Abscisic acid (ABA) is a stress hormone that functions in abiotic stress adaptation in plants. Thus many efforts have been made to identify the molecular mechanisms of ABA signal transduction pathways. Recently there were big advances in understanding molecular mechanisms of ABA dependent expression. From the ABA receptors to the transcription factors, signaling components were discovered and the biological networks among the components were identified. In this review, we describe the ABA signaling components and the rice orthologues identified. These show that signaling network systems of ABA are highly conserved in dicot and monocot plants and we are able to manipulate the ABA signaling components to develop the abiotic stress tolerant crops.

This study was conducted to evaluate forage yield and quality for the accessions derived from inter-specific cross between wild and cultivated soybeans. First of all, three soybean lines (W02, W09 and W11) derived from PI483463 (Glycine soja) x Hutcheson (G. max) and three cultivated soybeans (Daewon, Pungsannamul and Bosug) were evaluated to determine forage yield and quality at the R2 (full bloom stage), R4 (full pod stage) and R6 (full seed stage) stages of development. Based on forage yield and quality, R6 was determined the optimal harvest stage to provide forage of high quality and adequate quantity for animals in both lines derived from G. soja × G. max and cultivated soybean.

Second, 25 selected lines from PI483463 × Hutcheson or S-100 (G. max) × PI483463 and four common seed-type cultivars (Bosug, Pungsannamul, Taekwang and Hutcheson) were evaluated to determine forage yield and quality at stage R6 in 2010. Hutcheson had the highest forage yield with 24.7 t/ha in fresh weight (FW) and 6.6 t/ha in dry matter (DM) among cultivated grain soybeans. A selected line W11 had highest FW (25.7 t/ha) and DM (6.2 t/ha) among G. max × G. soja selections. Five selected lines (W02, W06, W11, W13 and W18) had similar forage yield compared to Hutcheson. Generally the 25 selected lines derived from G. soja × G. max had thinner main stems and branches which lead to get more edible forage than cultivated soybeans. When selected lines were evaluated for their feed quality as per forage grade by American Forage and Grassland Council, 23 lines had a crude protein with more than 19%; 9 lines had a neutral detergent fiber below 40%; 23 lines had an acid detergent fiber below 31%; 24 lines had a digestible dry matter of more than 65%; 13 lines had a dry matter intake of more than 3.0%, and 17 lines had an relative feed value higher than 151 or were equivalent to prime grade. And all of 25 inbred lines were equivalent to Grade 1. Therefore, inter-specific cross between G. max and G. soja will be an excellent way to develop forage soybean with good yield and quality.

This study was conducted to develop multi-resistant lines to brown planthopper, bacterial blight, and rice stripe virus using anther culture in rice. A total of 213 double haploid lines were developed the cross between HR26234-12-1-1 conferring resistant to bacterial blight and rice stripe virus and SR30071-3-7-23-6-2-1-1 conferring resistant to brown planthopper, bacterial bight, and rice stripe virus. Using DNA molecular marker, HR26234 and SR30071 were confirmed to have Xa3+xa5+Stvb-i and Bph18+Xa4+Stvb-i, respectively. All double haploid lines carried Stvb-i, and Bph18+Xa3, Bph18+Xa4, Bph18+Xa3+xa5, Bph18+Xa4+xa5, bph18+Xa3, bph18+Xa4, bph18+Xa3+xa5, and bph18+Xa4+xa5 combinations were identified. Segregation distortions such as no combinations carrying Bph18(or bph18)+xa5+Stvb-i and fewer lines carrying Bph18 than bph18 were occurred in DH population. Brown planthopper resistant lines carrying Bph18 showed longer culm length than susceptible lines. Selected Bph18+Xa4+xa5+Stvb-i combination lines with short culm conferred resistant to brown planthopper, bacterial blight, and rice stripe virus, while showed deleterious effects such as spikelet sterility, lower yield, and vulnerable to lodging than standard and comparative varieties. Using anther culture, we rapidly developed multi-resistant lines to brown planthopper, bacterial blight, and rice stripe virus. However, distorted segregation in DH population and linkage drag with Bph18 were obstacles to develop practical multi-resistant cultivars.

A new soybean cultivar ‘Manpoong’ for tofu soybean was released by ARES, Gyeunggi Province in 2009. The goals of breeding were for large seed size, high yield, and resistance to disease such as bacterial pustule. ‘Manpoong’ was derived from the cross between ‘Dongsan 121’, which has large seed size, yellow seed coat, and characteristics of superior tofu, and ‘Sprite 87’, which has early maturity. The preliminary, advanced and regional yield trials for evaluation and selection were carried out in 2003 and from 2005 to 2009, respectively. ‘Manpoong’ has a determinate growth habit with white flower, grey pubescence, dark brown pod color, yellow seed coat, yellow cotyledon, elongated seed shape, and large seed size(29.5 g per 100 seeds). The maturing date was Sept. 29. The content of crude protein, crude oil, unsat. fatty acids, isoflavone, total amino acid which affected the production rate of tofu was higher than those of the check cultivar ‘Taekwangkong’. The production rate of tofu was 15 percent higher than the check cultivar ‘Taekwangkong’. The average yield of ‘Manpoong’ was 2.87 MT/ha in the regional yield trials(RYT) carried out in two location at double cropping system in Korea from 2007 to 2009, which was 12 percent higher than the check cultivar ‘Taekwangkong’.

A rice variety ‘Daebo’ is a japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.) with good eating quality, lodging tolerance, and resistance to rice stripe virus (RSV) and blight bacterial disease (BB). It is developed by the rice breeding team of Yeongdeog Substation, National Institute Crop Science, RDA in 2011. This variety derived from a cross between ‘YR21247-68-1’ with good plant type and ‘Yeongdeog35’ with good eating quality conducted in 2002 summer season. A promising line, YR23940-B-17-1-2, selected by bulk and pedigree breeding method was designated as the name of ‘Yeongdeog51’ in 2008. After the local adaptability test was carried out at seven locations from 2009 to 2011, ‘Yeongdeog51’ was released as the name of ‘Daebo’ in 2011. ‘Daebo’ is short culm length as 63 cm and medium-growth duration. This variety is resistant to races, K₁, K₂, and K₃ of bacterial blight and stripe virus and moderately resistant to leaf blast disease resistance. ‘Daebo’ has translucent and clear milled rice kernel without white core and belly rice, and good eating quality as a result of panel test. The yield potential of ‘Daebo’ in milled rice is about 5.93 MT/ha at ordinary fertilizer level of local adaptability test. This cultivar would be adaptable to middle plain, south plain, mid-west costal area, and south mid-mountainous area.

‘Jinsang’ is a new japonica rice variety was derived from a cross between ‘Yumetsukushi’ as a high grain quality and ‘Milky queen’ with low amylose content and good eating quality in 2000, and selected by pedigree breeding method until M8 generation. As a result, a promising line, JCH33M-15-1-9-1-5-1-1-1, was advanced and designated as the name of ‘HJ-2’ in 2009. This variety has about 111 days to heading after sowing and has 75.2 cm culm height. Milled rice of that shows dull and medium short grain and 1,000-grain weight was about 20.9 g. It has low amylose content of 11.9% and lower protein content of 6.8%. The yield potential of ‘Jinsang’ in brown rice was about 4.57 MT/ha by ordinary culture in replicated yield trial test.