This study was conducted to isolate a salt tolerant gene and to develop salt tolerant rice for reclaimed-saline areas through genetic transformation. A rice c/DRE binding factor 4 (OsCBF4) cDNA was isolated from rice (cv. Nipponbare) using RT-PCR. The full-length cDNA of the CBF4 gene consists of 1,429 nucleotides and 274 amino acid residues. The OsCBF4 shares from 33 to 49% identity of deduced amino acid sequence with other CBFs of rice. In order to develop salt tolerant rice, transgenic rice plants containing the OsCBF4 gene were obtained via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The stable incorporation of the OsCBF4 gene into rice genome was confirmed by PCR and Southern analysis. The stable expression of introduced gene was also validated by RT-PCR analysis in T₂ plants. Biological assay of T₃ progeny of the transgenic plants in Yoshida solution containing 120 mM Nacl for 2 weeks, confirmed that the OsCBF4 confers salt tolerance to transgenic rice plants. OsCBF4 transgene in the transgenic line CBF4-10 was markedly expressed up to over three-fold in the leaf by 120 mM NaCl treatment. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the levels of the transgene expression were markedly increased under salt treatment. The transgenic line CBF4-10 which showed highest ability to recover from the saline stress could be used as a potential source for salt tolerance in rice breeding programs.

The next generation sequencing (NGS) has been developed rapidly in recent years, paving ways of discovering vast sequence variations among germplasms. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on the genomic DNA of Milyang23 and Gihobyeo using NGS and developed new CAPS (cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence) markers based on the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in coding sequence between these varieties. The NGS sequencing yielded sequences of 60x coverage of the Nipponbare reference genome on average. A molecular genetic map was constructed with the recombinant inbred population derived from Milyang23/Gihobyeo cross (MGRIL) integrating the newly developed 146 CAPS makers and previously reported 219 PCR-based DNA markers. This map was applied to the detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for stem internode diameters, culm length and panicle length in rice with MGRIL population. A total of 4 new QTLs were detected for stem diameter traits including the first internode diameter (I1D), second internode diameter (I2D), third internode diameter (I3D), and fourth internode diameter (I4D). Among stem diameter QTLs, qI1D5 had relatively 6.09 LOD (likelihood of odds) score and explained 8.99% of total variation. Only very small portion of SNPs through re-sequencing were used in this study. Much more markers can be developed by using SNP information acquired in this study, which will enable construction of high-density genetic map and more accurate QTL analysis of important agronomical traits with MGRIL population.

Soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merr] is one of the most important legumes in the world. However, soybean varieties are sensitive to flooding stress and their seed yields are substantially reduced in response to the flooding stress. 192 soybean germplasm collection was screened to identify flooding tolerant germplasm at an early vegetative growth stage (V1). Soybean plants at V1 stage were waterlogged for 4 to 10 days. To evaluate flooding tolerance, survival rate were investigated as a time dependent manner. Jangbaegkong, Danbaegkong, Sowonkongkong, Socheong2 and Suwon269 showed flooding tolerance, while Shillog, T201, T181, NTS1116 and HP-963 showed flooding sensitivity. We also investigated effects of flooding stress on soybean morphology. The adventitious root development was greatly increased in flooding tolerant plants compared to it in flooding sensitive plants. In addition, root length and root number were analyzed. The significant reduction of root length and root number was observed in flooding sensitive plants. Thus, these results indicate that the morphological changes in roots are important for acclimation to flooding stress. Taken together, the relationship between the morphological changes in the roots and flooding tolerance may be useful in selecting a flooding tolerant soybean germplasm.

This study was carried out to develop of macro-protocol and the biosafety guide for drought-tolerant transgenic rice (Agb0103) at large scale GMO field, a total of 4,700 m². In GMO quarantine area of Kyungpook National University, insect species diversities and population densities on Agb0103 and wild type (Ilmi) were investigated. There was no difference between the population densities of insect pests and natural enemies on two varieties, while sometimes insect pest density on Ilmi was slightly higher than on Agb0103, but natural enemy density on Agb0103 was a little higher. These results provided the insect diversity for risk assessment analysis of Agb0103 and suggested that the macro-protocol could be useful to detect GM plants.

Crops are exposed to various environmental stresses. These have been affecting the growth of crops, resulting in the severe loss of agronomic production in many countries. Therefore, development of new varieties of resistant crops is required to assure the desired productivity of crops in stress conditions. In this study, a putatively stress-related gene BrTSR53 was isolated from Brassica rapa. The BrTSR53 is 481 bp long and contains ORF region of 234 bp. This ORF showed strong sequence similarities to the uncharacterized genes from Arabidopsis. The expression of BrTSR53 was determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. After 3 hr, the highest quantities of mRNA were revealed in cold and salt stress treatments. In drought stress treatments, there was the highest expression after 36 hr. Therefore, it was confirmed that the ORF in BrTSR53 should be a gene that confer increased resistance to B. rapa growing in different stress conditions. The ORF region of BrTSR53 gene was cloned into an expression vector, pYES-DEST52, and a new protein with molecular weight of 13 kDa was detected by western blot analysis. Also, stress tolerance tests showed that BrTSR53-ORF transgenic yeast exhibited increased resistance to the salt stresses compared with the control. In conclusion, the present data predicts that novel ORF in BrTSR53 can serve as an important genetic resource for abiotic stress resistance.

‘Anmi’ is a new BPH (Brown planthopper) resistant japonica rice cultivar possessing the Bph18 gene derived from wild rice, Oryza australiensis and high yield potential with good grain quality. ‘Anmi’ was derived from a cross ‘Junam’ and ‘IR65482-7-216-1-2’ by a molecular marker assisted backcross breeding. The introgression line ‘IR65482-7-216-1-2’, the source of the Bph18 gene, was used as the donor parent for BPH resistance and ‘Junam’, a BPH-susceptible elite japonica cultivar with good grain quality, was used as the recurrent parent. ‘Anmi’ was developed by three times backcross the F1 plants with ‘Junam’. The heading date of ‘Anmi’ is August 15 in central plain area, which is 5 days later than that of ‘Hwaseong’. It has 77 cm in culm length, 21 cm in panicle length. The number of spikelets per panicle is more than that of ‘Hwaseong’ and 1,000 grain-weight of brown rice is 22.1 g which is less than 22.7 g of ‘Hwaseong’. Milled rice kernel of ‘Anmi’ is clear in appearance, low in amylase content and excellent in palatability of cooked rice. ‘Anmi’ shows resistance to BPH, leaf blast disease, bacterial blight, rice stripe disease but susceptible to other virus disease and insect pest. The milled rice yield performance of ‘Anmi’ is about 5.76 MT/ha in local adaptability test for three years. This cultivar is adaptable to central plain area of Korea.

Geonyangmi, low glutelins rice cultivar, was developed by the rice breeding team of National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA in 2011. This cultivar was derived from the cross between Jinmi TR and LGC-1 in 2003 summer season, and selected by a promising line, SR29355-B-51-2-2-1, was selected and designated as the line of Suweon533 in 2009. The local adaptability test of Suweon533 was carried out at three locations from 2009 to 2011 and it was named as Geonyangmi. This variety is a mid-late maturity cultivar. This variety has 90 cm in culm length and 124 spikelets per panicle. Its 1,000 grain-weight of brown rice is 19.3 g which is less than that of Hwaseonbyeo. This variety has tolerance to unfavorable environment such as cold. This variety has translucent and clear milled rice kernel without white core and belly rice. It has low glutelin content compared with Jinmibyeo. This variety is susceptible to leaf blast, bacterial blight, virus disease and insect pest. The yield potential of Geonyangmi was about 4.93 MT/ha at ordinary fertilizer level in local adaptability test for three years. This variety would be adaptable to the plain paddy field of middle of Korea.

Sheonhyangheukmi, black pericarp and aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) variety, was developed by the rice breeding team of National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA in 2011. This variety was derived from the cross between Suweon477 and CG2-2-75-4-1-22-3 in 2002 summer season, and selected by a promising line, SR28684-9-2-2-2, was selected and designated as the line of Suweon532 in 2009. The local adaptability test of Suweon532 was carried out from 2009 to 2011 and it was named as Sheonhyangheukmi in 2011. This variety is medium matured with heading date of August 11 in central plain area of Korea. This variety is about 89 cm tall culm length and 122 spikelets per panicle. Its 1,000 grain-weight of brown rice is 17.0 g. This variety is susceptible to leaf blast and and insect pest, but resistant to bacterial leaf blight and moderately resistant to stripe virus disease. This variety has tolerance to unfavorable environment such as cold. Milled rice of Sheonhyanghuekmi is non-glutinous and aromatic endorsperm. This variety has higher anthocyanin content compared to black pigmented variety Heukjinju. The yield potential of Sheonhyangheukmi in brown rice was about 4.75 MT/ha at ordinary fertilizer level in local adaptability test for three years. This variety would be adaptable to the southern plain and middle plain of Korea.

Cheongdaok, a new single maize (Zea mays L.) variety, was developed by the maize breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA in 2010. This high-yielding hybrid was produced by crossing two inbred lines, KS159 and KS155. KS159 is the seed parent and KS155 is the pollen parent of Cheongdaok. It is a yellow dent maize hybrid. After the preliminary yield trial and advanced yield trial of Cheongdaok in Suwon for two years, the regional yield trial was subsequently carried out for evaluation of its growth characteristics and yield at four different locations from 2008 to 2010. The silking date of Cheongdaok is one day earlier than that of the check hybrid, Kwangpyeongok. Compared to Kwangpyeongok, the Cheongdaok show short in plant height and low in ear height ratio. It has resistance to lodging. The stay-green degree and the ear ratio of Cheongdaok are similar to Kwangpyeongok. It has moderate resistance to southern leaf blight (Bipolaris maydis) and strong resistance to northern leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum). It has moderate resistance to black streaked dwarf virus (BSDV), ear lot, and corn borer. The dry matter yield 20.24 ton/ha and the total digestible nutrient (TDN) yield (13.80 ton/ha) of Cheongdaok were similar to Kwangpyeongok. The grain yield (8.51 ton/ha) of Cheongdaok was higher than that of Jangdaok. The seed production of Cheongdaok was well processed due to a good synchronization of flowering period during crossing between the seed parent KS159 and the pollen parent KS155, and the F1 seed yield was 1.8 ton/ha in Yeongwol.