• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.290-298
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• 2024

K-Maryblyt has been developed for the effective control of secondary fire blight infections on blossoms and the elimination of primary inoculum sources from cankers and newly emerged shoots early in the season for both apple and pear trees. This model facilitates the precise determination of the blossom infection timing and identification of primary inoculum sources, akin to Maryblyt, predicting flower infections and the appearance of symptoms on various plant parts, including cankers, blossoms, and shoots. Nevertheless, K-Maryblyt has undergone significant improvements: Integration of Phenology Models for both apple and pear trees, Adoption of observed or predicted hourly temperatures for Epiphytic Infection Potential (EIP) calculation, incorporation of adjusted equations resulting in reduced mean error with 10.08 degree-hours (DH) for apple and 9.28 DH for pear, introduction of a relative humidity variable for pear EIP calculation, and adaptation of modified degree-day calculation methods for expected symptoms. Since the transition to a model-based control policy in 2022, the system has disseminated 158,440 messages related to blossom control and symptom prediction to farmers and professional managers in its inaugural year. Furthermore, the system has been refined to include control messages that account for the mechanism of action of pesticides distributed to farmers in specific counties, considering flower opening conditions and weather suitability for spraying. Operating as a pivotal module within the Fire Blight Forecasting Information System (FBcastS), K-Maryblyt plays a crucial role in providing essential fire blight information to farmers, professional managers, and policymakers.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1724-1734
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• 2010

A phosphate-solubilizing bacterial strain isolated from Hippophae rhamnoides rhizosphere was identified as Rahnella sp. based on its phenotypic features and 16S rRNA gene sequence. The bacterial strain showed the growth characteristics of a cold-adapted psychrotroph, with the multiple plant growth-promoting traits of inorganic and organic phosphate solubilization, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate-deaminase activity, ammonia generation, and siderophore production. The strain also produced indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-acetaldehyde, indole-3-acetamide, indole-3-acetonitrile, indole-3-lactic acid, and indole-3-pyruvic acid in tryptophan-supplemented nutrient broth. Gluconic, citric and isocitric acids were the major organic acids detected during tricalcium phosphate solubilization. A rifampicin-resistant mutant of the strain exhibited high rhizosphere competence without disturbance to the resident microbial populations in pea rhizosphere. Seed bacterization with a charcoal-based inoculum significantly increased growth in barley, chickpea, pea, and maize under the controlled environment. Microplot testing of the inoculum at two different locations in pea also showed significant increase in growth and yield. The attributes of cold-tolerance, high rhizosphere competence, and broad-spectrum plant growth-promoting activity exhibited the potential of Rahnella sp. BIHB 783 for increasing agriculture productivity.

• Mycobiology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.19-22
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• 2005

We investigated the effect of nitrogen fixing Azotobacter bioinoculant on the mycelial growth and the rate of substrate utilization by Pleurotus eous. The synergistic or antagonistic role of the microorganism during dual culturing with the mushroom or the competitor molds Trichoderma viride, and Trichoderma reesi was studied. Azotobacter was inhibitory to the molds, which are competitive to the mushroom in the seed spawn substrate, but was synergistic towards the mushroom. The growth, substrate utilization potential as total nitrogen content and cellulase enzyme activities of the mushroom in the seed spawn substrate were also enhanced in the presence of the bioinoculant at lower inoculum concentrations, upto 5 ml broth culture per spawn bottle.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.136-145
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• 2014

Background: This study aimed to develop a biocontrol system for ginseng root rot caused by Fusarium cf. incarnatum. Methods: In total, 392 bacteria isolated from ginseng roots and various soils were screened for their antifungal activity against the fungal pathogen, and a bacterial isolate (B2-5) was selected as a promising candidate for the biocontrol because of the strong antagonistic activity of the bacterial cell suspension and culture filtrate against pathogen. Results: The bacterial isolate B2-5 displayed an enhanced inhibitory activity against the pathogen mycelial growth with a temperature increase to $25^{\circ}C$, produced no pectinase (related to root rotting) an no critical rot symptoms at low [$10^6$ colony-forming units (CFU)/mL] and high ($10^8CFU/mL$) inoculum concentrations. In pot experiments, pretreatment with the bacterial isolate in the presumed optimal time for disease control reduced disease severity significantly with a higher control efficacy at an inoculum concentration of $10^6CFU/mL$ than at $10^8CFU/mL$. The establishment and colonization ability of the bacterial isolates on the ginseng rhizosphere appeared to be higher when both the bacterial isolate and the pathogen were coinoculated than when the bacterial isolate was inoculated alone, suggesting its target-oriented biocontrol activity against the pathogen. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the pathogen hyphae were twisted and shriveled by the bacterial treatment, which may be a symptom of direct damage by antifungal substances. Conclusion: All of these results suggest that the bacterial isolate has good potential as a microbial agent for the biocontrol of the ginseng root rot caused by F. cf. incarnatum.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.615-621
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• 2010

The viability of low-temperature sulfate reduction with hydrogen as electron donor was studied with a bench-scale gas-lift bioreactor (GLB) operated at $9^{\circ}C$. Prior to the GLB experiment, the temperature range of sulfate reduction of the inoculum was assayed. The results of the temperature gradient assay indicated that the inoculum was a psychrotolerant mesophilic enrichment culture that had an optimal temperature for sulfate reduction of $31^{\circ}C$, and minimum and maximum temperatures of $7^{\circ}C$ and $41^{\circ}C$, respectively. In the GLB experiment at $9^{\circ}C$, a sulfate reduction rate of 500-600 mg $l^{-1}d^{-1}$, corresponding to a specific activity of 173 mg ${SO_4}^{2-}g\;VSS^{-1}d^{-1}$, was obtained. The electron flow from the consumed $H_2$-gas to sulfate reduction varied between 27% and 52%, whereas the electron flow to acetate production decreased steadily from 15% to 5%. No methane was produced. Acetate was produced from $CO_2$ and $H_2$ by homoacetogenic bacteria. Acetate supported the growth of some heterotrophic sulfate-reducing bacteria. The sulfate reduction rate in the GLB was limited by the slow biomass growth rate at $9^{\circ}C$ and low biomass retention in the reactor. Nevertheless, this study demonstrated the potential sulfate reduction rate of psychrotolerant sulfate-reducing mesophiles at suboptimal temperature.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.485-496
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• 2019

Sealing of leakage in waterfront or water-retaining structures is one of the major issues in geotechnical engineering practices. With demands for biological methods as sustainable ground improvement techniques, bioclogging, defined as the reduction in hydraulic conductivity of soils caused by microbial activities, has been considered as an alternative to the chemical grout techniques for its economic advantages and eco-friendliness of microbial by-products. This study investigated the feasibility of bioaugmentation and biostimulation methods to induce fermentation-based bioclogging effect in coarse sands. In the bioaugmentation experiments, effects of various parameters and conditions, including grain size, pH, and biogenic gas generation, on hydraulic conductivity reduction were examined through a series of column experiments while Leuconostoc mesenteroides, which produce an insoluble biopolymer called dextran, was used as the model bacteria. The column test results demonstrate that the accumulation of bacterial biopolymer can readily reduce the hydraulic conductivity by three-to-four orders of magnitudes or by 99.9-99.99% in well-controlled environments. In the biostimulation experiments, two inoculums of indigenous soil bacteria sampled from waterfront embankments were prepared and their bioclogging efficiency was examined. With one inoculum containing species capable of fermentation and biopolymer production, the hydraulic conductivity reduction by two orders of magnitude was achieved, however, no clogging was found with the other inoculum. This implies that presence of indigenous species capable of biopolymer production and their population, if any, play a key role in causing bioclogging, because of competition with other indigenous bacteria. The presented results provide fundamental insights into the bacterial biopolymer formation mechanism, its effect on soil permeability, and potential of engineering bacterial clogging in subsurface.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2019

Mushroom cultivation has gained increased attention in recent years. Currently, only four types of spawn, including sawdust spawn, grain spawn, liquid spawn, and stick spawn, are commonly available for mushroom cultivation. This limited spawn diversity has led to difficulty in selecting suitable inoculum materials in some cultivation. In this study, three small blocks of lignocellulosic agro-wastes and one block of a synthetic matrix were prepared as support for growing Pleurotus ostreatus in liquid medium. Mycelium-adsorbed blocks were then evaluated for their potential as block spawn for fructification. Our results indicated that the edible fungus was adsorbed and abundantly grew internally and externally on loofah sponge and synthetic polyurethane foam (PUF) supports and also has the ability to attach and grow on the surface of sugarcane bagasse and corncob supports. The mycelia of P. ostreatus adhered on corncob exhibited the highest metabolic activity, while those on the PUF showed the least activity. Mycelial extension rates of block spawns made of agro-waste materials were comparable to that of sawdust spawn, but the block spawn of PUF showed a significantly lower rate. No significant differences in cropping time and yield were observed among cultivations between experimental block spawns and sawdust spawns. Moreover, the corncob block spawn maintained its fruiting potential during an examined period of 6-month storage. The developed block spawn could be practically applied in mushroom cultivation.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.167-171
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• 1997

To find optimum application methods of Epicoccosorus nematosporus for control of water chestnut, five different concentration of conidial suspensions ($10^[3}$ conidia/ml to $10^[7}$ conidia/ml) fo the fungus were applied 1 to 4 times on 10~40 days old seedlings of water chestnut in greenhouse. Inoculum levels equal to or greater than $10^[5}$ conidia/ml killed significantly more shoots (82.6%~92.1%) and suppressed significantly underground tuber formation compared to inoculum concentration less than $10^[4}$ conidia/ml. When the conidial suspension of ($6.3 {\times} 10^{5}$conidia/ml of E. nematosporus was sprayed 2 times in 7 days interval, percentage of the killed plants was up to 98.7%. Numbers of reshoots and tubers were alsosuppressed significantly compared to one time application. The percents of killed shoots were similar between 10-day-old and 20-day-old seedlings, and significantly higher than those treated on 30- or 40-day-old seedlings. The fungus treated on 20-day-old seedlings was the most effective because there was high number of reshoots from 10-day-old seedlings. Therefore, optimal application conditions for E. nematosporus is 2~3 times of application in 7 days interval with $10^[5}$ conidia/ml on 20-day-old seedling age.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.217-221
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• 2009

Fludioxonil is derived from the antifungal compound pyrrolnitrin produced by Pseudomonas pyrrocinia and classified as a reduced-risk fungicide by the US EPA. The efficacy of fludioxonil for the control of lettuce gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea was evaluated under several conditions such as growth stages of host, inoculum concentrations, and amounts of potato dextrose broth (PDB) included in spore suspension of B. cinerea. At 4-leaf stage of lettuce plants, fludioxonil applied at 2 ${\mu}g$/ml was more effective for the control of gray mold than at 5- and 6-leaf stages. However, fludioxonil at more than 10 ${\mu}g$/ml provided similar control activity in all growth stages of lettuce tested. The fungicide (10 and 50 ${\mu}g$/ml) also gave excellent control of gray mold on lettuce seedlings inoculated with spore suspensions of B. cinerea ($2.5{\times}10^5$ to $2{\times}10^6$ spores/ml). But, control efficacy of fludioxonil (2 ${\mu}g$/ml) was negatively correlated with inoculum concentration. Addition of PDB in spore suspension of B. cinerea resulted in higher disease severity than non-treated control. By inoculating spore suspension including 0.5% PDB, the fungicide gave the most control activity on the disease, followed by 1% and 2% PDB. The results suggest that fludioxonil has potential to control gray mold of lettuce, but the fungicide at a concentration having moderate activity may represent low control efficacy on the disease under some conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.97-101
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• 1994

Tobacco stalks were cut and removed from the field after harvest, and urea was treated by placing it on the cutting portions of the remaining tobacco stumps. Relative virus infectivity of the root residue(compared to the fresh root residue infected with TMV) was reduced to 14.6% in December, 1993(before overwintering) and to 8.5% in March, 1994 just before transplanting, indicating that the TMV infectivity decreased remarkably, but was preserved still in the root residue in the field soil. There was no significant difference in infectivity of remaining root tissue between the treated and untreated root residue. However, as roots with urea treatment had been extensively decayed, only about one - fifth of the initial root volume remained after overwintering. TMV occurred less (by one - third) in the urea treatment than in the control, suggesting that urea treatment effectively provented tobacco from TMV infection by reducing the inoculum potential.