Anther culture is useful and significant tool for producing haploid or doubled haploid (DH) plants in crop breeding system. Androgenesis is the way of inducing haploid and DH plants from anther (immature pollen) or microspore culture. In vitro androgenesis is efficient technique for introducing complete homozygous lines in one generation, thus less time and expense could be necessary than conventional plant breeding. In maize, anther culture is important system for shortening the breeding cycle and enhancing selection efficiency. Anther culture technique is also applicable to various researches such as molecular genetics, genetic engineering, genomics, and plant biotechnology. We review the past and present studies on anther culture and provide useful information for future researches on androgenesis in maize. The combination of androgenesis with other techniques such as molecular breeding and biotechnology is producing a variety of variety of maize species. In addition, we suggest strategy to develop androgenesis technique adapted to Korean research environment.

In this study, we compared disease incidence rate and phyllosphere microbial community between drought resistance transgenic rice (Agb0103) and non-transgenic Ilmi (NGM) during 2011-2014 to examine an environmental risk assessment of drought resistance transgenic rice (Agb0103). As the results, major diseases such as sheath blight, brown spot, leaf blast and false smut were occurred, however, there were no significant disease incidence rate between Agb0103 and NGM. As the results of counting bacterial and fungal viable cell, the colonies were increased or decreased which affected by environmental conditions, however there were no differences between Agb0103 and NGM. Also unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averaging (UPGMA) analysis based on polymerase chain reaction with denaturing gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) revealed that DGGE band pattern of bacterial and fungal communities were clustered by each month and there were no differences between Agb0103 and NGM. Furthermore, isolated casual agents causing sheath blight and brown spot were collected from Agb0103 and NGM, and they revealed that each of pathogens were no differences in morphology and pathogenicity. Therefore, our results suggested that Agb0103 showed no differences in disease incidence rate, characteristic of pathogens and phyllosphere community with NGM. In this way, it can be assumed that transgenic rice Agb0103 could not influence phyllosphere microorganism community and environmental conditions.

A variety of genetically modified (GM) crops have been developed in Korea. In these crops, the resveratrol-enriched transgenic rice plant (Agb0102) has moved ahead to generate the dossier for regulatory review process required for commercialization of GM crop. The resveratrol-enriched transgenic rice plant could be released to farmers for cultivation after national regulators have determined that it is safe for the environment and human health. Here, we developed a PCR-based DNA marker based on flanking sequences of transgene for the discrimination of resveratrol-enriched transgenic rice plant. This DNA markers will be useful for identifying of resveratrol-enriched transgenic rice plant, and can also be used to estimate transgene movement occurred by pollen transfer or seed distribution. Moreover, it is helpful for prompt screening of a homozygote-transgenic progeny in the breeding program.

The study was conducted to obtain the basic information for extending the harvest season and selecting superior cultivars of mango. For the purposes, various cultivars were imported and cultivated in greenhouse condition, Korea. The periods of flowering and fruit maturity and fruit qualities among cultivars were investigated under greenhouse condition. As the early variety, the harvest time of ‘Carrie’ and ‘Glenn’ was fastest as June 3 based on harvest time and cumulative temperature. ‘Kent’, ‘Philippine’, ‘Irwin’, ‘Choc-anon’, and ‘Fairchild’ as the early variety were harvested from June 8 to June 13. ‘Zill’, ‘Florigon’, ‘Alphonso’, ‘Mallika’, ‘Kensington Pride’, ‘Bailey’s Marvel’, and ‘Pinkering’ as midseason cultivar were harvested from June 15 to June 23. ‘Dot’, ‘Keitt’, ‘Gold Nugget’, and ‘Lancetilla’ as late ripening variety were harvested from July 5 to July 10. The fruit weights of ‘Keitt’ and ‘Kent’ were more than 650g and those of ‘Fairchild’ and ‘Lancetilla’ were less than 200g. The fruit weights of other cultivars were from 300 to 400g. The soluble solid contents of ‘Zill’, ‘Irwin’, ‘Kent’ and ‘Glenn’ were almost 15Brix and those of other cultivars were higher than that of ‘Irwin’. The soluble solid contents of ‘Pinkering’, ‘Philippine’, ‘Lancetilla’, ‘Dot’, and ‘Alphonso’ were about 20Brix and flavors of those cultivars are excellent. The acid contents of cultivars were investigated from 0.2 to 0.4% but that of ‘Fairchild’ was 0.8%.

In order to develop a core set and new corn variety in Korea, we evaluated the morphological characteristics of 194 maize accessions by examining eight quantitative characteristics. On the evaluation of quantitative traits for 194 maize accessions, they showed the morphological variations in tassel length (35.1±5.0 cm), plant height (226.1±33.7 cm), ear height (86.3±22.6 cm), stem diameter (2.3±0.6 cm), leaf width (9.3±1.1 cm), ear length (14.5±2.4 cm), ear row number (14.1±1.9 row), and 100 kernel weight (24.9±4.4 g). The results of principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the tassel length, plant height, and ear height greatly contributed to positive direction on the first principal component axis. One-hundred kernel weight contributed to negative direction on the second principal component axis. Thus these morphological characteristics, which contributed greatly in the first and second principal components, might be useful for discrimination among 194 maize accessions. In our study, seven accessions, such as IT026357, IT026441, IT027321, IT033271, IT033591, IT033597 and IT124273, particularly were measured high on yield-related traits. Consequently, the 194 maize accessions used in this study could be used as promising materials for maize breeding programs such as development of new hybrid in Korea.

The ω5-gliadins are the major allergens in wheat-dependent excise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA). In this study, SDS-PAGE analysis was used to assign the ω5-gliadins (Gli-B1) alleles in thirty two Korean wheat cultivars, compared with eleven standard wheat cultivars for Gli-B1a~m alleles. These results were reconfirmed with their complementary Glu-B3 low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits alleles tightly linked with Gli-B1 locus revealed with 2-DGE in our previous study. As a result, one Gli-B1b, four Gli-B1d, two Gli-B1f, six Gli-B1m and nineteen Gli-B1h varieties were identified. This is the first report on revealing the Gli-B1 alleles in Korean wheat cultivars and represents valuable basic data on wheat allergy, relationship between gliadin and wheat quality, and development of hypo-allergenic wheat.

Male sterile line in onion is essential to the development of hybrid varieties. Onion male sterile line 'Wonye30005' was developed by Bioenergy Crop Research Center, NICS, RDA in South Korea in 2010. Lodging date of 'Wonye30005' is May 15^th and it belongs to the early maturing type in Korea. We found the male sterile plants in ‘Hamasodachi’, early maturing open-pollinated variety, and the male-sterile plants were cross-pollinated with male fertile line, ‘M330’, the population of F₁ showed 100% male sterility and the F1 plants were subsequently backcrossed for five generations. 'Wonye30005' was numbered as ‘MMS77’ in 2009 and the corresponding male parent is called MMSB77. 'Wonye30005' has round bulb shape (Bulb index, 97), cold resistance, and excellent storage quality and average bulb weight is 253g. Flowering date is May 25^th and flower bud size is 84 mm in full bloom. The number and length of flower stalks per bulb are 4 and 134 cm, respectively. 'Wonye30005' has been filed in Korea Seed and Variety Service in 2010. Overall, 'Wonye30005' is promising male sterile line for early maturing type hybrid seed production and breeding program. (no 4673)

'Green King', a new green tetraploid table grape cultivar with large berries, was originated from a cross between ‘Tensyu’ and ‘Beni Fuji’ grape cultivar in 2000. The cultivar was preliminarily selected among the elite breeding lines for its superior growth characteristics in 2005. After an extensive three-year evaluation of fruit and tree characteristics as 'GWG2002-02', 'Green King' was finally selected in 2008. Under Chuncheon’s ecological conditions, the average harvest date for 'Green King' is 6 September, and the number of days from flowering to harvest is 88 days. Hence, it is 12 days shorter than 'Rosario Bianco'. The average weight of a cluster in 'Green King' is 379.6 g, and its yield is 1,852 kg/10a. It has larger fruit size and higher fruit productivity than ‘Rosario Bianco’ (Registration No. 3560).

Improvement of winter hardiness, lodging resistance and good quality have been recently received more attention by covered barley(Hordeum vulgare L.) breeders than ever in Korea. ‘Hyeyang’, a new covered barley cultivar with early maturing and high yield was developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2010. It was derived from the cross between‘Milyang87’and‘Wolsung8120’with good quality. The initial cross was done in 1999 and the selected line, ‘Iksan432’ (YB4494-B-B-21-2), showed high yield and good quality characteristics under yield trial test from 2008 to 2010. The following is the characteristics of‘Hyeyang’that is characterized as the vernalization of I, green leaf, compact spike and long rough awns. The heading date of‘Hyeyang’were similar to‘Olbori’. The culm length was 82 cm which was 6 cm shorter than‘Olbori’. It showed the spike length of 4.3 cm, 798 spikes / m², 56 grains / spike and 26.7 g for 1,000 grains weight. It showed similar winter hardiness and stronger resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) compare to‘Olbori’. It showed higher diastatic power 235DP than that of check cultivar, ‘Olbori’. Average yield of ‘Hyeyang’ was 4.44 MT/ha in the regional yield trials carried out in four location at double cropping system in Korea from 2008 to 2010, which was 8 percent higher than ‘Olbori’. ‘Hyeyang’would be suitable for the area above –8°C of daily minimum temperature in January in Korean peninsula.

Kimchi cabbage (known as Chinese cabbage) is one of the major vegetable in Korea. An inbred line ‘Wonkyo20042ho’, was developed by the National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, RDA in South Korea. The first cross carried out using ‘Norang gwandong’ which had been introduced to Korea in 2007. During segrerating generations, bud pollination carried out using selected plants to fix genetic materials. ‘Wonkyo20042ho’ inbred line was finally selected by breeders from commercial companies at the field exhibition at 2011. The horticultural traits of ‘Wonkyo20042ho’ inbred line were as follows; half-open head, yellow inner leaf colour, and dark green outer leaf colour. The average head weight was 1899.2g, head width and height were 17.5cm and 27.9cm, respectively. Numbers of outer and internal leaves were 14.3 and 66.5, respectively. Harvest maturity was mid-late maturing type and average of seed yield for three years was 723 seeds. In addition, ‘Wonkyo20042ho’ inbred line showed resistance to clubroot disease (race 4 single spore isolation) and possessed thin leaves and small sized head.