• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 2009

Various cultural practices have been promoted as management options for enhancing soil quality and health. The use of soil management methods can cause changes in fertility by affecting soil chemical properties. This study aimed to evaluate interactions between soil chemical properties and soil management methods in protected cultivation, and to classify soil management methods that similarly affect soil chemical properties. Water-logging and irrigation reduced soil pH and available $P_2O_5$ content. Application of animal manures has a positive effect on levels of organic matter, Av.$P_2O_5$, K, Zn, and Cu. The electrical conductivites tened to be low in the application of organic amendments, including rice and wood residues. Deeper plowing caused a reduction in Ca content. Practicing soil nutrient-considering fertilization and fertigation did not exert an influence on nutrient element contents. In a cluster analysis of the soil management methods according to major nutrients, low similarities were found with deeper plowing and crop rotation with rice in comparison with other practices. In a cluster analysis by minor nutrient characteristics, crop rotation and application of animal manures and rice residues were linked at a high Ward's distance, while other practices were found to be relatively low distinct. Each soil management method has a similar or different effect on soil chemical properties. These results suggest the necessity of establishing limits and standards according to the effects of soil management methods on soil chemical properties for economic soil practices.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.191-196
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• 1999

In rice-barley cropping systems, efficient utilization of barley straw is essential, both to improve the soil fertility and to conserve the environment. In order to identify the effects of barley straw mulch rates in rice cultivation, a rice cultivar, 'Gancheogbyeo', was directly seeded on a no-tillage field synchronized with barley harvesting with five barley straw mulch rates, i.e., 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 ton h $a^{-1}$ and agronomic characters of rice and soil nitrogen were determined. The increasing of barley straw mulch rates. Dominant weed species, chestnut, occurred in large amounts in no mulching or lower mulch rates than in higher mulch rates. The content of N $H_4$$_{＋}$-N in soil applied with high barley straw mulch rates was lower during the month after seeding, and then it was higher at heading date, compared with lower mulch rates or no mulch plot. As the barley straw rate increased, maximum tillering stage was delayed, and plant height was reduced. Although the lodging of rice plants was seldom observed in all plots, the breaking strength of the culm was significantly higher in the mulch rate of 10.0 ton h $a^{-1}$ . With an increase of barley straw mulch rate, the effective tillering rate and spikelet number $m^{-2}$ decreased while ripened grain ratio increased. The rice grain yield was slightly decreased with an increase of barley straw mulch rate, although significant differences were not found all barley straw mulch rates. These results suggest that there is no significant yield loss although the total barley straw production, approximately 5.0 ton h $a^{-l}$ in the present study, apply in the paddy for the following rice cultivation by no-tillage direct seeding.ect seeding.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2006

A long-term experiment was carried out to examine the effects of compost on the long-term trends and synergy effects with chemical fertilizer and saving the chemical fertilizers of paddy cropping. The experiment was conducted for the past 36 years with constant amounts of N, P, K and compost in a paddy field at Milyang, South Korea. Grain yield was significantly increased in the plots with compost application. Twenty five years after the compost treatment, grain yield was significantly increased and it reached almost 90% of NPK plots. The effect of rice straw compost on grain yield was not clear during the early cropping years about 60%, but it slightly increased there after about 95% during the late five years. In compost plots, soil organic matter content, K and $SiO_2$ was greater in the compost applied plots than with application of recommended doses of NPK. However, soil pH was reduced in compost applied plots and Ca, and Mg were remained unchanged when compared to the application of recommended doses NPK. Soil nutrient contents were less in compost applied plots than with the application of recommended doses of NPK along with compost but was found to be increased than that of un-fertilized plots. The present study indicated that the application of rice straw compost with NPK is the best of all and followed by NPK and Compost. However, treatment of Compost is time consuming and hard working desired and eventually non economical practice in mechanized agricultural systems, even though Compost is very useful source of improving the soil fertility and its physical characteristics and also the application of inorganic N and P are essential for sustaining high yield.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.141-144
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• 2005

This experiment was to investigate whether the mitochondria function assessment can be used for the prediction of sperm fertility through examining the correlation between mitochondria fluoromicroscopic frequency of frozen-thawed eight Hanwoo bull semen using rhodamine123 (R123) and in vitro embryo development following fertilization. Individual sperm were stained in 5 ${\mu}g/mL$ R123-added calcium-free Sp-TALP for 30 min at 0 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after thawing and examined their mid-piece under an epifluorescence microscope using 495 nm excitation filter (x1,000). Three replications were taken, and at least 300 sperm per individual were examined. When semen samples were separated into two groups (good and poor) by sperm motility and fluorescent frequencies at just after thawing, average fluorescent frequencies were remarkably reduced as time going (0 h; $53.29{\~}72.94\%$, 6 h; $21.40{\~}58.90\%$, 12 h; $8.26{\~}25.93\%$, 24 h; $1.00{\~}13.78\%$, irrespective of selected group, and there were no differences at 6 h or 12 h after thawing between selected groups but indicated significant difference at 24 h after thawing (p<0.05). In vitro fertilization rates in good and poor groups ranging $70.8{\~}77.8\%$ and $52.1{\~}84.5\%$, respectively, were not significantly different. However, in vitro development rates of the same groups ranging $25.7{\~}40.0\%$ and $12.9{\~}1.8\%$, respectively, were significant different (p<0.05). These results demonstrate that mitochondria fluoromicroscopic assessment of frozen-thawed bovine sperm may be used as a criterion to select more fertile sperm.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.408-414
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• 1999

A number of chemical released into the environment eliciting their effects by disrupting normal hormonal pathways. Endocrine disrupting compounds are present in the aquatic environment and pose potential health consequences to wildlife and humans. This review are designing fur xenobiotic estrogens based on induction of the egg-yolk precursor protein vitelloge-nin. In fish of aquatic environment, it may result in decrease fertility and egg production in females or lead to reduced gonad size or feminization of genetic male fish. It has been known that male fish exposed to estrogenic compounds show induced production of vitellogenin. Vitello-genin production is normally restricted to adult females, which have elevated estrogen levels during egg production. However, vitellogenin can be induced in males by Pollution of environmental endocrine disruptors. Consequently, the presence of vitellogenin in male fish can serve as an indicator of exposure of environmental endocrine disrupting compounds. In immature fish pol-luted at low levels of environmental endocrine disrupter, vitellogenin can serve as a reliable biomarker for exposure to endocrine disrupter. This review demonstrates the utility of vitellogenin as a biomarker fur exposure to estrogenin agents in auqatic environment.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2012

Tropical tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury experiences extreme temperature stress conditions during its life cycle particularly during diapauses and first crop. The present study witnessed the impact of high temperature on some biochemical profiles and egg production (fecundity) of semi-domesticated Daba and Shorea robusta (Sal) based wild ecorace Laria during seed cocoon (pupa) preservation. Cocoons of Daba and Laria were treated with high temperature at $40^{\circ}C$ for 10 days in a BOD incubator. The protein profile and carbohydrate content in the hemolymph and fat body and total haemocyte count (THC) in the hemolymph of pupa were investigated. Further, the fecundity and fertility of egg was assessed. Significant increase in the protein concentration was observed in the hemolymph with reduction in the fat body (p<0.05). The difference in protein concentration was highly significant between the semidomesticated Daba and wild ecorace Laria (p<0.05). High pupal mortality (20%) and reduced fecundity (10-15%) in Daba was noticed compared to wild Laria. Also an increased THC (>28000) was recorded in Laria. The study infers the potentials of wild ecoraces in sustaining the extreme temperature conditions and need of adopting suitable package of practices for the preservation of diapause seed cocoons during extreme summer conditions. There is possibility to introgression thermal stress resistant traits in the semi-domesticated races of tasar silkworm by resorting to conventional breeding plans with wild races and keeping the thermal stress induced response as markers.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.807-817
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• 2004

The modified biochemical oxygen demand (MBOD) were conducted to evaluate the water quality and fertility in the Mangyeong river from november 2002 to april 2003. MBOD method was used to evaluate algal growth potentials and their limiting factors. MBOD depends on the amount of available inorganic nutrient and organic substrate during 5-day incubation in the dark condition at $20^{\circ}C.$ The MBOD assay depends on inorganic nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen as well as reduced carbon as called MBOD, MBOD-P, and MBOD-N, respectively. The concentration of pollutants were in the range of 3.08～48.36 mg/L for COD. The concentration of nutrients were in the range of 0.37～111.62 mg/L for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and 0.00～1.03 mg/L for dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP). The results of MBOD bioassay showed that the MBOD, MBOD-P and MBOD-N values were 15～173 mg $O_2/L,$ 13～165 mg $O_2/L$ and 66～175 mg $O_2/L$ ranges, respectively. The MBOD values are found to be the highest in Iksan River and the lowest in Hari River throughout the Mangyeong River. The relationships of MBOD, MBOD-P and MBOD-N in MBOD method were generally found in MBOD$\risingdotseq$ MBOD-P$\risingdotseq$MBOD-N. But the result of Gosan was appeared to MBOD$\risingdotseq$MBOD-N > MBOD-P. The MBOD-N value was higher 3 to 5 times than the MBOD-P value in the Gosan station. The algal growth potentials expressed as the concentration of chlorophyll-a were maximum 20 times more than algal biomass in the water column.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2009

The antifertility activity of methanol extract of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. stem (MECR) and Corchorus olitorius Linn. seed (MECO) were studied on male Swiss albino mice. The extracts were found to decrease sperm count, percentage of motile sperm and testosterone level in treated mice when compared with vehicle control after 17 days of treatment. The weight of gonads, epididymis were decreased whereas no significant changes of the body weight of mice were observed after methanol extract treatments. The fertility test showed 100% negative result in MECR and MECO treated mice at medium and high dose level of treatment. MECR and MECO in low (25 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg, respectively), medium (50 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg, respectively) and high (75 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg, respectively) dose level caused a simultaneous fall in testicular ${\Delta}5$-$3{\beta}$-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities which are involved in testicular steroidogenesis. Total cholesterol and ascorbic acid content in testis were increased significantly in gonads. The activities of lactate dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase and ascorbic acid oxidase were reduced whereas that of carbonic anhydrase was increased significantly in the testis of MECR and MECO treated mice. All these observations indicate that the methanol extract of C. reflexa stem and C. olitorius seed produced antifertility activity in sexually matured male mice, which may be due to inhibition of gonadal steroidogenesis. This activity may be attributed due to the presence of flavonoids and steroids, respectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2020

Objective: Oxidative stress has been suggested as a possible mechanism for the adverse effects of heavy metal toxicity on male reproduction. Cichorium intybus L. is used in Iranian folk medicine as a hepatoprotective agent as well as for its supposed fertility-enhancing properties. The present study was performed to investigate whether the ethanolic extract of C. intybus leaves could protect male rats against lead-induced testicular oxidative stress. Methods: In this experimental study, adult Wistar rats were treated with 0.1% lead acetate in drinking water alone or with 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg body weight of C. intybus extract via gavage once daily for 70 days. The weight of their reproductive organs, levels of serum hormones, histometric parameters of the seminiferous tubules, epidydimal sperm quality, and oxidative stress status were evaluated. Results: The testis weight, seminiferous tubule diameter, epididymal sperm count, serum testosterone level, and testicular levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly reduced (p< 0.05) in the lead-treated rats. Moreover, significantly (p< 0.05) higher levels of malondialdehyde were observed in the lead-exposed group compared to the control. However, the co-administration of C. intybus ethanolic extract in lead-treated rats was associated with a significant improvement in reproductive parameters. Conclusion: We conclude that C. intybus leaf extract has the potential to prevent lead-induced testicular toxicity and to suppress the adverse effects of lead on male reproductive health.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.181-190
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• 1981

Rye in Paldang was investigated with regard to the occurrence of B-chromosomes from 1963 through 1977, and frequencies of B-chromosomes were as follows; 2% (1963), 8% (1964), 8% (1965), 15% (1966), 11.5% (1968), 11.7% (1969), 20% (1975), 19.6% (1976), and 12.8% (1977). The result of the chi-square test showed statistically no significant difference between the frequency of B-chromosomes each year. The analysis revealed that distribution of B-chromosomes seemed to be relatively uniform in the rye field. With regard to the sample size 50 plants were quite enough to estimate the frequency of B-chromosomes in rye population. Quadrivalent due to translocation heterozygote were observed in the population of Paldang rye from 1966 through 1977, their frequencies being 1 to 7%. Numerical increase of B-chromosomes in rye due to non-disjunction process in the pollen as well as in the ovules was well-known phenomenon, whereas B-chromosomes tended to be eliminated in meiosis and seed fertility of rye was reduced in the individuals with B-chromosomes. The mechanism of gain or loss for B-chromosomes might support the equilibrium of B-chromosomes in Paldang rye population.