Using a SQUID magnetometer, the diamagnetic susceptibility of NaCl aqueous solution was measured with high accuracy in a magnetic field of up to 6 Tat 25±0.05℃. The NaCl concentrations adopted in this experiment were 0 (water), 7.5, 15, 23, 26.2, 26.6 and 100% (crystal) with the concentration error of ±0.04%. Experimental data was compared with the calculated value of susceptibility derived from dependence of the vapor pressure on NaCl concentration As a result, our measured value was almost in accordance with the calculated value. It was found that the diamagnetic susceptibility shows a decrease of approximately 10% within the saturated concentration (26.2%) and that the susceptibility is one of the effective cause for the concentration dependence in the gas-liquid interface deformation of the NaCl solution.

Susceptibility of soybean cultivars to Calonectria illicicola was evaluated in a greenhouse by inoculating seedlings with mycelium in agar discs placed on the stems at the soil line. A range of responses was detected among cultivars following inoculation with a virulent isolate of C.ilicicola. Rankings of cultivars between greenhouse tests 1 and 2 were similar for disease severity and areas under the disease progress curves (AUDPC). In addition, rankings of cultivars for Final disease severity were highly correlated with AUDPC in test 1 (rs =0.88, t =5.48, p<0.001), test 2 (rs =0.99, t =22.10, p<0.001), and when tests were combined (rs =0.89, t=5.82, p<0. 001). Final disease severity and AUDPC consistently identified Asgrow 7986, Braxton, Cajun, and Forrest as soybean cultivars least susceptible to red crown rot. In 1993 and 1994 field tests, a range in disease susceptibility was observed for tested cultivars but none was completely resistant. Soybean cultivars Braxton, Cajun, and Forrest, which were least susceptible to red crown rot in greenhouse tests, also ranked among cultivars with the lowest disease incidence and AUDPC in field tests. Comparisons .between rankings of the eight cultivars common to greenhouse and field tests showed a correlation between final disease severity from combined greenhouse tests and both final disease incidence (rs =0.63, t =1.99, p<0.1) and AUDPC (rs =0.60, t =1.82, p < 0.2) from the combined field tests. However, AUDPC from greenhouse tests did not correlate with either final disease incidence or AUDPC from field tests. The green-house screening method provided consistent results between greenhouse and field tests and successfully identified the least susceptible cultivars Braxton, Cajun, and Forrest.

To determine whether the enhanced UV-B causes oxidative stress, and to test the relationship between plant growth response and biochemical defense response to UV-B, two soybean plants, Keunolkong, a highly UV-B susceptible cultivar, and Danyeubkong, a less UV-B susceptible cultivar, were subjected to the enhanced UV-B [daily dose : 0.06 (control) and 11.32 (enhanced UV-B) kJ m^-2 ; UV-B_BE] for 3 weeks. Contents of malondialdehyde and total carotenoid were increased in Keunolkong compared with Danyeubkong by UV-B. In control plants, ascorbate level of Danyeubkong was 3 times higher than that of Keunolkong. The ratio of dehydroascorbate/ascorbate was highly increased in Keunolkong by UV-B. The activities of antioxidative enzyme such as superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase were increased in both cultivars by UV-B. This results indicate that enhanced UV-B caused oxidative stress in both two cultivars, especially in Keunolkong. Susceptibility of two soybean cultivars to UV-B is closely related to the levels of antioxidants such as carotenoid and ascorbate.