• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1797-1804
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• 2007

Lycopene, an acyclic carotenoid found in tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) and a number off fruits, has shown various biological properties, but its antifungal effects remain poorly understood. The current study investigated the antifungal activity of lycopene and its mode of action. Lycopene showed potent antifungal effects toward pathogenic fungi, tested in an energy-independent manner, with low hemolytic effects against human erythrocytes. To confirm the antifungal effects of lycopene, its effects on the dimorphism of Candida albicans induced by fetal bovine serum (FBS), which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of a host invasion, were investigated. The results showed that lycopene exerted potent antifungal activity on the serum-induced mycelia of C. albicans. To understand the antifungal mode of action of lycopene, the action of lycopene against fungal cell membranes was examined by FACScan analysis and glucose and trehalose-release test. The results indicated that lycopene caused significant membrane damage and inhibited the normal budding process, resulting from the destruction of membrane integrity. The present study indicates that lycopene has considerable antifungal activity, deserving further investigation for clinical applications.

• Mycobiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.151-153
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• 2006

Rhizopus soft rot caused by Rhizopus stolonifer occurred on pears (Pyrus serotina) in the Jinju City Agricultural Products Wholesale Market in Korea from 2004 to 2005. The infection usually started from wounds due to cracking at harvest time. The lesions started as water-soaked, rapidly softened, then gradually expanded. The mycelia grew vigorously on the surface of the fruits and formed stolons. Colonies on potato dextrose agar at $25^{\circ}C$ were white cottony to brownish black. Sporangia were globose, black and $90{\sim}120\;{\mu}m$ in size. Sporangiophores were light brown and $480{\sim}2600{\times}12{\sim}18\;{mu}m$ in size. Sporangiospores were globose to oval, brownish, streaked, and $8{\sim}14{\times}6{\sim}10\;{\mu}m$ in size. Columella were light brownish gray, hemispherical and $70{\sim}80\;{\mu}m$ in size. On the basis of these symptoms, mycological characteristics and pathogenicity tests on host plants, the fungus was identified as Rhizopus stolonifer (Ehrenb.) Vuill. This is the first report of rhizopus soft rot on pear (P. serotina) caused by R. stolonifer in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.35-54
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• 2024

With a history spanning 9,000 years, yeast has played a central role in the traditional production of fermented foods, particularly alcohol and bakery. Recent research has highlighted the versatility of yeast in various industries, including the production of bioactive compounds, bioethanol, pigments, and enzymes, and as a host for molecular biology studies. In Korea, yeast isolation has traditionally focused on traditional fermented foods such as soybean paste. However, there is a growing trend in the isolation and characterization of yeasts from natural environments such as flowers and fruits for industrial applications. In this study, we isolated and identified 12 yeasts from various natural environments in Korea, including botanical gardens and parks that are not listed on the National Species List of Korea (NSLK). These newly discovered species included Sakaguchia oryzae, Cystobasidium raffinophilum, Meira argovae, Kazachstania humilis, Meyerozyma smithsonii, Anthracocystis trispicatae, Naganishia brisbanensis, Tremella yokohamensis, Kwoniella shandongensis, Kwoniella newhampshirensis, Aureobasidium proteae, and Rhodotorula dairenensis.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.289-302
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• 2013

Surveys were conducted to study nationwide distribution and identify habitats and host plants of Cuscuta pentagona Engelm. as a parasite. The major habitat types were arable land near agricultural waterways (54.3%), open field near roadside (41.3%) and artificial grassland (4.3%). The investigated host plants of Cuscuta pentagona consist of total 130 taxa: 10 varieties, 1 subspecies, 119 species, 95 genera, and 37 families. Among them, 30 taxa were alien plants. As for the useful plants, there were 59 taxa of edible ones (45.4%), 54 taxa of medicinal ones (41.5%), 13 taxa of ornamental ones (10%), 13 taxa of industrial ones (10%), and 9 taxa of pasture ones (6.9%). On arable land, it caused damage particularly to the growth of agricultural crops such as Oryza sativa L. (Rice) and fruits such as Malus pumila Mill. (Apple) etc. Its growth and distribution may cause economic loss for crops because of the close location of the arable land.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2015

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) infests citrus orchards, causing sooty mold damage to the fruits. This study was conducted to investigate the colonizing route of A. gossypii in citrus orchards in a non-heating plastic-film house during the early season. The overwintering eggs of the aphids are frequently found on summer shoots of the citrus trees. The eggs were mostly those of Aphis citricola, without any A. gossypii when hatched. The colonization of citrus trees by alate A. gossypii in non-heating plastic-film houses was mainly observed twice, with advanced flight in late April and delayed flight in late May. The delayed flight was synchronized with the timing of the emergence of alate A. gossypii from the fundatrix generation in the holocyclic life cycle. During advanced flight in closed citrus orchards, alate A. gossypii were caught in yellow water traps installed in the fields, and the populations were found to originate from the surviving populations of the anholocyclic life cycle. Consequently, we concluded that citrus tree colonization with A. gossypii occurred during the advanced flight of the anholocyclic and the delayed flight of the holocyclic life cycle.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.393-398
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• 2020

The blueberry gall midge, Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is an emerging pest on cultivated blueberries in Korea. To develop a sensitive tool for monitoring this pest in blueberry orchards, we compared the attractiveness of host plant volatiles and sex pheromone to D. oxycoccana adults. We performed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of solid-phase microextraction (SPME)-collected volatiles that were released from blueberry ('Darrow' cultivar). The analysis revealed two major volatiles, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl alcohol from flowers; and three major volatiles, β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, and α-farnesene from shoots and young fruits. In field tests conducted in Gunsan, Korea in 2019, commercialized cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol, β-caryophyllene, and α-farnesene, used singly or in quaternary combination, were unattractive to the blueberry gall midge. However, traps baited with the known sex pheromone (2R,14R)-2,14-diacetoxyheptadecane attracted significantly more males than the treatments with plant volatiles or the control. No synergistic effect was observed between sex pheromone and plant volatiles. Male D. oxycoccana were captured in the pheromone traps from May to August, with three peaks in mid-May, late June, and late July in Gunsan blueberry fields in 2020.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.217-220
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• 2003

A severe fruit rot of Persimmon (Diospyros kaki cv: Fuyu) was occurred during the storage and transport that infected with blue mold in Sweet Persimmon Experiment Station, Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, Korea. Fruit surfaces were infected with the fungus first and the colonized fungus formed mycelial mats. From the point of infection, fruits become collapsed and mostly ruptured. The pathogenic fungus from infected fruits was isolated and cultured on PDA. Colony color of the fungus was white at frist than became green on Malt Extract Agar and Czapek Yeast Extract Agar. Conidia were ellipsoid subglobose and 2.6${\sim}$3.8 ${\times}$ 2.4${\sim}$3.8 ${\mu}m$ in size. Stipes were 86${\sim}$320 ${\times}$ 2.8${\sim}$4.3 ${\mu}m$ in size. Rami were 7.5${\sim}$32.6 ${\times}$ 2.6${\sim}$4.2 ${\mu}m$ in size, Ramuli were 12.4${\sim}$14.8 ${\times}$ 3.2${\sim}$3.8 ${\mu}m$ in size, Metulae were 8.9${\sim}$13.6 ${\times}$ 2.8${\sim}$4.6 ${\mu}m$ in size. Phialides were ampulliform, 8.2${\sim}$12.4 ${\times}$ 2.3${\sim}$3.6 ${\mu}m$ in size. Based on the cultural and mycological characteristics and pathogenecity test on host plants, the fungus was identified as s, This is the first report on the blue mold of Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) caused by P. crustosum in Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.290-293
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• 2006

A fruit rot of sweet persimmon(Diospyros kaki cv. 'Fuyu') that infected with blue mold was found during the storage and transport in Jinju Gyeongnam Province, Korea. Fruit surfaces that infected with the fungus were formed water soaked lesion at first then gradually colonized with the fungus and formed mycelial mats. From the point of infection, fruits become sunken and mostly ruptured. The pathogenic fungus was isolated from infected fruits and cultured on potato dextrose agar. The colonies of the pathogenic fungi were white at frist then became greyish green on malt extract agar. Conidia were ellipsoidal and $2.6{\sim}3.8{\times}2.4{\sim}3.8{\mu}m$ in size. Phialides were ampulliform, verticilate of 3-7, $8.0{\sim}9.2{\times}2.0{\sim}3.0{\mu}m$ in size. Metulae were verticils of 2-4, smooth, $9.0{\sim}12.6{\times}3.0{\sim}4.6{\mu}m$ in size. Ramuli were groups 1-3, smooth, $11.0{\sim}17.6{\times}2.3{\sim}3.0{\mu}m$ in size. Rami were groups 1-2, $7.5{\sim}32.6{\times}2.6{\sim}4.2{\mu}m$ in size. Stipes were septate, smooth, thin walled, $56{\sim}302{\times}2.8{\sim}4.0{\mu}m$ in size. Penicilli were mostly quaterverticillate. Based on the cultural and mycological characteristics as well as pathogenicity test on host plants, the fungus was identified as Penicillium expansum. This is the first report on the blue mold of sweet persimmon(Diospyros kaki) caused by P. expansum in Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-81
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• 2023

During the nationwide survey of fire blight, the typical shoot blight symptoms were found on Korean mountain ash (Sorbus alnifolia) which was located near an orchard that produced fire blight on pear trees in Eumseong, Korea, May 2021. To identify the causal agent, we progressed isolation from the symptomatic leaves and shoots. Two white and mucoid colonies were isolated into the pure culture. Two isolates were identified as Erwinia amylovora according to the colony-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with amsB primers and the phylogenetic tree using 16S rRNA sequences. To test of pathogenicity of two isolates, we inoculated immature pear fruits and understock of apple. We observed necrosis and oozes on immature pear fruits and shoot blight resulting in necrosis on apple shoots six days after inoculation. Colonies were recovered from the inoculated pears and apples, and identity was confirmed through colony PCR for amsB genes. To our knowledge, E. amylovora was first reported on Korean mountain ash native to South Korea.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.483-487
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• 2016

The damage of citrus fruits caused by Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood has being increased in Jeju, Korea. The seasonal abundance of S. dorsalis and its injury symptoms in citrus orchards have been studied since the endemic outbreak in Jeju, but studies for the occurrence pattern of S. dorsalis in citrus orchards influenced by adjacent primary hosts have not been fully conducted yet. We selected kiwi- and mango-citrus adjacent orchards to study the migration pattern of S. dorsalis toward to citrus orchards. Yellow-colored sticky traps were used for monitoring the seasonal abundance of S. dorsalis and their migration pattern in two orchards. In citrus orchards, also, we placed sticky traps at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 m apart from the border of kiwi orchard, and 0, 7 and 20 m apart from the border of mango orchard. The seasonal occurrence pattern of S. dorsalis caught on sticky traps were similar between two adjacent orchards. However, the abundances in kiwi or mango orchard was much higher than those of citrus. Also, it was found that densities, distribution and damage of S. dorsalis in citrus orchards depend highly on the distance from the border of kiwi and mango orchards. This result suggested that the primary hosts such as kiwi and mango plants influence the occurrence of S. dorsalis in adjacent citrus orchards. And this information may provide a basic direction for establishing the management strategy of S. dorsalis in citrus orchards.