In the present study, the effects of extracts from Korean plants on the DNA damage response in HaCaT cells exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) were investigated. The activity of cells treated for 24 hr with ethanol extracts from Vaccinium spp. (VS), and Vitis vinifera L (VV) alone was similar to that of the non-treated control, but gradually decreased at concentrations above 200μg/mL. However, when post-incubation of UVB-exposed cells was carried out for 24 hr in medium containing VS or VV extracts, the cell activity increased in a concentration-dependent manner compared with that in the normal growth medium. The cell viability of UVB-exposed cells also increased when post-incubated in medium containing VS or VV extracts, in a concentration-dependent manner. Nuclear fragmentation analysis showed that post-incubation with VS or VV extracts decreased the UVB-induced apoptosis by about 10 and 13%, respectively, of that in cells post-incubated in growth medium. After 24 hr of post-incubation in medium containing VS or VV extracts, the level of CPD and 8-OHdG decreased in time- and concentration-dependent manners. Overall these results suggest that VS and VV extracts assist the survival of UVB-exposed cells, in accordance with the respective decrease in the levels of UVB-induced DNA damage.

The blueberry gall midge, Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson)(Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), has known as a key pest of blueberries in the southeastern United States, Europe and Canada. It can cause considerable damage to developing blueberry flower buds and also injure vegetative growth by distorting and blackening shoot tips. Similar symptoms of damage, which mighty be caused by D. oxycoccana, have been investigated on blueberry plants(damage rate: 20~80% of total shoot tips), Vaccinium spp., in Hwaseong-si of Gyounggi-do in 2010. And, followed by an investigation on the occurrences of D. oxycoccana and its damages in 2010~2012. We emphasize caution concerning the possibilities that D. oxycoccana could infest flower buds and shoot on blueberries and developed monitoring methods and environment-friendly management strategies for D. oxycoccana on buleberry.

For analysis of the relationship among blueberry cultivars, the growth period and morphological characteristics were investigated in 28 blueberry cultivars, and cluster analysis using the SAS program was conducted based on the morphological data. The harvest period was later and longer in rabbiteye blueberry cultivars (Austin, Brightwell, Powderblue, Southland, Tifblue) than in highbush blueberry cultivars. The L/D ratio of flower was more than 2.0 in the Austin, Brightwell, Powderblue, Southland, Tifblue, and Brigitta cultivars, and this could be disadvantageous for pollination. The 28 blueberry cultivars were classified into two groups by the cluster analysis based on growth period and morphological characteristics. Group I included rabbiteye blueberries and Group II included highbush blueberries. However, the northern, southern, and half-highbush blueberry cultivars were not differentiated.

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) is a member of the Ericaceae and eleven varieties have been registered at the Korea Seed & Variety Service for Plant Variety Protection (PVP). This study was to develop simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis and to analysis genetic relationship of blueberry 31 varieties. Highbush blueberry ‘Camellia’ and rabbiteye blueberry ‘Alapaha’ varieties were used as sequencing materials. Out of total 987 SSR primers detected between ‘Camellia’ and ‘Alapaha’, 148 SSR primers were initially applied to select SSR markers for identification of blueberry varieties. Fourteen SSR markers showed polymorphism between 8 varieties. Seven SSR markers showed reproducibility and clear peak among 14 SSR markers. Genetic relationships of 31 blueberry varieties were analyzed and identified using 7 SSR markers. A total of 30 polymorphic SSR alleles were obtained and two to seven alleles were detected for each locus with an average of 4.3 alleles per locus. Average polymorphism information content was 0.556, ranging from 0.374 to 0.714. Genetic distance of clusters ranged from 0.38 to 0.93 by unweighted pair-group method with arithmetical average based on Jaccard’s distance coefficients. These newly developed SSR markers indicate usefulness for variety identification related to seed dispute and distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) test for blueberry.