• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.323-329
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: The conazoles, difenoconazole, diniconazole, hexaconazole, penconazole and tetraconazole are a large class of synthetic fungicides used extensively for foliage and seed treatments in agricultural crops. The extensive use of conazoles has brought concerns on the potentiality of environmental contamination and toxicity. Thus studies on the development of methods for monitoring the conazoles are required. METHODS AND RESULTS: A modified quick, easy, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method was involved in sample preparation. Quadrapole time of flight mass spectrometer (Q-TOF MS) in electron spray ionization (ESI) mode was employed to determine conazoles in garlic samples. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of conazoles by Q-TOF-MS ranged from 0.001 to 0.002 mg/L and 0.002 to 0.005 mg/L, respectively. Q-TOF-MS analysis exhibited less than 2.6 ppm error of accurate mass measurements for the detection of conazoles spiked at 0.05 mg/L in garlic matrix. Recovery values of conazoles fortified in garlic samples at 0.02, 0.05 and 0.1 mg/L were between 79.2 and 106.2% with a maximum 11.8% of standard deviation. No detectable conazoles were found in the domestic market samples by using the Q-TOF-MS method. CONCLUSION(s): High degree of confirmation for conazoles by accurate mass measurements demonstrated that Q-TOF-MS analysis combined with a QuEChERS method may be applicable to simultaneous determination of conazoles in garlic samples.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: The resistance of rice bakanae disease pathogens against the fungicide prochloraz has been reported. Understanding the resistance mechanisms is an important for better control of the pathogens. In the present study, we investigated the resistance mechanisms of Fusarium fujikuroi CF337 (CF337) against prochloraz. METHODS AND RESULTS: Morphological changes in the cell wall of CF337 grown in potato dextrose broth (PDB) with or without prochloraz was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Growth inhibition of CF337 was examined in PDB containing prochloraz or an ABC transporter inhibitor or both of them. Cell wall thickness of CF337 grown in PDB with prochloraz was significantly increased from $80.73{\pm}1.99nm$ to $193.11{\pm}7.07nm$. Significant inhibition in the growth of CF337 was observed in the presence of both prochloraz and the inhibitor, but no growth inhibition was observed in the presence of the inhibitor or prochloraz. Sequence analysis of ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC) gene of CF337 showed 70 to 80% similarities to the genes of the pathogens resistant to other fungicides. CONCLUSION: Efflux transporter system and changes in cell wall thickness were suggested as resistance mechanisms of CF337 against prochloraz.