dendroid) spermatangial systems formed on floor, walls, and roof of conceptacle chamber, cylindrical shaped spermatangial conceptacle canal, 9-10 cell layered spermatangial conceptacle roof, raised tetra/bisporangial conceptacles without rims, flattened tetra/ bisporangial conceptacle pore plate, 16-50 pores on each pore plate, 6-8 rosette cells surrounded by each pore, pore canal lining filaments composed of tetra/bisporangial conceptacle roof, and buried senescent tetra/bisporangial conceptacles completely infilled with relatively large and irregularly arranged calcified sterile cells. In this study, we report a new record of Lithothamnion japonicum from Korean coasts.

A field trial was conducted for two consecutive seasons (2013/14 and 2014/15), at the Gezira Research Station, Wad Medani, Sudan, to evaluate the agronomic performance of fourteen early maturing soybean germplasm introduced from USA, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Croatia, under irrigated cropping environment. Highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.0001) were detected among the fourteen varieties for the eight agronomic traits in 2013/14 and 2014/15. Over the two seasons, Vietnam coll. 1 had the high grain yield (945 kg/ha), followed by N04-9859 (828 kg/ha) and AGS 327 (798 kg/ ha). Days to maturity ranged from 71 to 86 days over the two seasons. In both seasons, Vietnam coll. 1 and AGS 327 had the high agronomic performance in fodder yield, plant height and height to first pod. The agronomic performance of Vietnam coll. 1 and AGS 327 provides a clear example of the adaptability of tropical soybean germplasm to irrigated environments in Sudan comparing to other temperate germplams. The relative high yield of Vietnam coll. 1 and AGS 327 can be maximized by increasing plant populations/unit area. The unique soybean germplasm from the southern US and South Korea is valuable genetics resource for soybean germplasms at Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC), Sudan to broaden the genetic base of the released soybean varieties through introgression of potentially useful genes for drought-related and nutritional quality traits.

An objective classification of commercial thickened foods was studied for Korean elderly people with swallowing difficulty as based on rheological properties. A total of 16 commercial products (grain porridges, vegetable porridges, meat porridges, fish and shellfishes porridges, nut porridges) were measured using a stress-controlled rheometer with stainless steel plate-plate geometry and building material cell. Joint consideration has been made of viscous behavior (flow and thixotropy) and viscoelastic behavior (oscillatory testing). Rheological measurements were fitted to different rheological and empirical mathematical models, and a total of 11 parameters were generated. Based on these parameters and the use of fuzzy clustering and the c-means method, an objective classification of all the products was obtained. 16 commercial products were divided to 3 clusters. Each class has been defined from the parameters of the centroids generated by the classification method used - thus allowing us to know the common rheological characteristics of any of the products belonging to a given class. The results of this classification encourage further to develop of the new products for Korean elderly people.