A type 3 metallothionein cDNA (PMT3a) from ozone-treated Populus alba${\times}$Populus glandulosa cDNA library has been isolated and characterized. A PMT3a cDNA is 459 nucleotides long and has an open reading frame of 201 bp with a deduced amino acid sequence of 66 residues (pI 4.94). The deduced amino acid sequence of PMT3a matched to the previously reported metallothionein genes. The deduced amino acid sequence of PMT3a showed the $86\%$ identity with P. balsamifera ${\times}$P. deltoides. Expression of PMT3a by the RT-PCR was increased 60 min than 30 min after drought treatment. The ozone treated poplar increased at 30 min in the early time and then decreased at 60 min.

TO select the most suitable crop and variety of forage for productivity at the southern part of Korea, The crops of wheat, barley and rye were grown from Oct. 1999 to June 2000. Paldanghomil variety of rye crop was shown to have the highest productivity in comparison to other varieties of crops used in this experiment. It showed relatively high plant height, number of tiller, forage yield and dry matter yield. There fore, it was concluded that Paldanghomil of rye crop was the most suitable crop with high yield in the southern part of Korea. The heritabilities of all characters were estimated to be high.

This study was conducted to develop effective production system in greenhouse for leaves and stems of Angelica acutiloba by fertilizing of Sta-Green in pots. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Germination rate of Angelica acutiloba seeds collected in 2003 was $13\%$, while germination rate of seeds Collected in 2004 was above $91\%$. Seed germination rate and plant biomass of Angelica acutiloba collected in 2004 were higher than seed gathering in 2003. Especially, plant growth and yield of Angelica acutiloba grown in pot(The pots was filled with soil mixtures of Sta-Green and Peat Moss mixed with 45:55 ratio.) was the highest. These results indicate that leaf and stem production of Angelica acutiloba can be improved by fertilizing of Sta-Green in pots and optimizing seed collecting time in greenhouse.

From the point of breeding view for our future, 20 Korean varieties of red pepper for the contents of capsaicinoids, free amino acids, free fatty acids and organic acids with powder product and eating qualities were chosen, and the sensory properties of their water and ethanol extract were compared in order to investigate the influence of the composition of test components on sensory acceptability of Korean red pepper. The composition of taste components in red pepper powder varied wildly depending on the varieties; total capsaicinoids content variety from 0.029 to $0.913\%$, free sugar 8.45 to $20.2\%$, and organic acid 4.58 to $19.54\%$. Capsaicinoid contents especially dihydrocapsaicin content, were highly correlated with pungent taste of the methanol extract of red pepper power, but did not show significant relationship to the overall sensory acceptability. However, the components analyzed here and eating and processing qualities include high variations and future breeding sources.

This study was conducted to produce effectively more leaves of Angelica acutiloba through year-round production system by using various mulching materials. Soil temperature by covering treatment was the highest in P.E.(Polyethylene Film) mulching and followed by rice straw mulching, especially showing highest temperature in Tr. PE(Transparent Polyethylene Film) from April through May. Water content of soil was higher in P.E. mulching than in non-mulching. Leaf and stem production of Angelica acutiloba through year-round production showed the highest in PE mulching also root production of Angelica acutiloba showed the highest in P.E. mulching. These results suggest that leaf and stem production of Angelica acutiloba can be maximized through P.E. mulching cultivation system.

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of $K_{2}O$ fertilizer application on growth, yield and lodging resistance of rice. Culm length and panicle length were lowest at the treatment of fertilizer level, $N-P_{2}O_{5}-K_{2}O=16-8-8$ plot but number of panicle, percentage of fruitful culm, $1{\ell}$ grain weights of paddy rice and brown rice, 1,000 grains weight of brown rice, brown rice ratio, yields of paddy rice and brown rice were highest at the treatment of fertilizer level, $N-P_{2}O_{5}-K_{2}O=16-8-8$ kg/10a plot. Bending moment, breaking strength and lodging index were lowest at the treatment of fertilizer level, $N-P_{2}O_{5}-K_{2}O=16-8-8$ kg/10a plot. Judging from the results reported above, an optimum fertilizer level of rice for lodging resistance is most likely be $N-P_{2}O_{5}-K_{2}O=16-8-8$ kg/10a treatment.

This study were focused on the genetic relationship using RAPDs and some morphological characteristics among eleven taxa Aster collected in Korea. Twenty random primers were selected, a total 216 DNA bands were generated and 213 bands were shown polymorphism among species. The collected eleven taxa were clustered into five groups at 0.609 similarity index. The first group was A. glehni, A. ageratoides, A. maackii and A. scaber was clustered at 0.713 of genetic distance. The second group was A. tataricus and A. koraiensis and the third group was A. spathulifolius, the forth group was A. yomena, A. hayatae and A. hispidus and the fifth was A. tripolium.

Activated carbon(AC) can be utilized as a soil conditioner in agricultural crop areas. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of AC on growth and yield of Ginger(Zingiber officinale) as affected by different amounts of AC. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Growth characteristics including plant height and leaf length were the highest when activated carbon added with $5-10\%$, suggesting that optimum amount of activated carbon was ranged from 5 to $15\%$. Growth and enlargement of the root were improved by $10\%$ AC with higher rhizome length and weight.

Optimmum cultivation period was determined for producing seed bulb of Korean native Allium wakegi Araki in vitro in hydroponic culture. The growth gradually increased during cultivation period. In general, plants grown for 5 months produced significantly the highest bulb number and bulb fresh weight per plant. Raising the cultivation period from 1 to 5 months remarkably increased seed bulb yield.

A cDNA, PSOD1, encoding cytosolic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) was cloned and characterized from a full length cDNA library prepared from Populus alba${\times}$Populus glandulosa cultured in vitro. A PSOD1, is 725 nucleotides long and has an open reading frame of 459 bp with 152 amino acid residues (pI 5.43). The deduced amino acid sequence of PSOD1 perfect matched to the previously reported CuZn-SOD (CAC33845.1). Consensus amino acid residues (His-45, -47, -62, -70, -79, -119) were involved in Cu-, Cu/Zn-, and Zn- binding ligands. The deduced amino acid sequence of PSOD1 exhibited the high level of similarity from 100 to $85\%$ among previously registered SOD genes. The expression of PSOD1 in poplar increased at the 1 mM $H_{2}O_2$ and drought stress during 30 min and 60 min, but the ozone treated poplar increased at 30 min in the early time and then decreased at 60 min.

Lysine is the first essential amino acid for optimal nutrient quality in rice grain. For the narrow genetic diversities of lysine contents in rice, somaclonal variation was the source of mutation in our breeding program. Biochemical selection was conducted using 1 mM S-(2-aminoethyl) cysteine followed by two passages of 5 mM lysine plus threonine in the callus subculture medium. The lysine contents in endosperm of all progenies recovered from the biochemical selection were higher than those of their donor cultivar 'Hwayeongbyeo'. These elevated lysine levels of mutants were successfully transmitted to $M_4$ generation. The lysine contents in endosperm varied 3.85 to $4.80\%$ compare to their donor cultivar 'Hwayeongbyeo' was $3.85\%$. Three of high-lysine germplasms, Lys-l, Lys-2 and Lys-7 were selected by biochemical selection and rapid screening methods. DNA analysis showed that a new insertion of Tos 17 which mapped to rice chromosome 11 on the high-lysine mutant, Lys-2.

To determine the optimal fertilizer level of wanggol in southeren areas of Korea, Gwangsan ealy local, the highest yielding variety was grown under nine different fertilezer levels. Yield components such as stem length, number of tillers, stem diameter were the highest at the treatments of fertilizer levels, $N-P_{2}O_{5}-K_{2}O=7-2-3$ and 9-2-3 kg/10a plots. Dry cortex and medulla yield were the highest at the treatments of $N-P_{2}O_{5}-K_{2}O=7-2-3$ and 9-2-3 kg/10a fertilizer levels. Judging from the results, an optimum fertilizer level of wanggol seemed to be $N-P_{2}O_{5}-K_{2}O=7-2-3$ and 9-2-3 kg/10a.

Activated carbon(AC) can be utilized as a soil conditioner in agricultural crop areas. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of AC on Leaf and Stem Production of Angelica acutiloba as affected by different amounts of AC. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Growth characteristics including plant height and leaf length were the highest when activated carbon added with 10, suggesting that optimum amount of activated carbon was ranged from 10 to $20\%$. Growth and enlargement of the root were improved by $10\%$ AC.

TO select the most suitable crop and variety of forage for nutrient quality at the southern part of Korea, the crop of wheat, barley and rye were grown from Oct. 1999 to June 2000. Paldanghomil variety of rye crop was shown to have the highest chemical components in comparison to other varieties of crops used in this experiment. It showed relatively high content of crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and low content of NDF, ADF, cellulose and lignin. Therefore, it was concluded that paldanghomil of rye crop was the most suitable variety with high weight and high nutrient quality for forage in the southern part of Korea. The heritabilities of all nutrient quality characters were estimated to be high.