This study was conducted to construct a DNA marker database for 38 plum varieties collected in Korea using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A set of 61 SSR primer pairs was tested to select polymorphic SSR markers between 8 varieties. Among the 61 primer pairs, 21 showed polymorphism, reproducibility and easy scoring. The genetic relationship between the 21 SSR markers and 38 varieties was analyzed. A total of 210 polymorphic amplified fragments were obtained with the 21 SSR markers. Three to seventeen SSR alleles were detected for each locus, with an average of 10.0 alleles per locus. Average polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.758, with a range from 0.549 to 0.870. A total of 210 SSR marker loci were used to calculate Jaccard’s distance coefficients for cluster analysis by an unweighted pair-group method with arithmetical average (UPGMA). The genetic distance ranged from 0.06 to 1.00 in 38 varieties. Out of 38 plum varieties, 32 were identified using the 21 SSR markers. Therefore, these SSR markers may be employed to complement distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) tests or as potential tools to solve seed disputes regarding plums.

Rice breeders or sensory evaluators are striving to develop the rapid and correct sensory evaluation method of the cooked rice with a small-sample. This study was conducted to develop a method of cooking condition and sensory evaluation of the cooked rice rapidly and correctly with a small-sample by introducing a concept of arrangement ranking to the conventional sensory evaluation method by cooking in the cup, which has been used only as a simple test. A method of simultaneous cooking of the five samples for one round of test was developed. And, an arrangement ranking method was developed just like stacking a tower by arranging the cups in the sensory evaluation. The proposed method was named as cup arrangement ranking method. The correlation analysis between the cup arrangement ranking method (CARM) and the standard sensory evaluation method (SSEM) showed a high significance of correlation (r=0.83^**~0.91^**, ‘13~’14). Further, when effectiveness of proposed method was compared with the standard sensory evaluation method, the sample quantity was a 30g level for one round of test, which is a tenth of SSEM. The time consumed for sensory evaluation was two minutes per one sample, which was a reduced value by half as compared with the time consumption by SSEM. Therefore, the cup arrangement ranking is expected to be an effective method in the selection of excellent rice line or variety having good taste by evaluating the cooking quality rapidly with a small-sample in early generation.

The β-carotene biofortified transgenic soybean was developed recently through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using the recombinant PAC (Phytoene synthase-2A-Carotene desaturase) gene in Korean soybean (Glycine max L. cv. Kwangan). GM crops prior to use as food or release into the environment required risk assessments to environment and human health in Korea. Generally, transgenic plants containing a copy of T-DNA were used for stable expression of desirable trait gene in risk assessments. Also, information about integration site of T-DNA can be used to test the hypothesis that the inserted DNA does not trigger production of unintended transgenic proteins, or disrupt plant genes, which may cause the transgenic crop to be harmful. As these reasons, we selected four transgenic soybean lines expressing carotenoid biosynthesis genes with a copy of T-DNA by using Southern blot analysis, and analyzed the integration sites of their T-DNA by using flanking sequence analysis. The results showed that, T-DNA of three transgenic soybean lines (7-1-1-1, 9-1-2, 10-10-1) was inserted within intergenic region of the soybean chromosome, while T-DNA of a transgenic soybean line (10-19-1) located exon region of chromosome 13. This data of integration site and flanking sequences is useful for the biosafety assessment and for the identification of the β-carotene biofortified transgenic soybean.

This study was conducted to develop the early maturing rice lines with genes conferring resistance to bacterial blight and rice stripe virus to enhance the adaptability in plain area. Unkwang carrying Xa3 was used as a recurrent parent and SR30075 carrying Xa4+xa5+Xa21+Stvb-i was used as a donor parent. RL1(Resistant Line, BC₁F₇), RL2, RL3, RL4, and RL5(BC₂F₆) were bred through bio-assay of K3a race inoculation and phenotypic selection of agronomic traits. The presence of introduced genes was confirmed by testing the resistance levels against bacterial blight and rice stripe virus and then double-checked by using DNA marker. RL1 has all target genes, Xa3+xa5+Xa21+Stvb-i. RL2, RL3, and RL5 have Xa3+Xa21+Stvb-i whereas RL4 has only Xa21. Rice lines carrying Stvb-i showed resistance reaction to rice stripe virus. The combinations of bacterial blight resistant genes(Xa3+xa5+Xa21 and Xa3+Xa21) were found to be promising, as the rice lines carrying these genes enhanced a strong resistant reaction against 16 bacterial blight isolates. Also, the inoculation of K3a race did not alter the brown rice yield, ripened grain ratio and kernel quality of brown rice compared to control. Although RL1 containing all the target resistance genes showed excellent resistance performance, it is not suitable to cultivate in plain area due to instability to lodging, 80% yield level than Unkwang, and low grain quality. RL5 backcrossed twice with Unkwang was found to be a promising line due to its effective resistance gene combination, Xa3+Xa21+Stvb-i and good agronomic traits such as stability to lodging, higher yield and quality compared to Unkwang.

The influence of seed maturity, stratification, and seed washing method on seed germination were investigated for establishment of seed propagation system in dropwort (Oenanthe stolonifera DC). Seed germination rate was increased as period of the seed ripening increased, especially the seed over 40 days after flowering showed the highest germination rate. The optimum period of cold stratification treatment to promote seed germination was about 8 weeks. The seed treated by a cold wet stratification with sand exhibited higher germination rate compared to the seed treated by a cold wet stratification without sand. The stratified seeds that were stored in the ground having fluctuating temperature were improved up to 19%, while stratification stored under constant temperature(4°C) did not improve germination rate. In addition, 8 weeks of stratification period under fluctuating temperature in the ground was most effective. Sodium hypochlorite, vital oxide, and distilled water were used as chemicals to remove the germination inhibitor of seed coat. Water washing of seed coat after soaking in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite and 0.0005% vital oxide for three minutes and 60 minutes respectively could effectively remove the germination inhibitors in the seed coat.

Recently, concerns have been voiced about the high eating quality rice in the market. To cope the high quality demands in rice market, a rice cultivar ‘Jinsumi’ which is showing high grain quality and multi-resistant to diseases was developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, RDA, Miryang, Korea. ‘Jinsumi’ was derived from a three-way cross of ‘Milyang165’ and F1 plant of YR16195-B-B-B-21-1/Milyang169. The pedigree of ‘Jinsumi’ was YR21999-B-B-B-17-3-1 and designated as ‘Milyang 218’ in 2005. Heading date of ‘Jinsumi’ was August 15 as mid-late maturing ecotype. ‘Jinsumi’ showed multi resistant to rice stripe virus (RSV), bacterial blight races of K1, K2, K3 and moderately resistant to leaf blast disease. The grain appearance of ‘Jinsumi’ was translucent and showed 96.6% of head rice ratio. The milled rice yield of ‘Jinsumi’ was 5.74 MT/ha at ordinary transplanting of local adaptability test. ‘Jinsumi’ would be adaptable to the plain area of Yeongnam province in Korea.

A rice variety ‘Dabo‘ 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 2012. This variety derived from a cross between ‘Yeongdeog31’ with good plant type and ‘Milyang165’ with good eating quality conducted in 2001/2002 winter season. A promising line, YR23160-31-2-1-5-B-3, selected by pedigree breeding method was designated as the name of ‘Yeongdeog53’ in 2009. After the local adaptability test was carried out at seven locations from 2010 to 2012, ‘Yeongdeog53’ was released as the name of ‘Dabo’ in 2012. ‘Dabo’ is short culm length as 69 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. ‘Dabo’ 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 ‘Dabo’ in milled rice is about 5.90 MT/ha at ordinary fertilizer level of local adaptability test. This cultivar would be adaptable to south plain, east-south costal area, and south mid-mountainous area.

There are farmer’s demands to develop early-maturing cultivar in order to replace Odae variety to mid-northern inland plain and southern mountainous area of Korea. Saeodae was developed by the rice breeding team of Cheolwon Substation, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), RDA in 2012. This cultivar was derived from the cross between Geuroobyeo and Suweon 472 in 2001 summer season, and selected by a promising line, SR27376-2-2-1-3, was selected and designated as the line of Cheolweon 81 in 2010. The local adaptability test of Cheolweon 81 was carried out at four locations from 2010 to 2012 and it was named as Saeodae. The heading date of Saeodae is July 25 in Cheolwon area, which is 2 days earlier than that of Odae. This variety has 66cm in culm length and 77 spikelets per panicle. Its 1,000 grain-weight of brown rice is 26.5 g, which is similar to that of Odae. Germination rate at low temperature of this variety is about 70%, and viviparous germination is 17.7%. Cold tolerance of this cultivar is still not good, just mediocre. It shows strong lodging resistance. And premature heading, occurrence of wilting during ripening stage, and leaf senescence at maturing are similar to those of Odae. This variety shows resistance to leaf blast disease, but susceptible to bacterial blight, virus disease and insect pest. This variety has translucent and clear milled rice kernel without white core and belly rice. The yield potential of Saeodae was about 5.26 MT/ha at ordinary fertilizer level in local adaptability test for three years. This variety would be adaptable to mid-northern inland plain and southern mountainous area of Korea.

A new lettuce cultivar ‘Misun’ (Lactuca sativa L.) with wrinkled traverse narrow elliptic and deep red leaf, which has late bolting and high yield. It was developed from a cross between ‘Yeoreum Jeocgchima’ (deep red leaf color) and ‘Yeoreum dukseomjeokchukmyeon’ (high yield). The cross and selection for advanced lines had been done by the pedigree method from 2001 to 2008. The advanced lines were evaluated for yield and adaptability at several locations in Korea (Gangwon-do, Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongnam-do, and Jeju-do) from 2009 to 2011 year. The ‘Misun’ has gray seed color and traverse narrow elliptic leaves. The shelf-life of ‘Misun’ was four weeks longer than ‘Dukseomjeokchukmyeon’ at 4°C. The anthocyanin content of ‘Misun’ (88.32 mg/100 g) was higher than that of ‘Dukseomjeokchukmyeon’(74.78 mg/100g). The BSL (latucin+8-deoxylactucin+lactucopicrin) content of ‘Misun’ (5.0 ug/g, DW) is lower than that of ‘Dukseomjeokchukmyeon’ (12.0 ug/g, DW). Compared to ‘Dukseomjeokchukmyeon’, marketable yield of ‘Misun’(289 g per plant) was 11% higher than that of it, showed good yield in fall season cultivation and has particularly improved expression of red leaf color at high temperature cultivation in the field. Furthermore, its taste is better, more crispy, and sweeter than those of ‘Dukseomjeokchukmyeon’. Thus, this new cultivar ‘Misun’ can be suitable for cultivation in low temperature during spring and fall season season.

‘Jungmo1029’, a late-maturing, high biomass and multiple disease resistant rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar, was developed for whole crop silage (WCS) use. It was derived from a cross between ‘Gillim collection1’ with high biomass and ‘Junam’ which has some of diseases resistant genes. This elite cultivar had about 127 days growth period from seeding to heading, 105 cm culm length, 11 panicles per hill, 163 spikelets per panicle and 1,000-grain weight of 21.5 g as brown rice. This WCS rice variety was weak to cold stresses similar to ‘Nokyang’ but was tolerant to lodging in the field. In addition, ‘Jungmo1029’ was resistant to leaf and neck blast, bacterial blight except race K3a and rice stripe virus but susceptible to brown planthopper. Its average dry matter yield for three years reached 17.1 MT/ha, 14% higher than that of ‘Nokyang’. This stay green cultivar had good quality for WCS with low acid detergent fiber and high total digestible nutrients similar to ‘Nokyang’. ‘Jungmo1029’ was suitable for cultivation in the central and southern plain area of the South Korean peninsula and required to harvest 15~30 days after heading to improve the digestibility of cattle (Registration No. 5104).

The ‘Cheongun’ is a rice variety derived from a cross between ‘Suweon462’ which has translucent milled rice and medium maturity and ‘Milyang192’ that the elite line has a bacterial blight resistance and mid-late maturing property by the rice breeding team at NICS, RDA in 2012. The heading date of ‘Cheongun’ is August 13 and five days later than check variety, ‘Hwaseong’. It has 87 cm of culm length and 114 spikelets per panicle. It showed weaker cold tolerance than that of ‘Hwaseong’ while exposed to cold stress. ‘Cheongun’ showed resistance to blast disease, K1, K2 and K3 race of bacterial blight and stripe virus, but susceptible to K3a race, other viruses and planthoppers. The milled rice of this variety exhibits translucent, clear non-glutinous endosperm and short grain shape. It has similar protein content (6.7%) and amylose content (19.5%) to that of ‘Hwaseong’. ‘Cheongun’ showed better palatability index of cooked rice than that of ‘Hwaseong’. Its milled rice recovery rate is similar to those of ‘Hwaseong’. However, whole grain rate of milled rice is higher than that of ‘Hwaseong’. ‘Cheongun’ has 4.98 MT/ha of milled rice productivity in ordinary cultivation. ‘Cheongun’ could be adaptable to the middle plain area in Korea (Registration No. 5114).