• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2020

In the forest ecosystems, litterfall is an important component of the nutrient cycle that regulates the accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM), the input and output of the nutrients, nutrient replenishment, biodiversity conservation, and other ecosystem functions. Therefore, a profound understanding of the major processes (litterfall production and its decomposition rate) in the cycle is vital for sustainable forest management (SFM). Despite these facts, there is still a limited knowledge in tropical forest ecosystems, and further researches are highly needed. This shortfall of research-based knowledge, especially in tropical forest ecosystems, may be a contributing factor to the lack of understanding of the role of plant litter in the forest ecosystem function for sustainable forest management, particularly in the tropical forest landscapes. Therefore, in this paper, I review the role of plant litter in tropical forest ecosystems with the aims of assessing the importance of plant litter in forest ecosystems for the biogeochemical cycle. Then, the major factors that affect the plant litter production and decomposition were identified, which could direct and contribute to future research. The small set of studies reviewed in this paper demonstrated the potential of plant litter to improve the biogeochemical cycle and nutrients in the forest ecosystems. However, further researches are needed particularly on the effect of species, forest structures, seasons, and climate factors on the plant litter production and decomposition in various types of forest ecosystems.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.66-75
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• 2019

A new species of Alternaria causing leaf spots on the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) in Yunnan, China, was isolated, examined, and illustrated. Morphologically, it belongs to the section Porri of Alternaria, which produces relatively large conidia and a simple or branched, filamentous long beak. It is, however, characterized by conidiophores gradually enlarging near the apex into a clavate conidiogenous cell and long ellipsoid to obclavate, smoothwalled conidia with a long filamentous beak. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS rDNA, GAPDH, and TEF1-alpha sequences demonstrate that the phytopathogen falls in the clade of the section Porri, being most closely related to A. sidae, A. sennae, A. deseriticola, A. cyamopsidis, A. rostellata, A. nitrimali, A. crassa, and A. thunbergiae.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.52-62
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• 2010

This study was carried out in the Tropical Plant Resources Research Center of Korea National Arboretum to determine the optimum edaphic environment for the growth of tropical and subtropical plants. The physicochemical properties of artificial substrates and the growth characteristics of tropical and subtropical plants were investigated. Subtropical plants exhibited a high growth rate when cultivated in a substrate of Dry Zone that had physical properties similar to those of arid native soil. Mediterranean plants showed a low growth rate when grown in a substrate of Subtropical Zone that required changes in acidity. The substrate of Tropical Zone had high organic matter and mineral contents and therefore had good physical properties:this substrate has a good environment for the stimulation of the growth of tropical plants. Our results indicate that the chemical properties such as pH and mineral contents of most artificial substrates need to be more urgently improved than their physical properties in order to ensure better growth of tropical and subtropical plants. Initial management strategies for the construction of new tropical greenhouses were formulated, and data from monitoring studies will be continuously gathered and incorporated in the manual to keep it updated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2012

This study was performed in the Tropical Plant Resources Research Center of Korea National Arboretum to assess the effects of natural enemy attack on aphid population feeding on tropical plants. We measured the density of leaf-feeding aphids, Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii, cohabiting with 5 types of tropical plants at intervals of approximately 2 weeks after introducing their natural enemy, Aphidius colemani. The density of aphids cohabiting with 4 types of tropical plants-Sanchezia parvibracteata, Hibiscus rosa-chinensis, Ficus kurzii, and Aloysia triphylla-started decreasing after 2 weeks of observation and was completely in control after 4 weeks of observation; however, the density of aphids cohabiting with the tropical plant, Hamelia patens, increased during 22 weeks of observation but decreased after the $23^{rd}$ week of observation. We suggest that a banker plant is necessary for the maintenance of A. colemani in tropical greenhouses, and monitoring studies on H. patens, which was weakest against the aphids, should be performed. Our results indicate that biological pest management strategies using their natural enemies were formulated for the construction of new tropical greenhouses.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1403-1406
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• 2011

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

This study is performed to establish the basis of the development of unique tropical botanical garden that will be connected with the identity of the local inheritance resources, 'Silla'. The glasshouse is the traditional 'Silla; housing and the landscape facilities are tried to imagine 'Silla' kingdom. Combination of the plant exhibition and the cultural inheritance resources can create their own unique theme. The garden divided into five spaces by life cycles of plants and the purpose of appreciation, the palm garden, ornamental foliage garden, flower garden, water lily garden, and tropical fruits garden. The appropriate flowers and trees are selected by their flowering time and the purpose of enjoyment. Especially, Ficus religiosa is the symbol plant of buddhism which is the state religion of 'Silla'.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.267-271
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• 2007

Theileria annulata, a protozoan parasite of cattle and domestic buffaloes, is transmitted by ticks of the genus Hyalomma, and causes a disease named Mediterranean or tropical theileriosis. In this research 50 cattle naturally infected with Theileria annulata were treated with the extract of the plant Peganum harmala. The treatment was continued for 5 days, the dose of the extract being 5 mg/kg per day. After the treatment, 39 cattle responded to the treatment and recovered, but 11 did not respond to the treatment and died. The recovery rate of animals treated with the extract of the plant Peganum harmala was 78%.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.247-262
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• 2015

The few lignin biomarker studies conducted in tropical environments are hampered by having to use references signatures established for plants and soils characteristic of the temperate zone. This study presents a lignin biomarker analysis (vanillyls (V), p-hydroxyls (P), syringyls (S), cinnamyls (C)) of the dominant plant species and soil horizons as well as an analysis of the interrelated terrigenous organic matter (TOM) dynamics between vegetation and soil of the $Tapaj{\acute{o}}s$ river region, an active colonization front in the Brazilian Amazon. We collected and analyzed samples from 17 fresh dominant plant species and 48 soil cores at three depths (0-5 cm, 20-25 cm, 50-55 cm) from primary rainforest, fallow forest, subsistence agriculture fields and pastures. Lignin signatures in tropical plants clearly distinguish from temperate ones with high ratios of Acid/aldehyde of vanillyls ((Ad/Al)v) and P/V+S. Contrary to temperate environments, similarly high ratios in tropical soils are not related to TOM degradation along with pedogenesis but to direct influence of plants growing on them. Lignin signatures of both plants and soils of primary rainforest and fallow forest clearly distinguish from those of non-forested areas, i.e., agriculture fields and pastures. Attalea speciosa Palm trees, an invasive species in all perturbed landscapes of the Amazon, exhibit lignin signatures clearly distinct from other dominant plant species. The study of lignin signatures in tropical areas thus represents a powerful tool to evaluate the impact of primary rainforest clearing on TOM dynamics in tropical areas.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.515-535
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• 2020

Essential oils (EOs) have gained a renewed interest in many disciplines such as plant disease control and medicine. This review discusses the components of ginger EOs, their mode of action, and their potential nanotechnology applications in controlling tropical plant diseases. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), high-performance liquid chromatography, and headspace procedures are commonly used to detect and profile their chemical compositions EOs in ginger. The ginger EOs are composed of monoterpenes (transcaryophyllene, camphene, geranial, eucalyptol, and neral) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (α-zingiberene, ar-curcumene, β-bisabolene, and β-sesquiphellandrene). GC-MS analysis of the EOs revealed many compounds but few compounds were revealed using the headspace approach. The EOs have a wide range of activities against many phytopathogens. EOs mode of action affects both the pathogen cell's external envelope and internal structures. The problems associated with solubility and stability of EOs had prompted the use nanotechnology such as nanoemulsions. The use of nanoemulsion to increase efficiency and supply of EOs to control plant diseases control was discussed in this present paper. The findings of this review paper may accelerate the effective use of ginger EOs in controlling tropical plant diseases.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.459-467
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• 2020

Areca palm yellow leaf (AYL) disease caused by the 16SrI group phytoplasma is a serious threat to the development of the Areca palm industry in China. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was utilized to establish a rapid and efficient detection system efficient for the 16SrI-B subgroup AYL phytoplasma in China by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The results showed that two sets of LAMP detection primers, 16SrDNA-2 and 16SrDNA-3, were efficient for 16SrI-B subgroup AYL phytoplasma in China, with positive results appearing under reaction conditions of 64℃ for 40 min. The lowest detection limit for the two LAMP detection assays was the same at 200 ag/μl, namely approximately 53 copies/μl of the target fragments. Phytoplasma was detected in all AYL disease samples from Baoting, Tunchang, and Wanning counties in Hainan province using the two sets of LAMP primers 16SrDNA-2 and 16SrDNA-3, whereas no phytoplasma was detected in the negative control. The LAMP method established in this study with comparatively high sensitivity and stability, provides reliable results that could be visually detected, making it suitable for application and research in rapid diagnosis of AYL disease, detection of seedlings with the pathogen and breeding of disease-resistant Areca palm varieties.