• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 2011

Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, the causal agent of dollar spot, is one of the most common pathogens of cool season turfgrasses in South Korea. The vegetative compatibility group (VCG) assay was carried out using nitrate-nonutilizing (nit) mutants recovered from 13 South Korean isolates with various geographical origins. The mutants were divided into four phenotypic classes based on mutation loci associated with nitrogen assimilation: nit1, nit2, nit3, and NitM. The recovered number of nit mutants greatly varied among the isolates, ranging from 0 to 15 mutants. Of the mutants isolated, nit1 and nit2 mutants were most common (80%) while NitM and nit3 were relatively rare. One dominant and four minor VCGs were determined from 18 mutant isolates tested. To study population structures of Korean S. homoeocarpa isolates and increase our understanding of its ecological and epidemiological aspects for dollar spot management on turfgrass, more generated mutants should be tested with more diverse isolate collections.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2016

Background: Rhizospheric fungi play an essential role in the plantesoil ecosystem, affecting plant growth and health. In this study, we evaluated the fungal diversity in the rhizosphere soil of 2-yr-old healthy Panax notoginseng cultivated in Wenshan, China. Methods: Culture-independent Illumina MiSeq and culture-dependent techniques, combining molecular and morphological characteristics, were used to analyze the rhizospheric fungal diversity. A diffusion test was used to challenge the phytopathogens of P. notoginseng. Results: A total of 16,130 paired-end reads of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 were generated and clustered into 860 operational taxonomic units at 97% sequence similarity. All the operational taxonomic units were assigned to five phyla and 79 genera. Zygomycota (46.2%) and Ascomycota (37.8%) were the dominant taxa; Mortierella and unclassified Mortierellales accounted for a large proportion (44.9%) at genus level. The relative abundance of Fusarium and Phoma sequenceswas high, accounting for 12.9% and 5.5%, respectively. In total,113 fungal isolates were isolated from rhizosphere soil. They were assigned to five classes, eight orders (except for an Incertae sedis), 26 genera, and 43 species based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer. Fusarium was the most isolated genus with six species (24 isolates, 21.2%). The abundance of Phoma was also relatively high (8.0%). Thirteen isolates displayed antimicrobial activity against at least one test fungus. Conclusion: Our results suggest that diverse fungi including potential pathogenic ones exist in the rhizosphere soil of 2-yr-old P. notoginseng and that antagonistic isolates may be useful for biological control of pathogens.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2016

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant(MDR) strain. (+)-Usnic acid(UA) is uniquely found in lichens, and is especially abundant in genera such as Usnea and Cladonia. UA has antimicrobial activity against human and plant pathogens. Therefore, UA may be a good antibacterial drug candidate for clinical development. In search of a natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug-resistant bacteria, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of UA against 17 different strains of the bacterium. In this study, the effects of a combination of UA and permeable agents against MRSA were investigated. For the measurement of cell wall permeability, UA with concentration of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) was used. In the other hand, Sodium azide($NaN_3$) was used as inhibitors of ATPase. Against the 17 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of UA were in the range of $7.81-31.25{\mu}g/ml$. EDTA or $NaN_3$ cooperation against MRSA showed synergistic activity on cell wall. UA and in combination with EDTA and $NaN_3$ could lead to the development of new combination antibiotics against MRSA infection.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.24 no.4 s.79
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• pp.293-304
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• 1996

A bacterial strain, KSl, possessing strong antifungal activity was isolated from soil samples of ginseng fields and identified as Bacillus subtilis. In greenhouse test, the culture filtrate of B. subtilis KS1 showed strong protective effect against several fungal diseases of agricultural plants such as cucumber gray mold and wheat leaf rust. In addition, the crude butanol fraction of the culture filtrate exhibited antagonistic effect against several fungi including plant or human pathogens, such as Botrytis maydis, Chytridium lagenarium and Candida albicans. The antifungal compound, SW1, produced by B. subtilis KS1 was purified through consecutive chromatographic separations on a pep-RPC column and a ${\mu}$ Bondapak $C_{18}$ reverse phase column. Temperature and pH showed little effect on the stability of the compound in the ranges $-20-121^{\circ}C$ and pH 4.0-10.0, respectively. The composition and structural characteristics of SW1 were analysed by HPLC and by $^1H-,\;^1H-^1H-COSY$, NOESY, COSY-NOESY and HOHAHA NMR spectroscopy, respectively, which revealed that the compound belongs to iturin A, a typical cyclic antifungal compound produced by B. subtilis. In contrast to the previously reported iturin A compounds which have one or no $-CH_3$ side chain in the hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain of ${\beta}-amino$ acids, SW1 was shown to have a ${\beta}-amino$ acid containing 12-carbon skeleton with two $-CH_3$ side chains.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1654-1663
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• 2013

Rice straw is closely associated with meju fermentation and it is generally known that the rice straw provides meju with many kinds of microorganisms. In order to elucidate the origin of meju fungi, the fungal diversity of rice straw was examined. Rice straw was collected from 12 Jang factories where meju are produced, and were incubated under nine different conditions by altering the media (MEA, DRBC, and DG18), and temperature ($15^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, and $35^{\circ}C$). In total, 937 strains were isolated and identified as belonging to 39 genera and 103 species. Among these, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Eurotium, Fusarium, and Penicillium were the dominant genera. Fusarium asiaticum (56.3%), Cladosporium cladosporioides (48.6%), Aspergillus tubingensis (37.5%), A. oryzae (31.9%), Eurotium repens (27.1%), and E. chevalieri (25.0%) were frequently isolated from the rice straw obtained from many factories. Twelve genera and 40 species of fungi that were isolated in the rice straw in this study were also isolated from meju. Specifically, A. oryzae, C. cladosporioides, E. chevalieri, E. repens, F. asiaticum, and Penicillium polonicum (11.8%), which are abundant species in meju, were also isolated frequently from rice straw. C. cladosporioides, F. asiaticum, and P. polonicum, which are abundant in the low temperature fermentation process of meju fermentation, were frequently isolated from rice straw incubated at $15^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, whereas A. oryzae, E. repens, and E. chevalieri, which are abundant in the high temperature fermentation process of meju fermentation, were frequently isolated from rice straw incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$. This suggests that the mycobiota of rice straw has a large influence in the mycobiota of meju. The influence of fungi on the rice straw as feed and silage for livestock, and as plant pathogens for rice, are discussed as well.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.288-298
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• 2004

Benzimidazole pesticide carbendazim that is effective against a wide range of fungal plant pathogens is a protective, eradicant, and systemic fungicide. For genetic toxicity evaluation of carbendazim on DNA, genes and chromosome, were investigated with chromosome aberration, bacterial reverse mutation, micronucleus test in mouse born marrow and DNA damage assay by single cell microgel electrophoresis. Substitution and frameshift mutation were not induce at variable concentration of carbendazim on Ames test with or without rat liver microsomal activation. For the result of chromosome aberration test, numerical changes of chromosome were detected at the concentrations higher than $4.0{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, but structural aberration was not induced. Positive control, Mitomycin-C and captafol made a structural aberration, but numerical change of chromosome did not appear. In the micronucleus test for mouse born marrow, carbendazim was negative, but was weak positive in DNA damage assay by single cell microgel electrophoresis because of increased DNA moving length of 20% to control.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 1998

Chemical derivative synthesis of ricinine, an active compound of Ricinus communis which showed high mortality against brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens), was performed to improve its pesticidal activity and the toxicity of 12 synthetic derivatives against major insect pests and phytopathogenic fungi were examined. Carbamate derivatives of ricinine could be synthesized from the precursor of ricinine, chloronorricinine and norricinine, whereas the derivatives were not synthesized from chlororicinic acid and ricinic acid having ketone group of pyridine ring. In organophosphates, reaction with oxon type of phosphate gave better yield than thiono type. Among the organophosphate derivatives of ricinine, thiono type of derivative structure gave $96.3%{\sim}100%$ mortality of the brown planthopper and the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) at 500 ${\mu}g/ml$ level. On the other hand, carbamate derivatives did not show insecticidal activity. In the fungicidal activity of ricinine derivatives, the derivative having amino radical at the 2 position of ricinine gave 85 to 100% of mycelium growth inhibition effect against ten major plant pathogens at the 200 ${\mu}g/ml$ level. In particular, the control value of the derivative on the rice blast (Pyricularia grisea) and barley powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis) at the 250 ${\mu}g/ml$ level in vivo under greenhouse conditions was 92% and 96%, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2012

Vitex trifolia L. is a full grown fruit of Vitex rotundifolia L. (Verbenaceae). It has been used for treating headache, dizziness, toothache and removal of fever as a traditional medicine in Korea. V. trifolia (500 g) were extracted three times with 80% aqueous MeOH at room temperature. The MeOH extract (38 g) was successively partitioned with n-hexane, EtOAc, n-BuOH and $H_2O$. Both n-hexane and EtOAc fractions showed more than 80% antifungal activity in vivo against several plant pathogens at 2000 ppm. Successive repeated silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, preparative TLC, and preparative HPLC of these fractions led to isolation of three compounds. Using mainly mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnatic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, their chemical structures were determined as agnuside(1), chrysosplenol B(2), and artemetin(3). Compound 2 was isolated for the first time from V. trifolia. Study on in vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of the isolated compounds is in progress.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.315-324
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• 2016

Background: Biocontrol agents are regarded as promising and environmental friendly approaches as agrochemicals for phytodiseases that cause serious environmental and health problems. Trichoderma species have been widely used in suppression of soil-borne pathogens. In this study, an endophytic fungus, Trichoderma gamsii YIM PH30019, from healthy Panax notoginseng root was investigated for its biocontrol potential. Methods: In vitro detached healthy roots, and pot and field experiments were used to investigate the pathogenicity and biocontrol efficacy of T. gamsii YIM PH30019 to the host plant. The antagonistic mechanisms against test phytopathogens were analyzed using dual culture, scanning electron microscopy, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Tolerance to chemical fertilizers was also tested in a series of concentrations. Results: The results indicated that T. gamsii YIM PH30019 was nonpathogenic to the host, presented appreciable biocontrol efficacy, and could tolerate chemical fertilizer concentrations of up to 20%. T. gamsii YIM PH30019 displayed antagonistic activities against the pathogenic fungi of P. notoginseng via production of VOCs. On the basis of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, VOCs were identified as dimethyl disulfide, dibenzofuran, methanethiol, ketones, etc., which are effective ingredients for antagonistic activity. T. gamsii YIM PH30019 was able to improve the seedlings' emergence and protect P. notoginseng plants from soil-borne disease in the continuous cropping field tests. Conclusion: The results suggest that the endophytic fungus T. gamsii YIM PH30019 may have a good potential as a biological control agent against notoginseng phytodiseases and can provide a clue to further illuminate the interactions between Trichoderma and phytopathogens.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.403-410
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• 2010

In order to produce high-quality fermenting composts, a microorganism was isolated from the natural world. The bacterium has not only in high enzyme activities but also had good antimicrobial activities against phytopathogenic microorganisms. Its cultivating characteristics were then investigated. Bacterium KJ-9, which contains high CMCase, protease and chitinase activities and excellent antimicrobial activities against phytopathogenic microorganisms, was separated from leaf mold and identified as Bacillus licheniformis by two methods: Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology and API 50 CHL Carbohydrate Test Kit (Bio Merieux, France) using an ATB (Automated Identification) computer system (Bio Merieux, France). Optimal medium for cultivation of B. licheniformis was 2% soluble starch as a carbon source, 0.5% yeast extract as a nitrogen source and 0.05% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$. Optimal growth conditions of pH, temperature and shake speed were pH 7.0, $50^{\circ}C$ and 180 rpm, respectively. Culture broth of B. licheniformis KJ-9 cultured for 36~60 hr was effective in fungicidal activities against plant pathogens including Botrytis cinerea, Corynespora cassicola, Fusarium oxysporum, and Rhizoctonia solani.