Ranunculus asiaticus characterizes colorful and attractive flower shapes that are related with the ornamental value of bulbous plants. Improving ornamental value of bulbous flowers has been the general goal of floricultural market. Gibberellic acid (GA3) and benzyladenine (BA) play an important role in growth and developmental processes in floriculture. Combinational treatments of these two hormones have been used in floriculture to improve flower quality. We assessed the effects of combined GA3 and BA, as well as the individual effects of each hormone, on growth characteristics using soil drench application to eight R. asiaticus cultivars, ‘Giallo Millepetali’, ‘Bianco Millepetali’, ‘Arancio Millepetali’, ‘Rosa SC’, ‘Arancio Pratolino’, ‘Giallo Pratolino’, ‘Bianco Pratolino’, and ‘Rosa Ch Pratolino’. GA3 treatments increased plant height and first flower size of R. asiaticus cultivars. Moreover, about 5 to 9 days to flowering were averagely shortened by GA3 treatments compared to controls. On the other hand, the opposites, including first flower size and days to flowering, were observed for cultivars treated with BA, compared with controls. Treatments of GA3 + BA generally affected growth traits, such as plant height, flower size, and the timing of flowering on some R. asiaticus cultivars. In particular, about 5 to 6 days to flowering were reduced on average by Treatments of GA3 + BA. Our results showed positive growth effects, including plant height, days to flowering, first flower height, number of flowers from the application of individual and combined hormones to R. asiaticus cultivars and demonstrate a role for these hormones in future bulbous floriculture.

The establishment of invasive alien species management is widely recognized as a pivotal issue in the preservation of biodiversity. Ranunculus sardous Crantz, a species native to Europe, has been widely introduced in many other areas of the world, including the coasts of the United States, Australia, China, India, and Japan. In Korea, the first population of this plant was found growing adjacent to a wetland in Hanon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Province, on 22 May 2018. Field observations confirmed the presences of at least two populations of this species in Jeju Province, Korea. This species is similar to Ranunculus sceleratus L., but can be readily distinguished by its presence of the trichomes in the whole plant, longer petioles of radical leaves, ovate-shaped leaf segments, globose to subglobose-shaped fruits and flat achenes with narrowly winged and papillae. The Invasive Alien Plant Risk Assessment (IAPRA), a system for recognizing and categorizing alien plants in Korea forests, was used to assess the invasiveness status of the species. Based on this system, R. sardous received a low score of 6, suggesting its potential invasion to natural forests. Although the current distribution of R. sardous is restricted to Jeju Province and thus far has had limited impact on local environments, local and regulatory authorities should pay close attention to this plant and take measures to prevent its further expansion.

The purposes of this study were to clarify of floristic composition and the landscape structure on the habitats of each Ranunculus plant, which were distributed in Daejeon, Korea. Three taxa were distributed and investigated in this study. Floristic composition of habitats were organized by living in flatten open space needed a lot of sunlight and humidity species. Landscape ecological structure of habitats were defined by soils of coarse loamy and loamy skeletal, slope of under 15˚, under the (five percent of woody coverage at 100-300m above the sea levels. Distribution patterns of Ranunculus plants in Daejeon were presented on the 1km X 1km grid map.