• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2010

This paper describes a web-based information system for plant disease forecast that was developed for crop growers in Gyeonggi-do, Korea. The system generates hourly or daily warnings at the spatial resolution of $240\;m{\times}240\;m$ based on weather data. The system consists of four components including weather data acquisition system, job process system, data storage system, and web service system. The spatial resolution of disease forecast is high enough to estimate daily or hourly infection risks of individual farms, so that farmers can use the forecast information practically in determining if and when fungicides are to be sprayed to control diseases. Currently, forecasting models for blast, sheath blight, and grain rot of rice, and scab and rust of pear are available for the system. As for the spatial interpolation of weather data, the interpolated temperature and relative humidity showed high accuracy as compared with the observed data at the same locations. However, the spatial interpolation of rainfall and leaf wetness events needs to be improved. For rice blast forecasting, 44.5% of infection warnings based on the observed weather data were correctly estimated when the disease forecast was made based on the interpolated weather data. The low accuracy in disease forecast based on the interpolated weather data was mainly due to the failure in estimating leaf wetness events.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1609-1621
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• 2014

The plant pathogen Burkholderia gladioli, which has a broad host range that includes rice and onion, causes bacterial panicle blight and sheath rot. Based on the complete genome sequence of B. gladioli BSR3 isolated from infected rice sheaths, the genome of B. gladioli BSR3 contains the luxI/luxR family of genes. Members of this family encode N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum sensing (QS) signal synthase and the LuxR-family AHL signal receptor, which are similar to B. glumae BGR1. In B. glumae, QS has been shown to play pivotal roles in many bacterial behaviors. In this study, we compared the QS-dependent gene expression between B. gladioli BSR3 and a QS-defective B. gladioli BSR3 mutant in two different culture states (10 and 24 h after incubation, corresponding to an exponential phase and a stationary phase) using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). RNA-seq analyses including gene ontology and pathway enrichment revealed that the B. gladioli BSR3 QS system regulates genes related to motility, toxin production, and oxalogenesis, which were previously reported in B. glumae. Moreover, the uncharacterized polyketide biosynthesis is activated by QS, which was not detected in B. glumae. Thus, we observed not only common QS-dependent genes between B. glumae BGR1 and B. gladioli BSR3, but also unique QS-dependent genes in B. gladioli BSR3.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.112-117
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• 2005

Abstract Griseofulvin has been used as an antifungal antibiotic for the treatment of mycotic diseases of humans and veterinary animals. The purpose of this work was to identify a griseofulvin-producing endophytic fungus from Abies holophylla and evaluate its in vivo antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi. Based on nuclear ribosomal ITS1-5.8SITS2 sequence analysis, the fungus was identified and labeled as Xylaria sp. F0010. Two antifungal substances were purified from liquid cultures of Xylaria sp. F0010, and their chemical identities were determined to be griseofulvin and dechlorogriseofulvin through mass and NMR spectral analyses. Compared to dechlorogriseofulvin, griseofulvin showed high in vivo and in vitro antifungal activity, and effectively controlled the development of rice blast (Magnaporthe grisea), rice sheath blight (Corticium sasaki), wheat leaf rust (Puccinia recondita), and barley powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei), at doses of 50 to 150 ${\mu}$g/ml, depending on the disease. This is the first report on the production of griseofulvin and dechlorogriseofulvin by Xylaria species.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.18-25
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• 2001

Ethanol extracts from 46 plants were tested for their fungicidal activity against six plant diseases consisting of Maynaporthe grisea, Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, Phytophthora infestans, Puccinia recondita, and Erysiphe graminis in the greenhouse studies. Strong activity at 5 and 10 mg/pot was produced from the extracts of Helianthus annuus flowers and Zea mays leaves against P. grisea. In a test with B. cineara, extracts of H. annuus leaves, H. annuus flowers, Chrysanthmum coronarium var. spatiosum, Cucurbita moschata seeds, Lycopersicon esculentum, Z. mays, and Z. mays leaves had strong activities at 5 mg/pot. In a test with P. recondita, strong activity was obtained from the extracts of Capsicum frutescens, C. moschata seeds, H. annuus seeds, L. esculentum, and Malva veticillata at 5 mg/pot. Against E. graminis, extracts of Cucumis sativus, H. annuus seeds, Salanum tuberosum, Z. mays, and Z. mays leaves produced strong activities at 10 mg/pot. All the extracts were ineffective against P. infestans and R. solani. Among seven extracts tested, the extracts of H. annuus leaves and flowers were highly effective against all the strains of B. cinerea resistant to carbendazim, procymidone, and diethofencarb. Furthermore, potent fungicidal activity was produced from the extracts of C. coronarium var. spatiosum and C. moschata seeds against the SSR, SRR, and RSR strains of B. cinerea, and Z. mays and Z. mays leaves against SSR and RSR. Extract of L. esculentum showed very strong activity only against RRS of B. cinerea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1223-1229
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• 2009

To construct a new recombinant strain of Bacillus velezensis that has antifungal and insecticidal activity via the expression of the insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein, a B. thuringiensis expression vector (pHT1K-1Ac) was generated that contained the B. thuringiensis cry1Ac gene under the control of its endogenous promoter in a minimal E. coli-B. thuringiensis shuttle vector (pHT1K). This vector was introduced into a B. velezensis isolate that showed high antifungal activities against several plant diseases, including rice blast (Magnaporthe grisea), rice sheath blight (Rhizotonia solani), tomato gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), tomato late blight (Phytophthora infestans), and wheat leaf rust (Puccinia recondita), by electroporation. The recombinant B. velezensis strain was confirmed by PCR using cry1Ac-specific primers. Additionally, the recombinant strain produced a protein approximately 130 kDa in size and parasporal inclusion bodies similar to B. thuringiensis. The in vivo antifungal activity assay demonstrated that the activity of the recombinant B. velezensis strain was maintained at the same level as that of wild-type B. velezensis. Furthermore, it exhibited high insecticidal activity against a lepidopteran pest, Plutella xylostella, although its activity was lower than that of a recombinant B. thuringiensis strain, whereas wild-type B. velezensis strain did not show any insecticidal activity. These results suggest that this recombinant B. velezensis strain can be used to control harmful insect pests and fungal diseases simultaneously in one crop.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.20-28
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• 1999

Chloronicotinyl derivatives were synthesized by substitution of amino in 3-pyridylmethylamine with phosphite groups and their insecticidal and fungicidal activities were determined. At 500 ppm, compound 4 with methyl and butyl group in phosphonate and compound 5, 6, 7, and 8 with two butyl, 2,2,2-trifluorotehtyl, 2-ethylhexyl, phenyl, respectively, in phosphonate showed 90% insecticidal activities against brown plant-hopper (Nilaparvate lugens). These compounds showed, however, poor insecticidal activities against diamond-back moth (Plutella xylostella) and two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) (<65%), suggesting that insecticidal activity of chloronicotinyl derivatives containing phosphorus moieties are species-dependent. Newly synthesized chloronicotinyl derivatives with halogen and/or heterocycle (compound $10{\sim}21$) did not show insecticidal activities. We also determined fungicidal activity of the synthesized chloronicotinyl derivatives against rice sheath blight (Pyricularia grisea), cucumber gray mold (Bortytis cinerea), tomato late blight (Phytophthora infestans), wheat leaf rust (Puccinia recondita), and barley powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis). Compound 10 with butyl and 4-nitrophenyl in phosphonate at 10 ppm showed 85% fungicidal activity against rice blast, suggesting that chloronicotinyl derivatives containing phosphorus moieties could be developed as a fungicidal agent of a novel chemical structure.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 2012

In the continued research on natural fungicides for control of plant diseases by using plant-derived products, we found that Spatholobus suberectus Dunn had a strong fungicidal activity against several plant pathogens. S. suberectus (1 kg) was extracted with 80% aqueous MeOH and then the concentrated extract was partitioned with n-hexane, EtOAc, n-BuOH and $H_2O$ successively. The four layers were tested their disease contron efficacies against 6 plant diseases such as rice blast (RCB), rice sheath blight (RSB), tomato grey mold (TGM), tomato late blight (TLB), wheat leaf rust (WLR), and barley powdery mildew (BPM). The EtOAc fraction was highly active showing over 80% control against RCB, TGM, TLB, and BPM. By using silica gel chromatography, preparative TLC and HPLC, six compounds that were expected to have antifungal activity were separated. Their chemical structures were identified as ethanone, hydroxytyrosol, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, dimethoxy daizein and formononetin by ESI-MS, $^1H$-NMR, $^{13}C$-NMR, and 2D-NMR spectroscopic analyses. The chemicals except epicatechin were first reported in S. suberectus. Study on in vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of the isolated compounds is in progress.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.26-32
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• 2001

[ ${\alpha},{\beta}$ ]-Unsaturated carboxamides 12 with trifluromethylated dihydro-1,4-dithiins were synthesized for the purpose of development of new agrochemical fungicide. Chlorination of trifluoromethylated ${\beta}$-ketoester 4 followed by tile reaction with 1,2-ethanedithiol gave intermediate 1,4-dithiane 9. Without purification of 9 substitution of hydroxy by chlorine followed by dehydrochlorination in the presence of triethylamine afforded trifluoromethylated dihydro-1,4-dithiin ethyl ester 7. Activation of the hydroxy of the carboxylic acid 10 obtained from the hydrolysis of 7 and then reacted with various amines gave the corresponding trifluoromethylated dihydro-1,4-dithiin carboxamides. Antifungal screening (in vivo) against typical plant diseases, Rice Blast, Rice Sheath Blight, Cucumber Gray Mold, Tomato Late Blight, Wheat Leaf Rust, and Barley Powdery Mildew of the synthesized compounds was carried out. As a result, most of the compounds shlowed weak antifungal activities and some compounds in which isopropyl group was substituted in meta of the phenyl showed antifungal activity (99%) at 250 ppm against the disease Wheat Leaf Rust.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2010

This study was to find out optimum rice cultivars for organic farming in no-tillage paddy. A field research was conducted the yield, yield components, and qualities of thirty two Korean rice cultivars, and two Japanese rice cultivars. The column length of early rice plant was shorter in medium maturing rice cultivars compared to early, and medium-late maturing rice cultivars. Planthopper population per20-plant was lower in Ilpumbyeo, Dongjinbyeo, Hojinbyeo, Donganbyeo, and Sobeebyeo in that order while was higherin rice cultivars of early maturity. The disease severity of sheath blight was higher in Saechucheongbyeo>Chucheongbyeo>Namwonbyeo>Sangmibyeo in that order, on the other hand, that was lowerinHwaseongbyeo>Junambyeo>Saesangjubyeo=Hitomebore>Ilpumbyeo>Hwayeongbyeo in that order, respectively. The grain yield of Korean rice cultivars was significantly higher in 2.95 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Hwasinbyeo, 2.91 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Ilpumbyeo, 2.86 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Sobeebyeo, 2.73 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Naepungbyeo, and 2.70 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Saegyehwabyeo compared with 1.38 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Hwabongbyeo, 1.62 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Hwayeongbyeo, and 1.78 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for Haepyeongbyeo of medium maturing rice cultivars, respectively. Toyo taste value of medium maturing rice cultivars tended to higher than that of early, and medium-late maturing rice cultivars. Ripening rate of rice cultivars was significantly positive correlated with Toyo taste value while negative correlated with protein content. According to principal component analysis, these results show that Sangmibyeo, Sangsanbyeo, and Odaebyeo for early maturity, Naepungbyeo, and Sobeebyeo for medium maturity, and Hwasinbyeo, Chucheongbyeo, and Sindongjinbyeo for medium-late maturity were optimum rice cultivars for organic farming in no-tillage paddy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1311-1315
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• 2006

Aminocyclitol antibiotic validamycin A, a prime control agent for sheath blight disease of rice plants, is biosynthesized by Streptomyces hygroscopicus var. limoneus. Within the validamycin biosynthetic gene cluster, vldBC forms an operon of vldABC with vidA, the gene encoding 2-epi-5-epi-valiolone synthase. Biochemical studies, employing the recombinant proteins from Escherichia coli, established VldB and VldC as D-glucose $\alpha$-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase and glucokinase, respectively. This finding substantiates that the validamycin biosynthetic gene cluster harbors genes encoding the enzymes for UDP-glucose formation from glucose. Therefore, we propose that validamycin biosynthesis employs its own catalysts to generate UDP-glucose, but not depending on the primary metabolism.