• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.171-175
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• 2006

Chitin compost and broth were used to suppress club root. Individual cabbage seedlings were transplanted into pots(3500 ml) containing a mixture of 3% chitin compost and 50 ml of chitin broth (T1) or the same quantity control compost and control compost broth(T2). The media in each pot was then infected with Plasmodiophora brassicae. Samples were taken at 6, 7 and 8 weeks after transplanting. The population of chitinase producing bacteria in T1 was consistently larger than that observed in T2. Chitinase activity in the T1 rhizosphere was two-fold greater than that of T2 at each time point observed. Shoot dry weight, leaf number and leaf area in T1 were enhanced 20%, 10% and 12% relative to those seen in T2, respectively. The disease index and root mortality at 8 weeks after transplanting were reduced by 50% and 25% in T1 compared to T2, respectively. Results presented in this study are strongly indicative that chitin compost and broth suppress clubroot in Chinese cabbage.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different organic treatments and a chemical fertilizer on the soil chemical, physical, and microbial properties in an organic pear orchard. METHODS AND RESULTS: Control was referred as a NPK chemical fertilizer (15N-9P-10K) and organic treatments included compost containing with oil cake, compost containing with humic acid, and compost containing with chitin substance. All treatments applied at rates equivalent to 200 g N per tree per year under the tree canopy in March 30 of 2008 and 2009. Soil bulk density, solid phase, liquid phase, and penetration resistance were not significantly different among the treatments. Organic treatment plots had greater organic matter, total nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium concentrations compared to control, and the nutrient concentrations were not consistently affected by the organic treatments. Microbial biomass nitrogen and carbon, dehydrogenase, acid-phosphatase, and chitinase activities overall increased from March to August. Organic treatments, especially compost containing with oil cake or chitin aicd, increased the microbial variables compared to control. CONCLUSION(s): All the organic treatments consistently stimulated soil biological activity. The consistent treatment effect, however, did not occur on the soil mineral nutrition as the trees actively taken up the nutrients during a growing season, which would have diminished treatment effects. Long-term study required for evaluating soil physical properties in a pear orchard.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2006

Biological control by chitinolytic microorganisms is being evaluated as management options for soilborne diseases. Forty kilograms of chitin compost (CTC) and control compost (CC) were amended on tomato plots ($15m{\times}0.5m$) 7 d before transplanting to evaluate enzymatic activities and the control of Fusarium wilt. Samples were taken on day 1, 3, 5, and 7, the day 1 corresponded to the 66 d after transplanting, the day on which the initial wilting symptoms occurred in plants of CC treated plots. The chitinase activity in soil of CTC was always higher compared to the control. Pathogenesis related (PR) protein (chitinase, ${\beta}$-1, 3-glucanase and peroxidase) activities in tomato roots in CC increased every day and showed marked differences compared to CTC. Wilting symptoms (96 d after transplanting) were reduced by 25% in CTC compared to the control. Protection of tomato plant may be correlated with the high levels of soil enzyme activities resulting from the chitin compost.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 1990

For production of thermophilic and alkaline protease, Bacillus sp. strain AP-5 was isolated from a compost. The production of the protease was reached at maximum for 4 days at $55^{\circ}$ in standing culture. Chitin and Cellulose as carbon source, and Skim Milk as nitrogen source were favorable for the production of the enzyme. Optimal temperature and optimal pH of the enzyme was $55^{\circ}$ and 11, respectively. Metal ion didn't effect on the enzyme activity, the protease was very stable at heat treatment of 30 min at $55^{\circ}$.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.169-173
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• 2010

Although fruit grown under sustainable farming conditions is believed to be healthier for humans than is fruit grown by conventional cultivation, little scientific information on the characteristics of fruit produced using these two farming systems is available in Korea. Therefore, weinvestigated fruit quality, total polyphenolic contents, and anti-oxidant activities in 'Niitaka' pears grown under sustainable and conventional farming management systems. Treatmentsincluded use of a chitin compost admixed with liquid chitin fertilizer (plot A), and use of a chitin compost admixed with liquid chitin fertilizer treated by infrared radiation (plot B). Plots C and D used conventional management systems. Fruit qualities at harvest differed between both sustainable plots A and B and the conventional plots C and D. The average values of firmness and total polyphenolic content in fruit harvested from sustainable plots were not significantly greaterthan those of fruit grownin conventional plots, after 60 days of storage. Fruit grown in all plots had low polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity at harvest but this increased during storage. Fruit from sustainable plot B showed an increased electron donating ability compared with fruit grown using the other systems.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.363-375
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• 2010

Sustainable farming systems have remarkably increased in Korea due to the increase of environmental concerns caused by the conventional systems. This study was performed on eight-year-old 'Niitaka' pear tree s to investigate the effects of different organic fertilizers on soil chemical and microbial properties and leaf and bud developments. Treatment and applications included 10 kg of rice bran (RB), 10 kg of coffee bran compost (CBC), 10 kg of Chitin incubated compost (Micro keeper$keeper^{(R)}$, CIC), and 30 kg of the mixture of the RB, CBC, and CIC (RCC). Control received 60 g of NPK (16-11-12) chemical fertilizer. The organic fertilizers increased organic matter, nutrient concentrations such as P, K, Ca, and Mg, and microbial biomass in soils compared to the control. RCC had the greatest specific leaf weight (SLW), and the other treatments did not have a significant difference for the SL W. Leaf P and K concentrations were different among the treatments, but they were not affected by the amounts of the soil nutrients. No differences were observed in the leaf Ca and Mg concentrations in the treatments. Organic fertilizers had greater chlorophyll contents than the control but had similar flower bud characteristics to the control.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1728-1733
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• 2006

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, nonmotile, and nonspore-forming bacterial strain, designated $T5-12^T$, was isolated from compost and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomical approach. The isolate was positive for catalase and oxidase tests. It could degrade DNA, but was negative for degradation of macromolecules such as casein, collagen, starch, chitin, cellulose, and xylan. The DNA G+C content was 36.0 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The major fatty acids were $iso-C_{15:0}$ (45.6%), $iso-C_{17:0}$ 3OH (17.2%), and summed feature 4 ($C_{16:0}\;{\omega}7c$ and/or $iso-C_{15:0}$ 2OH, 14.9%). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain $T5-12^T$ fell within the radiation of the cluster comprising members of the genus Sphingobacterium. Strain $T5-12^T$ exhibited lower than 94% of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to the type strains of recognized Sphingobacterium species. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain $T5-12^T$ ($=KCTC\;12578^T=LMG\;23401^T=CCUG\;52467^T$) should be classified in the genus Sphingobacterium as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Sphingobacterium composti sp. novo is proposed.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2010

The study was conducted to investigate effects of different organic fertilizers on 'Niitaka' pear tree performances in a controlled greenhouse. The four 'Niitaka' pear seedling trees per treatment were grown in a greenhouse for 6 months. Each pot was filled with control, rice bran (RB), coffee bran compost (CBC), and the mixture (RCC) of RB + CBC + chitin incubated compost (CIC). Each pot was filled with 1:1:1 (v/v/v) of soil : sand : fertilizer, and control, RB, CBC, CIC, and RCC were applied as treatments. Root fresh weights and root activities were increased by all the organic fertilizers, especially by RCC. RCC treated trees had the highest tree height and thickest tree trunk, and all organic fertilized trees showed increased tree growth compared to the control. The more diseased and damaged degrees on the leaf by spider mites increased leaf falling rates on all the treatments. The reduced diseased and healthy leaves were found on RCC treated trees that had better tree performance. Also, all the organic fertilized trees seemed to prevent the occurrence of disease in the leaf. Therefore, the organic fertilizer applications could be a good strategy to obtain better tree performance and maintain healthy seedlings in the nursery market or young organic pear orchard.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.305-310
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• 2009

This study was conducted using 8-year-old 'Niitaka' (Pyrus pyriforia) pear trees to investigate the effect of different organic fertilizers on fruit quality and level of total phenolicsin a conventionally managed orchard. Trees were treated with one of five different fertilizers: 1) control (60 g of chemical fertilizer [16N-11P-12K] per tree) 2) rice bran (RB, 10 kg per tree); 3) coffee bran compost (CBC, 10 kg per tree); 4) chitin-incubated compost (CIC, 10 kg per tree); or 5) RCC (RB+CBC+CIC, 30 kg per tree). Soluble solid content, hardness, and titratable acidity were significantly higher in fruit from RCC-treated trees compared with fruit from trees exposed to other treatments. Overall, control fruit had smaller stones and lower calcium concentration than had organically fertilized fruit. Also, control fruit showed a reduced level of total phenolic compounds and lower antioxidant activity in both peel and flesh than did organically fertilized fruit. Compost-treated trees yielded fruit of enhanced edibility and with longer shelf-life owing to a reduction in stone size and increased calcium concentration, respectively. Overall, fruit from trees treated with organic fertilizers was of higher quality and had greater antioxidant levels compared with fruit from trees treated with chemical fertilizer.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.482-493
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• 2005

Biomass is originally photosynthesized from inorgainic compounds such as $CO_2$, minerals, water and solar energy. Recent studies have shown that anaerobic bacteria have the ability to convert recalcitrant biomass such as cellullosic or chitinoic materials to useful compounds. The biomass containing agricultural waste, unutilized wood and other garbage is expected to utilize as feed, food and fuel by microbial degradation and other metabolic functions. In this study we isolated several anaerobic, cellulolytic and chitinolytic bacteria from rumen fluid, compost and soil to study their related enzymes and genes. The anaerobic and cellulolytic bacteria, Clostridium thermocellum, Clostridium stercorarium, and Clostridium josui, were isolated from compost and the chitinolytic Clostridium paraputrificum from beach soil and Ruminococcus albus was isolated from cow rumen. After isolation, novel cellulase and xylanase genes from these anaerobes were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The properties of the cloned enzymes showed that some of them were the components of the enzyme (cellulase) complex, i.e., cellulosome, which is known to form complexes by binding cohesin domains on the cellulase integrating protein (Cip: or core protein) and dockerin domains on the enzymes. Several dockerin and cohesin polypeptides were independently produced by E. coli and their binding properties were specified with BIAcore by measuring surface plasmon resonance. Three pairs of cohesin-dockerin with differing binding specificities were selected. Two of their genes encoding their respective cohesin polypeptides were combined to one gene and expressed in E. coli as a chimeric core protein, on which two dockerin-dehydrogenase chimeras, the dockerin-formaldehyde dehydrogenase and the dockerin-NADH dehydrogenase are planning to bind for catalyzing $CO_2$ reduction to formic acid by feeding NADH. This reaction may represent a novel strategy for the reduction of the green house gases. Enzymes from the anaerobes were also expressed in tobacco and rice plants. The activity of a xylanase from C. stercorarium was detected in leaves, stems, and rice grain under the control of CaMV35S promoter. The digestibility of transgenic rice leaves in goat rumen was slightly accelerated. C. paraputrificum was found to solubilize shrimp shells and chitin to generate hydrogen gas. Hydrogen productivity (1.7 mol $H_2/mol$ glucos) of the organism was improved up to 1.8 times by additional expression of the own hydrogenase gene in C. paraputrficum using a modified vector of Clostridiu, perfringens. The hydrygen producing microflora from soil, garbage and dried pelletted garbage, known as refuse derived fuel(RDF), were also found to be effective in converting biomass waste to hydrogen gas.