• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2018

Photorhabdus temperata (PT), a gram-negative bacterium, lives symbiotically within entomopathogenic nematodes. The insecticidal compounds derived from Photorhabdus are used as biopesticides in agriculture. However, the physiological properties are not well characterized. In the course of our screening for neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory substances from natural products, the culture broth of PT showed considerable activities. By activity-guided purification, five anthraquinones, namely, 3-methoxychrysazine (1), 1,3-dimethoxy-8-hydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (2), 1,3,8-trihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (3), 3,8-dihydroxy-1-methoxy-9,10-anthraquinone (4), and 1,3,4-trimethoxy-8-hydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (5), were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the PT culture broth. Among the isolated compounds, $75{\mu}M$ 3 significantly protected mouse hippocampal neuronal cells (HT22) against 5 mM glutamate-induced cell death via the inhibition of reactive oxygen species production, $Ca^{2+}$ influx, and lipid peroxidation. Additionally, 3 and 4 effectively suppressed the interferon-${\gamma}$-induced neuroinflammation of mouse-derived microglial cells (BV2) at 10 ng/ml, via the reduction of nitric oxide, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$. Anthraquinones 3 and 4 derived from the PT culture broth are a potential starting point to discover neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory drug leads. The novel compound 5 is reported for the first time in this study.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 2010

Two groups of entomopathogenic bacteria, Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, are known to suppress insect immune responses by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. This study used these bacterial culture broths to develop novel biochemical insecticides against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Though the bacterial culture broths alone showed little insecticidal activity, they significantly enhanced pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis against the fourth instar larvae of P. xylostella. Sterilization of the bacterial culture broth by autoclaving or $0.2\;{\mu}m$ membrane filtering did not influence the synergistic effect on the pathogenicity of B. thuringiensis. Three metablites identified in the culture broth of X. nematophila also showed similar synergistic effects. In field test, both entomopathogenic bacterial culture broth also enhanced the control efficacy of B. thuringiensis against P. xylostella.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2012

Biocontrol microbes have mainly been screened among large collections of microorganisms $via.$ nutrient-rich $in$ $vitro$ assays to identify novel and effective isolates. However, thus far, isolates from only a few genera, mainly spore-forming bacilli, have been commercially developed. In order to isolate field-effective biocontrol microbes, we screened for more than 200 oligotrophic bacterial strains, isolated from rhizospheres of various soil samples in Korea, which induced systemic resistance against the soft-rot disease caused by $Pectobacterium$ $carotovorum$ SCC1; we subsequently conducted in $planta$ bioassay screening. Two oligotrophic bacterial strains were selected for induced systemic disease resistance against the $Tobacco$ $Mosaic$ $Virus$ and the gray mold disease caused by $Botrytis$ $cinerea$. The oligotrophic bacterial strains were identified as $Pseudomonas$ $manteilii$ B001 and $Bacillus$ $cereus$ C003 by biochemical analysis and the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence. These bacterial strains did not exhibit any antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi but evidenced several other beneficial biocontrol traits, including phosphate solubilization and gelatin utilization. Collectively, our results indicate that the isolated oligotrophic bacterial strains possessing induced systemic disease resistance could provide useful tools as effective biopesticides and might be successfully used as cost-effective and preventive biocontrol agents in the field.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.19 no.spc
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• pp.263-266
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• 2011

Crop protection strategies in organic horticulture aim to prevent insect pest and plant disease problems through utilization of non-chemical based control means. In order to develop a model for management of plant diseases and insects in organic cucumber cultivation, we compared efficacies between chemical pesticide spraying system and biological control means in semi-forcing and retarding cucumber cultivation during 2005 and 2006. Conventional chemical spray program using various chemical pesticides was applied 5 - 10 days intervals, while two different non-chemical pesticide application programs using two formulated biopesticides Topseed$^{TM}$ and Q-fect$^{TM}$, Suncho$^{TM}$, and Sangsungje$^{TM}$ (biocontrol agents 1) and using egg-yolk and cooking oil(EYCO), Bordeaux mixture, Suncho$^{TM}$, and Sangsungje$^{TM}$ (biocontrol agents 2) were applied 5 - 7 days intervals during entire cucumber cultivation period. Efficacy of both biocontrol agents programs was effective to comparable to conventional chemical pesitice spray program to control plant diseases such as powdery mildew and downy mildew as well as insect pests such as aphids and thrips which are known as major threats in cucumber organic cultivation. In this study, we established and evaluated an effective and economic crop protection strategy using various biological resources can be used to control plant diseases and pests simultaneously in organic cucumber cultivation field.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.211-219
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• 2022

Over the past decade, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated gene silencing technology has progressed significantly for pest management in agriculture and for protecting beneficial insects from pathogens. Recently, breakthroughs in RNA interference (RNAi) applications for insect pest management by academia and commercial entities have provided RNAi products as commercial biopesticides. Although RNAi technology has vast potential and advantages for pest control, challenges, and limitations remain in practical applications. This review explores current challenges in the development of dsRNAs as a pest management tool and considers new approaches to overcome biological and environmental obstacles, such as poor stability and resistance.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2016

BtPlus is a group of biopesticides that are made of Bacillus thuringiensis and immunosuppressant. A new BtPlus that exhibits high insecticidal activity against mosquito larvae has been investigated in control efficacy in field conditions and its environmental safety against aquatic system. This study assessed the control efficacy of BtPlus against mosquito larvae with two different application methods. In aerial spraying application (100 mL per $3.3m^2$), BtPlus was effective at 50% or above formulation concentrations to control mosquito larvae. For a direct application to aqueous mosquito habitat, a semi-field mimicking paddy rice field was constructed. In this condition, BtPlus showed 80% and 100% control efficacies at 0.1% and 0.2% concentrations, respectively. BtPlus also showed 40% mortality against adults at 0.1% concentration in 10% sugar bait. However, its control efficacies against adults were much less than against larvae. Safety assessment of BtPlus against ecosystem was evaluated using young carp (Cyprinus carpio), a water flea (Daphnia magna), and a honey bee (Apis mellifera). BtPlus did not give any adverse effects on these nontarget organisms. Based on these results, BtPlus can be applied to control mosquitoes by direct aqueous application to paddy rice field.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.257-266
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• 2016

Subtropical insect pests expand their habitats by migration to temperate zones along with global climate change. A subtropical insect pest, Maruca vitrata, is infesting leguminous crops including azuka beans in Korea and gives significant economic damages. Its great genetic variation raised an issue of the origin of a Korean M. vitrata population. To understand the genetic character of the Korean population, its cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox 1) gene was sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed with other regional populations. The world populations of M. vitrata were grouped into three clusters: Asia-African, American, and Oceanian. The Korean population was classified into Asia-African cluster. To characterize the insecticide susceptibility of the Korean population, seven different insecticides (4 neutoxic insecticides, 1 insect growth regulator, 2 biopesticides) were assessed. Young larvae of M. vitrata were relatively susceptible to all tested insecticides. However, old larvae were much less susceptible than young larvae. No test insecticides effectively (> 50%) killed the old larvae of M. vitrata within 7 days.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.165-170
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate specific stages and distribution of overwintering nymphs of green rice leafhopper, Nephotettix cincticeps by measuring head capsule width. The nymphal head capsule width of the 1st instar to the 5th instar was 0.381, 0.502, 0.673, 0.979 and 1.128 mm, respectively. lts coefficient variation was 5.3, 4.0, 3.0, 4.5 and 5.3%, respectively. Growth ratio of each instar was not significantly different among 2nd to 4th instars as 1.31 to 1.34, but for the 5th instar it decreased as 1.28. The logarithm of the nymphal head capsule width was regressed as a function of the stage number of insects, resulting in LogY = 1.4627 + 0.1192X ($r^2= 0.9993$). Also fitness to the Dyar's law for the nymphal head capsule width of each instar was 98% or over and the Dyar's constant (K) was 1.316. The occurrence of N. cincticeps was maximum at the end of January with 195 individuals/0.25 $m^2$. The most abundant instar in the overwintering N. cincticeps population was 4th instar accounting for over 90%. Population of the 5th instar began to increase from mid-March, and adults began to occur in early April.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.156-160
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• 2014

The stabilities of four limonoidal substances including azadirachtin A, azadirachtin B, deacetylsalannin and salannin were investigated both in controlled aquatic and soil conditions. The half-life of the total limonoid for neem extracts and its two commercial biopesticides was estimated 86.6-173 days in water under air, while degradation of the compounds was detected below 10% after eight weeks in deoxygenated water. The half-life in dry soil was estimated 43.3-57.7 days, and there was a similar degradation pattern with in aerobic water condition. In case of wet soil condition, the total bacteria of the soils ranged 6-8 log CFU/g soil for during the experiment, and the half-life of the total limonoid was 6.4-12.3 days. From the result, the fast limonoid degradation in wet soil environment was the result of both chemical oxidation and microbial degradation.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 2011

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacterial biopesticide against insect pests, mainly lepidopterans. Spodoptera exigua and Plutella xylostella exhibit significant decreases in Bt susceptibility in late larval instars. To enhance Bt pathogenicity, we used a mixture treatment of Bt and other bacterial metabolites which possessed significant immunosuppressive activities. Mixtures of Bt with culture broths of Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn) or Photorhabdus temperata ssp. temperata (Ptt) significantly enhanced the Bt pathogenicity against late larval instars. Different ratios of Bt to bacterial culture broth had significant pathogenicities against last instar P. xylostella and S. exigua. Five compounds identified from the bacterial culture broth also enhanced Bt pathogenicity. After determining the optimal ratios, the mixture was applied to cabbage infested by late instar P. xylostella or S. exigua in greenhouse conditions. A mixture of Bt and Xn culture broth killed 100% of both insect pests when it was sprayed twice, while Bt alone killed less than 80% or 60% of P. xylostella and S. exigua, respectively. Other Bt mixtures, including Ptt culture broth or bacterial metabolites, also significantly increased pathogenicity in the semi-field assays. These results demonstrated that the Bt mixtures collectively names "Bt-Plus" can be developed into potent biopesticides to increase the efficacy of Bt.