• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.220-227
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• 2016

The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of application rates of dolomitic lime in the acid substrate on the mitigation of high bicarbonate damage in 'Seolhyang' strawberry. For this purpose, an acid substrate was formulated by mixing of sphagnum peat moss and pine bark with the ratio of 5:5 (v/v). The pH, EC and CEC of the substrate analyzed before application of dolomite were 4.07, $0.46dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, and $91.3cmol+/kg^{-1}$, respectively. To adjust the pH of substrate, various amounts of dolomitic lime [$CaMg(CO_3)_2$] such as 0 (control), 1, 2, 3, and $4g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ were added during substrate formulation. Then, seedlings with 3 leaf stage were transplanted as mother plants and those were fed with Hoagland solution containing $240mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of the $HCO_3{^-}$. The growth parameters of mother plants 140 days after transplanting, such as plant height, chlorophyll content, and fresh weight were the highest in the treatments of 2 and $3g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of dolomitic lime. The physiological disorders in mother plants were not observed in the 1, 2 and $3g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatments, but the symptoms of Ca, K and B deficiencies were observed in the 0 and $4g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatments. During the propagation period, the number of daughter plants derived from each mother plant were 21.0, 29.5, 35.8, 27.3 and 16.0 in the treatments of 0, 1, 2, 3 and $4g{\cdot}L^{-1}$, respectively. The substrate pH during cultivation of mother plants were maintained at appropriate levels for the 1 and $2g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatments, whereas it was the highest in $4g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatment. The contents of macro- and micro-elements in the above ground tissue were the highest in $2g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and the lowest in $4g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ lime treatments. Above results suggest that the bicarbonate injury originated from ground water can be mitigated by adjusting the amount of dolomitic lime incorporated into the acid substrate.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.557-570
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• 2016

Growth of 6-year old 'Niitaka' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) trees and control of insect and disease occurrences were compared between fermented soybean extracts and rain-shelter system for two years. Foliar application of fermented soybean extracts was applied at 6 times as a pre-experiment in the open-field in 2013, with a rain-shelter system in 2014. Fermented soybean extract treatment increased foliar concentrations of approximately 0.46% T-N, 0.17% K, 0.19% Ca, and 0.06% Mg in 2013 compared to the control, with similar macro-nutrients between the control and soybean extract treatment observed in 2014. Rain-shelter system increased foliar concentrations of T-N, Ca, and Mg compared to the open-field. There were no significantly different between the control and soybean extract treatment for number of leaves per fruit, leaf dry weight, phytotoxicity, and completed shoot growth on August during the two years. Rain-shelter system increased leaf dry weight and did not affect phytotoxicity in the leaves. Fruit quality parameters were mostly similar to control and soybean extract treatment for two years, with higher fruit firmness observed for soybean extract treatment. Rain-shelter system advanced 4 days of harvest dates, and increased approximately 7.0 ton fruit yield per ha, 20 g mean fruit weight, and fruit soluble solid contents compared to open-field in 2014. Soybean extract treatment little suppressed occurrence of disease and insect on the leaves and fruits in both years. Rain-shelter system increased occurrence of Venturia nashicola on the leaves and to 63.8% of Gymnosporangium asiaticum on the fruits in 2014. Strong winds and storms in May elevated relative humidity in the rain-shelter system and caused high infection of the disease occurrence, requiring for an additional green control method. Soybean extract treatment little affected tree growth and would have initiated for a long-term study to evaluate tree physiological characteristics. Rain-shelter system improved fruit productivity and advanced harvest dates, which could have been more effective facility at a Thanks Giving Day between middle and end of September.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.224-236
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• 2002

A long-term growth simulation was performed at 496 land units in the western coastal plains (WCP) of North Korea to test the potential adaptability of each land unit for growing South Korean rice cultivars. The land units for rice cultivation (CZU), each of them represented by a geographically referenced 5 by 5 km grid tell, were identified by analyzing satellite remote sensing data. Surfaces of monthly climatic normals for daily maximum and minimum temperature, precipitation number of rain days and solar radiation were generated at a 1 by 1 km interval by spatial statistical methods using observed data at 51 synoptic weather stations in North and South Korea during 1981-2000. Grid cells felling within a same CZU and, at the same time, corresponding to the satellite data- identified rice growing pixels were extracted and aggregated to make a spatially explicit climatic normals relevant to the rice growing area of the CZU. Daily weather dataset for 30 years was randomly generated from the monthly climatic normals of each CZU. Growth and development parameters of CERES-rice model suitable for 11 major South Korean cultivars were derived from long-term field observations. Eight treatments comprised of 2 transplanting dates $\times$ 2 cropping systems $\times$ 2 irrigation methods were assigned to each cultivar. Each treatment was simulated with the randomly generated 30 years' daily weather data (from planting to physiological maturity) for 496 land units in WCP to simulate the growth and yield responses to the interannual climate variation. The same model was run with the input data from the 3 major crop experiment stations in South Korea to obtain a 30 year normal performance of each cultivar, which was used as a "reference" for comparison. Results were analyzed with respect to spatial and temporal variation in yield and maturity, and used to evaluate the suitability of each land unit for growing a specific South Korean cultivar. The results may be utilized as decision aids for agrotechnology transfer to North Korea, for example, germplasm evaluation, resource allocation and crop calendar preparation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.241-257
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• 1987

The effects of external $Ca^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}-antagonists$ on the spontaneous contractions and electrical activities were investigated in guinea-pig stomach in order to clarify the mechanism for the generation of slow waves. Electrical responses of circular smooth muscle cells were recorded using glass capillary microelectrodes filled with 3 M KCl. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$ and kept at $35^{\circ}C$. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The amplitude of spontaneous contractions was maximal at around 2-4 mM $Ca^{2+}$, whereas their frequency was inversely related with external $Ca^{2+}$ within the range of 0.5 to 16 mM $Ca^{2+}$. 2) Verapamil suppressed the amplitude of spontaneous contraction in a dose-dependent manner, while the frequency of spontaneous contractions was almost not changed over the whole concentration of verapamil $(0.01{\sim}5\;mg/l)$. 3) Manganese increased both the amplitude and the frequency of spontaneous contractions dose-dependently in low $Mn^{2+}$ (below 0.05 mM $Mn^{2+}$), while their amplitude and frequency were decreased in high $Mn^{2+}$ (above 0.1 mM $Mn^{2+}$). 4) The ampltude and maximum rate of rise of slow waves were incrased in high $Ca^{2+}$ solution. In $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution, the spontaneous contractions recorded simultaneously with slow waves ceased and tonic contraction ($Ca^{2+}-free$ contracture) was developed in parallel with membrane depolarization and the disappearance of slow waves. 5) Verapamil (1 mg/1) decreased the amplitude and maximum rate of rise of slow waves and it depolarized the membrane by about 6 mV, whereas the frequency of slow waves was not affected by verapamil. 6) Manganese showed different characteristic effects between low and high $Mn^{2+}$ on the slow waves: In low $Mn^{2+}$ (0.05 mM $Mn^{2+}$), the initial rapid increases and the subsequent gradual decreases in three parameters of slow waves (amplitude, rate of rise, and frequency of slow waves) till a new steady state were observed. However, in high $Mn^{2+}$ (0.5 mM $Mn^{2+}$) slow waves disappeared and membrane was depolarized. From the above results, the following conclusions could be made: 1) $Ca^{2+}$ is necessary for a generation of the slow waves, even though it is small amount. 2) Verapamil suppresses the spontaneous contractions of gastric antral strip by the decreases in amplitude and maximum rate of rise of slow waves, while this drug does not block the $Ca^{2+}-channel$ involved in the generation of slow waves. 3) Manganese has dual actions on the $Ca^{2+}-channels$; the $Ca^{2+}-channel$ involved in the generation of slow waves (or Na-Ca exchange system) or the channel for the generation of spike potentials are stimulated by a low concentration of $Mn^{2+}$, while both the $Ca^{2+}$. Channels are blocked by high concentration of $Mn^{2+}$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.19-35
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• 1984

Since the first report of Drury and $Szent-Gy{\ddot{o}}rgyi$ in 1929, the inhibitory influences of adenosine on the heart have repeatedly been described by many investigators. These studies have shown that adenosine and adenine nucleotides have overall depressant effects, similar to those of acetylcholine. Heart beats become slow and weak. It is also well known that adenosine is a potent endogenous coronary vasodilator. Many investigations on the working mechanisms of adenosine have been focused mainly on the effects of the coronary blood flow. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory action of adenosine on sinus node are not well understood yet. Thus, this study was undertaken to examine the behavior of rabbit SA node under influence of adenosine. In these series of experiments three kinds of preparations were used: whole atrial pair, left atrial strip, and isolated SA node preparations. The electrical activity of SA node was recorded with conventional glass microelectrodes 30 to 50 $M{\Omega}$. The preparations were superfused with bicarbonate-buffered Tyrode solution of pH 7.35 and aerated with a gas mixture of $3%\;CO_2-97%\;O_2$ at $35^{\circ}C$. In whole atrial pair, adenosine suppressed sinoatrial rhythm in a dose-dependent manner. Effect of adenosine on atrial rate appeared at the concentration of $10^{-5}M$ and was enhanced in parallel with the increase in adenosine concentration. Inhibitory action of adenosine on pacemaker activity was more prominent in the preparation pretreated with norepinephrine, which can steepen the slope of pacemaker potential by increasing permeability of $Ca^{+2}$. Calcium ions in perfusate slowly produced a marked change in sinoatrial rhythm. Elevation of the calcium concentration from 0.3 to 8 mM increased the atrial rate from 132 to 174 beats/min, but over 10 mM $Ca^{+2}$ decreased. The inhibitory effect of adenosine on sinoatrial rhythm developed very rapidly. Atrial rate was recovered promptly from the adenosine-induced suppression by the addition of norepinephrine, but extra $Ca^{+2}$ was less suitable to restore the suppression of atrial rate. Adenosine suppressed also atrial contractility in the same dosage range that restricted pacemaker activity, even in the reserpinized preparation. In isolated SA node preparation, spontaneous firing rate of SA node at $35^{\circ}C$(mean{\pm}SEM, n=16) was $154{\pm}3.3\;beats/min. The parameters of action potentials were: maximum diastolic potential(MDP), $-73{\pm}1.7\;mV: overshoot(OS), $9{\pm}1.4\;mV: slope of pacemaker potential(SPP), $94{\pm}3.0\;mV/sec. Adenosine suppressed the firing rate of SA node in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect appeared at the concentration of $10^{-6}M$ and was in parallel with the increase in adenosine concentration. Changes in action potential by adenosine were dose-dependent increase of MDP and decrease of SPP until $10^{-4}M$. Above this concentration, however, the amplitude of action potential decreased markedly due to the simultaneous decrease of both MDP and OS. All these effects of adenosine were not affected by pretreatment of atropine and propranolol. Lowering extra $Ca^{2+}$ irom 2 mM to 0.3 mM resulted in a marked decrease of OS and SPP, but almost no change of MDP. However, increase of perfusate $Ca^{2+}$ from 2 mM to 6 or 8 mM produced a prominent decrease of MDP and a slight increase of OS and SPP. Dipyridamole(DPM), which is known to block the adenosine transport across the cell membrane, definately potentiated the action of adenosine. The results of this experiment suggest that adenosine suppressed pacemaker activity and atrial contractility simultaneously and directly, by decreasing $Ca^{2+}-permeability$ of nodal and atrial cell membranes.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2011

In plants, heteroblasty reflects the morphological adaptation during leaf development according to the external environmental condition and affects the final shape and size of organ. Among parameters displaying heteroblasty, leaf index is an important and typical one to represent the shape and size of simple leaves. Leaf index factor is eventually determined by cell proliferation and cell expansion in leaf blades. Although several regulators and their mechanisms controlling the cell division and cell expansion in leaf development have been studied, it does not fully provide a blueprint of organ formation and morphogenesis during environmental changes. To investigate genes and their mechanisms controlling leaf index during leaf development, we carried out molecular-genetic and physiological experiments using an Arabidopsis mutant. In this study, we identified macrophylla (mac) which had enlarged leaves. In detail, the mac mutant showed alteration in leaf index and cell expansion in direction of width and length, resulting in not only modification of leaf shape but also disruption of heteroblasty. Molecular-genetic studies indicated that mac mutant had point mutation in ROTUDIFOLIA3 (ROT3) gene involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis and was an allele of rot3-1 mutant. We named it mac/rot3-5 mutant. The expression of ROT3 gene was controlled by negative feedback inhibition by the treatment of brassinosteroid hormone, suggesting that ROT3 gene was involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis. In dark condition, in addition, the expression of ROT3 gene was up-regulated and mac/rot3-5 mutant showed lower response, compare to wild type in petiole elongation. This study suggests that ROT3 gene has an important role in control of leaf index during leaf expansion process for proper environmental adaptation, such as shade avoidance syndrome, via the control of brassinosteroid biosynthesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4517-4525
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• 2016

Background: Sperm DNA damage is underlying aetiology of poor implantation and pregnancy rates but also affects health of offspring and may also result in denovo mutations in germ line and post fertilization. This may result in complex diseases, polygenic disorders and childhood cancers. Childhood cancer like retinoblastoma (RB) is more prevalent in developing countries and the incidence of RB has increased more than three fold in India in the last decade. Recent studies have documented increased incidence of cancers in children born to fathers who consume alcohol in excess and tobacco or who were conceived by assisted conception. The aetiology of childhood cancer and increased disease burden in these children is lin ked to oxidative stress (OS) and oxidative DNA damage( ODD) in sperm of their fathers. Though several antioxidants are in use to combat oxidative stress, the effect of majority of these formulations on DNA is not known. Yoga and meditation cause significant decline in OS and ODD and aid in regulating OS levels such that reactive oxygen speues meditated signal transduction, gene expression and several other physiological functions are not disrupted. Thus, this study aimed to analyze sperm ODD as a possible etiological factor in childhood cancer and role of simple life style interventions like yoga and meditation in significantly decreasing seminal oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage and thereby decreasing incidence of childhood cancers. Materials and Methods: A total of 131 fathers of children with RB (non-familial sporadic heritable) and 50 controls (fathers of healthy children) were recruited at a tertiary center in India. Sperm parameters as per WHO 2010 guidelines and reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA fragmentation index (DFI), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxy guanosine (8-OHdG) and telomere length were estimated at day 0, and after 3 and 6 months of intervention. We also examined the compliance with yoga and meditation practice and smoking status at each follow-up. Results: The seminal mean ROS levels (p<0.05), sperm DFI (p<0.001), 8-OHdG (p<0.01) levels were significantly higher in fathers of children with RB, as compared to controls and the relative mean telomere length in the sperm was shorter. Levels of ROS were significantly reduced in tobacco users (p<0.05) as well as in alcoholics (p<0.05) after intervention. DFI reduced significantly (p<0.05) after 6 months of yoga and meditation practice in all groups. The levels of oxidative DNA damage marker 8-OHdG were reduced significantly after 3 months (p<0.05) and 6 months (p<0.05) of practice. Conclusions: Our results suggest that OS and ODD DNA may contribute to the development of childhood cancer. This may be due to accumulation of oxidized mutagenic base 8OHdG, and elevated MDA levels which results in MDA dimers which are also mutagenic, aberrant methylation pattern, altered gene expression which affect cell proliferation and survival through activation of transcription factors. Increased mt DNA mutations and aberrant repair of mt and nuclear DNA due to highly truncatred DNA repair mechanisms all contribute to sperm genome hypermutability and persistant oxidative DNA damage. Oxidative stress is also associated with genome wide hypomethylation, telomere shortening and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to genome hypermutability and instability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report decline in OS and ODD and improvement in sperm DNA integrity following adoption of meditation and yoga based life style modification.This may reduce disease burden in next generation and reduce incidence of childhood cancers.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.753-760
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• 2007

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of the immunocastration on the growth performance, the characteristics of carcass and meat quality in boar. Total 45 piglets(Landrace×Yorkshire) were prepared from the birth and were fed the experimental diet by the time to be slaughtered at around 110 kg of body weight. The experimental groups consisted of five piglets per pen with 3 replicates in three treatment groups, non castrated(NC), surgically castrated(SC), and GnRH antagonist(GA). In SC group, all piglets aged 3-4 days after birth were castrated by the surgical method. For the immunocastration, 2ml of GnRH antagonist(Improvac, Pfizer, Australia) were subcutaneously injected into piglets twice on the 16th and 20th week after the beginning of the trial in the GA group. The immunocastration did not make any significant influences on the growth performance, as compared with the other treatments. The different castration method used in either GA or SC group pigs had similar effects on the dressing percentage and body fat content as carcass parameters. In respect of a meat quality, the meat color, pH, shearing force and cooking loss were not significantly different in all treatment groups. Testosterone concentration in serum was shown to be similar between GA and SC group at 2 weeks after the 2nd injection of GnRH antagonist. The weight of bulbourethral gland and the radius and weight of testis were significantly smaller in GA than in NC(P=0.002). All together, this study suggested that the castration by immunocastration can be an alternative method for the surgical castration without any changes in growth performance, the characteristics of carcass and meat quality shown in surgical castration group.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.111-125
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• 2009

Pitamin is a component of pine bark extract that exhibits antimicrobial activity and a variety of physiological effects. This study was earned out to investigate the effects of dietary pitamin as an organic livestock feed additive in broiler chickens. A 35 day trial was conducted to determine the influence of dietary premix containing 5% pitamin; investigated parameters included blood lipids, growth performance, quality characteristics of carcasses, and changes of caecal microbials in broiler chickens. Chickens were randomly divided into groups that were untreated (control), treated conventionally with antibiotics in the absence of premix, received 0.1 % or 0.2% premix containing 5% pitamin. Plasma lipids were lower in groups fed diets with pitamin premix (p<0.05). The body weight gain from broiler chickens fed with the diet containing 0.1% pitamin premix and antibiotics was similar, and was significantly higher than that of the other groups (p<0.05). The weight of breast muscle and thigh meat of carcasses was similar, and was higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). Abdominal fat and thymus index from chickens receiving either pitamin-supplemented premix was significantly lower and increased, respectively, that of the antibiotic and control groups (both p<0.05). The chickens on the pitamin premix-supplemented diets evidenced significantly higher caecal levels of Bifidobacterium species as compared with the chickens on the control diet (p<0.05). These results suggest that feeding a diet supplemented with a 0.1% premix containing 5.0% pitamin for 35 days maintains the production of broiler chickens at a level comparable to that obtained from the use of antibiotics.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.345-356
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• 2012

We investigated the changes of fruit quality parameters, polysaccharide contents and cell wall components during maturation and ripening of two Korean pear cultivar 'Hanareum' and 'Manpungbae' compared with 'Niitaka' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) which showed different physiological maturity based on days after full bloom (DAFB). Flesh firmness decreased continuously with fruit development and maturation, reaching a final level of 29.4, 33.5, and 27.4N at maturity in 'Hanareum' (127 DAFB), 'Manpungbae' (163 DAFB), and 'Niitaka' (170 DAFB), respectively. The level of ethylene production was very low in early season 'Hanareum' pear which showed at most 0.39 ${\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ at maturity and no ethylene was detected in 'Manpungbae' and 'Niitaka' at maturity. Fructose was the most abundant soluble sugar during fruit maturation in the pears tested and an increase of sucrose was observed during fruit ripening in the Asian pears commonly. Ethanol insoluble solids (EIS) content decreased gradually with different levels among the pear cultivars as fruit ripens consisted of 10.79, 12.72, and 12.75 $mg{\cdot}g^{-1}$ FW. The amount of total soluble polyuronides was higher in early season cultivars 'Hanareum' than those of mid-season cultivar 'Manpungbae' and 'Niitaka'. In 'Niitaka' which harvested most late season, the level of 4% KOH soluble hemicelluloses was lower than 'Hanareum' and 'Manpungbae' and maintained constantly during fruit ripening period. Cellulosic residues were determined high level in 'Niitaka' which showed 612.33 ${\mu}g{\cdot}mg^{-1}$ EIS at maturity when compared with 'Hanareum' (408.0 ${\mu}g{\cdot}mg^{-1}$ EIS) and 'Manpungbae' (538.67 ${\mu}g{\cdot}mg^{-1}$ EIS). The main constituents of cell wall neutral sugars which consisted of arabinose, xylose, galactose, and glucose were decreased gradually with onset of fruit ripening regardless of cultivar. Arabinose which was predominant in 'Hanareum' pear decreased at the last stage of ripening, but the changes of cell wall neutral sugar during ripening were not occurred in 'Niitaka' pear. The change of molecular mass distribution in water soluble pectin observed dominantly at the early stage of fruit development. Depolymerization of 4% KOH-soluble hemicelluloses and degradation of xyloglucan showed in early-season cultivar 'Hanareum' during fruit maturation, and degradation of those fractions were detected only at the early stage fruit development in mid-season cultivar 'Manpungbae' and 'Niitaka'. The molecular mass profile of CDTA soluble pectin, $Na_2CO_3$-SP and 24% KOH soluble hemicelluloses showed no significant change during fruit maturation regardless of cultivar.