Basic dyes such as malachite green and methylene blue have been used as disinfectants to control water fungal infections since the 1930s. However, after succeeding reports of carcinogenicity and bioaccumulation of the dye, their use was forbidden in lieu of public health. This study undertook to evaluate the therapeutic effect of sulfur solution processed by effective microorganisms (EM-PSS) against Saprolegnia parasitica infection, and its safety in fish. In vitro antifungal evaluation of EM-PSS inhibited the growth of S. parasitica mycelia at concentrations of 50 ppm or higher. The acute toxicity test of EM-PSS to the mud fish (Misgurnus mizolepis) measured a no effect concentration (NOEC) at 100 ppm, the lowest effect concentration (LOEC) at 125 ppm, and the half-lethal concentration (LC50) at 125 ppm in juvenile and 250 ppm in the immature stage. In addition, the ecotoxicity test of EM-PSS using Daphnia magna inhibited swimming of D. magna at concentrations of 100 ppm or less. Lastly, the EM-PSS prevented infection of S. parasitica to mud fish, at concentrations of 50 ppm. Furthermore, at 100 ppm concentration, the EM-PSS showed no acute toxicity on mud fish, nor any eco-toxic effects on D. magnano. Therefore, we conclude that carcinogenic disinfectants such as malachite green and methylene blue could be replaced by EM-PSS to remove S. parasitica in mud fish farming, and might be a potential eco-friendly disinfectant in aquaculture.

Some solitary wasps and bees exhibit peculiar structures, i.e., acarinaria, which are invaginated chambers harbouring certain mite species for transfer to brood cells of hosts. Acarinaria have long been considered morphological adaptations that evolved to securely transfer beneficial mites into nests but there is little compelling evidence to support this hypothesis. The dispersal deutonymphs of the mite Ensliniella parasitica are housed in acarinaria of the host A. delphinalis during phoresy. The mite life cycle has been investigated in detail; the deutonymphal mite using acarinaria invades into a host cell during wasp oviposition, the tritonymph feeds on heamolymph from lepidopteran prey, then adults from the juvenile host, the female begins laying eggs on the host after the host pupates, and larvae and protonymphs acquire nutrition from the pupa, developing into deutonymphs by host eclosion. Although totally parasitic to the juvenile host throughout its life cycle, the mite did not negatively affect on the host. Nests were sometimes infested with other natural enemies, which included a parasitoid wasp (Melittobia acasta), a kleptoparasitic fly, and unknown pathogens. When the parasitoid and adult mites co-existed in a host cell, we found that either all mites or all parasitoids died. A single adult parasitoid (female) and adult mites were placed in transparent acrylic tubes containing a single prepupal host. In some cases, the parasitoids harbouring mites eventually died. However, in other cases, the parasitoid counterattacked mites by possibly biting them on their dorsum. This experiment demonstrated that the probability that the parasitoid was killed depended on the number of mites. Although mutualisms to protect a partner are common, this wasp-mite interaction is exceptional, because the mite is non-predacious and much smaller in body size than the enemy but protects the host wasp.

본 시험은 참깨 발병(병원균 : Phytophthora nicotianae var. parasitica)에 대한 품종저항성 검정방법 확립을 위해 실시하였다. 공식작물의 묘령, 접종방법, 토양수분상태 및 접종원의 농도는 공시한 중도저항성계통 B-67, IS 103과 나병성계통 수원9호, 수원 2006 모두의 병진전속도와 발병심도에 영향을 주는 것으로 나타났다. 그러나, 파종후 20일된 유묘에 1 m 당 200개 포자상의 접종원을 폿트(8 16.7 7.2cm)당 10m 씩 토양표면에 접종한 후 저면관수로 토양수분을 포화상태로 유지하였을 때 계통간 저항성의 차이를 갈 볼 수 있었다. 묘령 70일의 성묘를 사용하였을 때는 토양접종을 하였을 때나 분무접종을 하였을 때 모두 계통간 저항성 차이를 잘 볼 수 있었다. 전술한 유묘검정방법에 의해 이병성계통인 수원2006는 이병주율로는 100%, 발병심도로는 최대치인 9.0을 보였다. 반면에 중도저항성계통인 B- 67은 이병수율로는 20%, 발병심도로는 1.7을 보였다. 발병심도는 0에서 9까지 지수화하여 나타내었다. 예를 들면, 발병심도 0은 병징이 없는 상태, 5는 지면부 줄기가 변색된 경우, 9는 잎마름증상과 함께 줄기변색이 지면부로 부터 10cm 이상인 경우이다. 품종간 저항성의 차이는 병총면적률로도 조사를 하였으며, 이 결과는 발병심도로 조사한 검정결과와 잘 일치하였다.