• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.440-445
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• 2013

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum) is a kind of mountain herbs whose roots have restorative properties and the cultivating acreage of balloon flower has been steadily increasing in Korea. More frequent rain and high amount of rainfalls as a result of climate changes predisposed balloon flower to the outbreaks of root rot at high-density cultivation area in recent years. Root crowns were usually discolored into brown to blackish brown at first and the infected plants showed slight wilting symptom at early infection stage. Severely infected roots were entirely rotted and whole plants eventually died at late infection stage. The overall disease severities of root rot of balloon flower were quite variable according to the surveyed fields in Jeonnam, Gyeongnam and Jeju Provinces, which ranged from 0.1% to 40%. The root rot occurred more severely at the paddy or clay soils than the sandy soils and their severities were much higher at lowland than upland in the same localty. The disease increased with aging of the balloon flower. The causal fungi were identified as Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum on the basis of their mycological characteristics. The optimum temperature ranges of their mycelial growths was found to be $24^{\circ}C$. The pathogenic characters of F. solani and F. oxysporum treated by artificial wounding inoculation on healthy roots of balloon flower revealed that F. solani was more virulent than F. oxysporum. This study identified the causal agents of root rot of balloon flower as Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum, probably for the first time.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 1990

Induction and culture of hairy roots by Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4 were carried out in Platycodon grandiflorum DC. After 2-4 weeks of inoculation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes hairy roots were formed at root segments in the balloon flower. Optimized growth of hairy roots was obtained in hormone-free MS medium, 6% sucrose and pH 5.8. The pattern of ginsenoside in the transformed roots was not different with that in the ordinary roots.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.251-258
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• 2017

This study was conducted to identify transition characteristics of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) and to calculate bio-concentration factors (BCF) in the three perennial root medicinal plants, namely Codonopsis lanceolata (Deoduck), Platycodon grandiflorum (Balloon flower) and Panax ginseng (Korean ginseng) grown in major medicinal plant producing districts in Korea. Average BCF values ranged from 0.009~0.029 in As, 0.334~1.453 in Cd, and 0.021~0.023 in Pb in three perennial root medicinal plants. The BCF values increased in the order of ginseng (0.029) > deodeok (0.012) > balloon flower (0.009) for As, balloon flower (1.453) > deodeok (0.685) > ginseng (0.334) for Cd, and ginseng (0.023) > deodeok (0.022) > balloon flower (0.021) for Pb. The BCF values calculated in this study will be useful for predicting the uptake of heavy metal (loid)s. Further study on uptake and accumulation mechanism of toxic metal (loid)s by agricultural products is required to assess the human health risk associated with soil contamination.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.156-160
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• 2008

This study was conducted to evaluate the hypotensive properties of the extract of Chinese balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum)'s root. In the studies for calcium channel-blocking using Xenopus oocytes, the ethanol-extract ($26.2{\pm}5.2%$) showed higher activity than water-extract. Twenty female rats were fed 25, 35, and 45 mg/kg BW/day of the ethanol-extract for 14 days to observe the changes in blood pressures and heart pulses. Ethanol-extract decreased the systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures of the rats. Especially, the rats fed with 45 mg/kg BW/day of the ethanol-extract showed significant decreases in the blood pressures. These results suggested that a decrease in blood pressures was due to the extension of a blood vessel with calcium channel-blocking by ethanol-extract of Chinese balloon flower. Forty %-ethanol showed the highest efficiency for ethanol-extraction of Chinese balloon flower.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.435-440
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• 2000

A pathogenic fungus causing balloon flower root rot (Platycodon grandiflorum) was isolated from naturally infected roots. The microbial characteristics of the isolated microorganism were similar to those of Rhizoctonia solani. About 500 bacterial species from field soils were screened for a biological agent against the above-mentioned putative pathogen, and several bacteria with the antifungal activity were isolated. Among them, the isolated JS2 was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This strain showed a broad spectrum of antifungal activity potentially. When the antifungal substance was purified from a broth culture of JS2, it was identified as 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (Phl).

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2013

This study was conducted to monitor residual pesticides in ginseng and balloon flower roots and to assess their risk to human health. All of 112 samples consisted of ginseng and balloon roots were purchased from traditional domestic markets and supermarkets in nine provinces of Korea in 2012. Multi-residue analysis of 122 pesticides was conducted and the analysis was performed by gas chromatography-electron capture detector, gas chromatography- nitrogen/phosphorus detector, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Seven pesticides were detected in 12 root samples and the detection rate was 10.7%. The detected twelve root samples were 10 ginseng root samples and 2 balloon root samples. Pesticides detected in root samples were procymidone, kresoxim-methyl, endosulfan, cypermethrin, tralomethrin, tetraconazole and chlorfluazuron. Among them, two pesticides as tetraconazole in a balloon flower root and cypermethrin in a ginseng root exceeded the recommended maximum residue limit set by Korea Food and Drug Administration. Five pesticides detected from 10 root samples were identified as unregistered pesticides in Korea. In order to do risk assessment with Korean medicinal plant consumption, estimated daily intake of residual pesticides were determined and compared to acceptable daily intake, referring to %ADI values. The range of %ADI values was from 0.006% to 0.333%. Taken together, it demonstrates the pesticides found in the two root samples were below the safety margin, indicating no effect on human health.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.72-75
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• 2018

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum) is one of minor crops in Korea. Only four ACCase inhibiting herbicides are registered for P. grandiflorum and the farmers usually use general but unregistered herbicides which can cause critical phytotoxicity. So, this study was conducted to investigate effects of alachlor and pendimethalin on germination and early growth of P. grandiflorum. To evaluate the effect of alachlor and pendimethalin, two herbicides were treated to the seeds in petri-dish and soil. In the petri-dish, alachlor completely inhibited the germination as well as pendimethalin inhibited the germination slightly but not significantly. In case of soil application, alachlor inhibited germination and plant height of P. grandiflorum significantly as well as pendimethalin inhibited plant height and root length significantly. We showed the possibility of phytotoxicity of alachlor and pendimethalin to P. grandiflorum and strongly suggest that two herbicides should not be used to the cultivation of P. grandiflorum. Unregistered herbicides should not be used for weed management and additional researches for screening of safe herbicide to minor crops should be conducted as soon as possible.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.946-954
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• 2020

Platycodon grandiflorum root (Platycodi radix) saponins, platycosides, have been used as health supplements and food items for the treatment of respiratory disorders and pulmonary diseases. Deglycosylated saponins have been known to exert stronger biological effects than their glycosylated forms. In the present study, glycosylated platycosides in Platycodi radix extract were biotransformed into deglycosylated 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides, including 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycodigenin, 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl polygalacic acid, and 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platyconic acid, by pectinase from Aspergillus aculeatus. This is the first report on the quantitative enzymatic production of 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides. The chemical structures of 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides were identified with LC/MS. Moreover, the biotransformation pathways of the three types of platycosides in Platycodi radix into 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides were established.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.134-139
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to establish the condition of regeneration for white balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum DC. cv. Jangback) and to manage for the raising of seedling with in vitro regenerated plants. It was examined that 0.5 mg/L of NAA and 1.0 mg/L of BA was the best composition for the callus and shoot induction (up to 600%). NAA was better than IBA for the induction of root and it took 16.9 days for the induction of rooting on the MS soild media containing 0.5 mg/L of NAA and the final rooting ratio was up to 75%. Out of 5 different bed soils purchased from local market, "Tosil" was identified to be the best for the acclimation and growth of in vitro regenerated balloon flower. In detail, on 8 weeks after planting of in vitro regenerated plants in pots containing "Tosil" bed soils, the plant hight was increased up to 2-fold (12.8 cm), 3.5-fold (27) for the number of leaf and 1.5-fold (4.5 cm) for the leaf length when compared to the other four bed soils, respectively. Our preliminary results indicate that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of blue balloon flower in the massive cultivated area of white balloon flower by providing the seedlings raised from in vitro regenerated plants.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.125-133
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• 2011

This study was carried out to strengthen productivity and employee management through the development of simple pre-processed foods based on Hansik (Korean foods) and to investigate the utilization of fresh vegetable menus, pretreatment, and cooking time in the preparation of vegetable side dishes. The reasons for not using pretreated foods were increased cost, required product size is not available, and not hygienic. The acceptable rate of increase in cost when purchasing simple pre-processed foods was under 10%. The expected developed products of simple pre-processed vegetable foods were balloon flower root salad, seasoned green vegetables, and sheredded white radish. The expected developed products of simple mixed vegetable pre-processed foods were deodeok+balloon flower root and white radish+pear. Based on these findings, to increase the utilization of simple preprocessed foods, development of various product sizes and sauces is needed, cost must be reduced, and hygiene improved.