Salicornia europaea L. (SE) as a halophyte has been widely used as a seasoned vegetable with various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activities. In particular, the desalted SE (DSE) has been considered an attractive alternative compared to SE for its anti-obesity effect. 1-Deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) is one of the known α-glucosidase inhibitors and has been reported to have similar biological activities with SE. This study reports the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory activities of DSE fermented by Bacillus velezensis K26 (BVDSE) previously isolated from Korean fermented soybean paste and elucidated to produce 1-DNJ in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW264.7 cells. BVDSE (5%) did not show cytotoxicity in 3T3-L1 cells and inhibited lipid accumulation, which was decreased to 23% in the differentiated cells. BVDSE did not inhibit the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, while it remarkedly inhibited IL-6 on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that the fermentation of DSE with B. velezensis K26 as a 1-DNJ producer has more significant anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects than even non-fermented DSE, assuming the synergistic effects by 1-DNJ production from B. velezensis K26, by which it could be highlighted that BVDSE may be considered for use as a functional food supplement.

We investigated the growth response and population regeneration of four halophyte species: Suaeda japonica, Salicornia europaea, Suaeda maritima and Suaeda glauca, when climate change proceeds caused by increased CO2 concentration and temperature. The plants collected from habitat in 2018 were transplanted into Wagner pots, and cultivated for two years in greenhouse divided into a control (ambient condition) and a treatment (elevated CO2+elevated temperature). The shoot length of halophytes was measured in July of each year, and the population regeneration rate was measured in October 2019. The shoot lengths of S. japonica and S. glauca had no difference between control and treatment for two years. Those of S. europaea were longer in control than treatment for two years. Those of S. maritima had no difference between control and treatment in 2018 but were longer in control than treatment in 2019. In control, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca had no difference between years while those of S. maritima were longer in 2018 than in 2019. In treatment, those of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima were shorter in 2019 than 2018 but S. glauca had no difference between years. The regeneration rates of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca were lower treatment than control, and there was no difference in the regeneration rate of S. maritima. In conclusion, if climate change progresses caused by the increase of CO2 concentration and temperature, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima will be shortened, and the regeneration rate of population will be increased only in the S. maritima.

Total 24 endophytic fungal strains were purely isolated from Salicornia europaea L. native to representative saltern of the Korea, Gomso. Strains were partially identified using amplified internal transcribed spacer(ITS) regions and the phylogenetic tree were constructed. Furthermore, deduction of two diversity indices was done. Endophytic fungal isolates belonging to 9 genera, concretely in Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Gibberella, Macrophoma, Penicillium, Phoma, Stemphylium, and unidentified(Pleosporales), respectively. Especially, Aspergillus(29%), Penicillium(21%) and Fusarium(13%) were dominantly distributed genera from the roots of S. europaea. Among them, genera Aspergillus, Aureobasidium or Gibberella have been reported with their activities of plant growth promoting, induces systemic resistance in previous researches. This study is dealing with the securing the diversity of endophytic fungi that showing symbiotic relationship with their host halophyte S. europaea which take the counter stage as a new crop resource.

신선 퉁퉁마디의 저장성 향상을 위해 MAP에 적절한 포장재와 저장온도를 구명하고자 본 실험을 수행하였다. 저장중 생체중 감소는 10℃ 이하의 저온과 무공필름에서는 2% 이하로 유지되었으나 25℃의 유공필름처리는 4% 이상의 감소를 보이면서 품질저하가 발생하였다. 저장중 포장재내 대기조성은 필름 투과율에 비례하였는데 이산화탄소는 1~2%, 산소는 15% 이상으로 유지되었다. 25℃를 제외한 모든 처리에서 저장 중 포장재내 에틸렌 농도는 7일 이후 급격히 증가하였는데, 2℃에서 가장 높아 저온 장해가 발생한 것으로 추측되었다. 저장 최종일에 이취와 부패율은 5℃에서 가장 낮았으며, 포장재별로는 다른 양상을 보였는데 저장온도중 가장 낮았던 5℃에서는 50μm 두께의 ceramic 필름이 가장 낮은 이취와 부패율을 보였다. 외관상 품질로 본 저장수명 역시 5℃에서 50μm ceramic 필름으로 포장하였을 때 28일 이상으로 가장 길었다.

In a cultivated field of Salicornia europae in the Jeonam Province, Korea, Scrobipalpa salinella (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) which feeds and leads to a serious damage was found. The discovery of this species is to reconfirm its distribution in Korea because the first report by Park and Ponomarenko (2006) was based on a single female and it was collected in a montane area far from seaside where its host plants, halophytes, are planted. For identification, photos of imago and genitalia are given, and the damage by larvae on Salicornia europae are noted.

The current study was performed to investigate the changes of bio-activities of Salicornia europaea (SE) depending on the different dry methods. The ethanol extracts were prepared from the freeze-drying SE (FD), hot-air drying SE (HD), and shade drying SE (SD). Their anti-oxidant and anti-thrombosis activities were compared. The yields of ethanol extraction in FD, HD, and SD were 14.4, 13.2 and 11.9%, respectively. The highest contents of total polyphenol (4.6 mg/g) and total sugar (23.4 mg/g) were shown in FD, whereas, the highest content of reducing sugar (14.6 mg/g) was observed in HD. In anti-oxidation activity assay, the FD and HD showed similar radical scavenging activities and reducing power. However, in SD, nitrite scavenging activity and reducing power were severely decreased. In anti-coagulation activity assay, the thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) of FD, HD and SD did not show significant changes at 5 mg/mL concentration. But the HD at 7 mg/mL had strong inhibitions against thrombin and blood coagulation factors. The platelet aggregation and hemolysis activities were not affected by dry methods. Our results suggest that both FD and HD are effective to maintain the functional ingredient of SE, and HD is economic and efficient dry process for production of functional food.

Salicornia europaea (glasswort) is succulent, annual, halophytic plant mainly distributed throughout reclaimed land or salt marsh. It has strong tolerance to salt so that it plays the part of the pioneer species in the first succession. According to domestic and foreign studies, S. europaea contains plenty of minerals and antioxidant in the body. Since people take note of an availableness of this plant as health diet, the natural growth sites are threatened. In addition to development of salt marsh and sea shore, imprudent harvest has a bad effect to S. europaea population maintenance. To seek ways to preserve the population of this plant, we carried out the continuity of seed germination and restoration test. Seokmo Island, Daebu Island, Youngjong Island and Sudokwon landfill in Korea are selected sites for research. Result of germination continuity shows that most S. europaea seeds germinate on March but no more after July. However the germination was occurred after that time in the greenhouse. So we concluded that no germination after July is a matter of environmental condition not the number of remaining seeds. Also germination was seldom occurred in the spot where seeds production was not happened. In result of continuity test of seed germination by soil depth, germination was occurred vigorously only in top soil. From these results, we note that most S. europaea germinate in the early spring, and germination is finished by July. And this rapid germination speed makes the number of seeds in soil seed bank rare. If a large number of S. europaea in some area are harvested after July, the number of this species will dramatically decrease in that area the following year. In Seokmo Island, we carried out reintroduction experiment by sowing S. europaea seeds. On the first year, a small number of S. europaea settled and they produced seeds successfully. On April 2010, the second year, we observed many S. europaea in seed sowing sites. And we found out that plowing is more efficient than treatment sea water for settlement of S. europaea.

Harvesting of marshfire glasswort (Salicornia europaea) by local people has been increased recently since this plant was known for a well-being food. Even though some harvesting sites are facing high risk of environmental pollution, Salicornia europaea is still harvested on a large scale. Therefore, to investigate safety of Salicornia europaea as a food resource, salt marsh environment, potential harvestable biomass, element and heavy metal accumulations in Salicornia europaea has been studied in three salt marshes, west-coast of Korea. Salicornia europaea showed 150 – 230g/㎡/yr harvestable biomass. Biomass and nitrogen contents of Salicornia europaea were closely related to soil nitrogen and carbon concentrations. Average Na, Zn, Fe, Cr accumulations in Salicornia europaea were 41479, 18, 297, 1.5 (mg/kg), indicating valuable trace element contents. However, average heavy metal accumulations such as As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg accumulations were 1.5, 7.1, 4.2, 1.5, 0.1 (mg/kg), which were even or higher than national standards (0.5, 0.5, 2, 2, 0.1) of salts. These results imply that harvesting and eating of Salicornia europaea in west-coast research sites would be harmful because the contents would be much higher if it is calculated as only considering salts and minerals. Therefore, harvesting of Salicornia europaea from some salt marsh in west-coast of Korea should be done cautiously.