• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.213-219
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: In an environment-friendly agriculture, plant extracts have been perceived as alternatives of synthetic pesticides. The Environment-friendly Agriculture Promotion Act of Korea has approved cinnamon extract as a matter for the production of commercial biopesticides. Thirteen commercial biopesticides containing cinnamon extract have been marketed locally. However, the analytical method for the quality control of these biopesticides containing cinnamon extract has not been studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cartridge clean-up method for the determination of cinnamaldehyde, cinnamylalcohol and salicylaldehyde in biopesticides containing cinnamon extract was developed and validated by gas chromatography (GC). The clean-up method was optimized with HLB SPE cartridges for the bioactive substance in biopesticides containing cinnamon extract, and the eluate was analyzed by GC. The developed method was validated, and the LOQ and recovery rates of cinnamaldehyde, cinnamylalcohol and salicylaldehyde were 0.139, 0.067 and $0.062mgL^{-1}$ and 84.2, 86.5 and 82.1%, respectively. The contents of cinnamaldehyde, cinnamylalcohol and salicylaldehyde were analyzed using the developed method in the 13 commercial biopesticides. Results showed 0.06-17.37%,

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.19-34
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• 2017

Recent worldwide demand for organic and sustainable agriculture products is driving the development of formulations of biopesticides effective in the field. Biopesticides have the benefit of environmentally-friendly qualities. However, biocontrol approaches largely have been ineffective in controlling plant pests in field conditions. Previously, we developed a cost-effective biocontrol formulation containing chitin and chitinase-producing biocontrol bacteria with field efficacy. This formulated product has successfully suppressed various plant diseases in the field conditions. In this review, we focus on ecological aspects and the potential mechanisms underpinning the success of chitinase-producing bacteria. In addition, we discuss the possibility on-site cultivation of the formulated products to further strengthen the approach as being farmer friendly and successful.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.528-536
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• 2016

Although many fungicides are registered for use to control powdery mildew on cucurbits, management of resistance to fungicides in pathogen populations still remains a major challenge. Two biopesticides Regalia SC and HMO 736 were evaluated in the greenhouse and field for their efficacy against powdery mildew in squash. In greenhouses, Regalia SC alone significantly (P < 0.05) reduced powdery mildew compared to the nontreated control, and was as effective as the chemical standard Procure 480SC (triflumizole). In alternation with Procure 480SC, Regalia SC demonstrated greater or equivalent effects on reducing the disease. HMO 736 alone showed varying levels of disease control, but alternating with Procure 480SC significantly improved control efficacy. In addition, application of Regalia SC or HMO 736 each in alternation with Procure 480SC significantly increased the chlorophyll content in leaves and the total fresh weight of squash plants, when compared with the water control, Regalia SC and HMO 736 alone. In field trials, application of Regalia SC and HMO 736 each alone significantly reduced disease severity in one of two field trials during the early stage of disease development, but not during later stages when disease pressure became high. Both Regalia SC and HMO 736 each applied in alternation with Procure 480SC significantly improved the control efficacy compared to Procure 480SC alone. Results from this study demonstrated that an integrated management program can be developed for powdery mildew in squash by integrating the biopesticides Regalia SC, HMO 736 with the chemical fungicide Procure 480SC.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: Yuza seed by-product has been produced in a large amount from the agricultural farms in the southern area of Korea. It has been mostly abandoned after commercial process for the production of juice, jam and tea. The study on the reuse of the yuza seed by-product has received much attention as a bio-resource material for the production of active compound in agriculture. METHODS AND RESULTS: Insecticidal rhamnolipid-producing Pseudomonas sp. EP-3 was grown in mineral salt media with the yuza seed by-product at 2, 20, 50 and 100 g/L. The growth of EP-3 was accompanied by a increase in insecticidal activity against green peach aphid. The highest insecticidal activity was observed when EP-3 was grown in the medium containing 50 g/L of the seed sample, producing approximately 996 mg/L of rhamnolipid at 96 h. Palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid were determined as the major fatty acids of the seed sample. The EP-3 cultures grown on the fatty acid mixture extracted from the seed sample showed a aphid mortality similar to that of cultures grown on the seed sample. The EP-3 cultures grown on 50 g/L of the seed sample showed aphid mortality more than 90% under greenhouse conditions. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the yuza seed by-product may be used as a renewable material for microbial production of rhamnolipid against green peach aphid.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.340-345
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• 2010

Two similar microbial fungicides (termed as MA and MB) developed in a Korean biopesticide company were analyzed and compared each other in their biocontrol activities against the phytophthora blight of chili pepper caused by Phytophthora capsici. MA and MB contained the microbe Paenibacillus polymyxa and Bacillus subtilis, respectively, with concentrations over those posted on the microbial products. In comparison of the isolated microbes (termed as MAP from MA and MBB from MB) in the antagonistic activities against P. capsici was effective, prominently against zoospore germination, while MBB only significantly inhibited the mycelia growth of the pathogen. Some effectiveness of MAP and MBB was noted in the inhibition of zoosporangium formation and zoospore release from zoosporangia; however, no such large difference between MAP and MBB was noted. In a pot experiment, MA reduced the severity of the phytophthora blight more than MB, suggesting that the disease control efficacy would be more attributable to the inhibition of zoospore germination than mycelia growth of P. capsici. These results also suggest that the similar microbes MA and MB targeting different points in the life cycle of the pathogen differ in the disease control efficacies. Therefore, to develop microbial fungicides it is required to examine the targeting points in the pathogen's life cycle as well as the action mode of antagonistic microorganisms.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2003

Callus cultures of Azadirachta indica flower petals were established on MS medium supplemented with naphthalene acetic acid (1 mg/L), kinetin (0.5 mg/L) and sucrose $(3\%\;w/v)$. Cell cultures of Azadirachta indica were established and studied the growth and production kinetics. Half 85 medium supplemented with dicamba (2 mg/L), kinetin (1 mg/L) and sucrose $(3\%\;w/v)$ was found to be suitable for initiation and maintenance of cell cultures from the calli. MS medium supplemented with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) (1 mg/L), kinetin (0.5 mg/L) and sucrose $(3\%\;w/v)$ was found to be suitable as production medium. Around $80\%\;(0.05\%\;w/v)$ of azadirachtin was found to be intracellular. The effect of various precursors, elicitors, permeabilizing agents and growth retardants in cell cultures was studied. The addition of precursors sodium acetate (10 mg/L), squalene (10 mg/L), isopentenyl pyrophosphate (1 mg/L) and geranyl pyrophosphate (1 mg/L) to the cell cultures on day 3 has shown significant increase in bioproduction of azadirachtin $(64.94{\pm}4.40\;mg/L,\;72.81{\pm}0.04\;mg/L,\;51.63{\pm}1.26\;mg/L\;and\;30.70{\pm}0.28\;mg/L\;respectively)$ over the control cultures $(4.70{\pm}0.27 mg/L)$. $5\%$ v/v cell extracts of Fusarium solani has shown moderate increase in the content of azadirachtin $(5.71{\pm}0.34\;mg/L)$ when compared to control cultures $(2.40{\pm}0.56\;mg/L)$. The addition of methyl jasmonate $(500\;{\mu}M/L)$ on day 3 has shown $\~4$ fold improvement in bioproduction of azadirachtln $(6.92{\pm}0.11\;mg/L)$ when compared to control cultures $(1.63{\pm}0.02\;mg/L)$. There was no significant effect of the studied growth retardants and permeabilizing agents on bioproduction of azadirachtin. Cells are cultivated in large volumes using the effective precursors.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1241-1255
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• 2021

This study was carried out to explore a non-chemical strategy for enhancing productivity by employing some antagonistic rhizobacteria. One hundred eighteen bacterial isolates were obtained from the rhizospheric zone of various crop fields of Gangwon-do, Korea, and screened for antifungal activity against Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae) in lettuce crop under in vitro and in vivo conditions. In broth-based dual culture assay, fourteen bacterial isolates showed significant inhibition of mycelial growth of F. oxysporium f. sp. lactucae. All of the antagonistic isolates were further characterized for the antagonistic traits under in vitro conditions. The isolates were identified on the basis of biochemical characteristics and confirmed at their species level by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Arthrobacter sulfonivorans, Bacillus siamensis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Pseudomonas proteolytica, four Paenibacillus peoriae strains, and Bacillus subtilis were identified from the biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The isolates EN21 and EN23 showed significant decrease in disease severity on lettuce compared to infected control and other bacterial treatments under greenhouse conditions. Two bacterial isolates, EN4 and EN21, were evaluated to assess their disease reduction and growth promotion in lettuce in field conditions. The consortium of EN4 and EN21 showed significant enhancement of growth on lettuce by suppressing disease caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucae respectively. This study clearly indicates that the promising isolates, EN4 (P. proteolytica) and EN21 (Bacillus siamensis), can be commercialized and used as biofertilizer and/or biopesticide for sustainable crop production.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.794-808
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• 2019

Bacillus velezensis strain WRN014 was isolated from banana fields in Hainan, China. Bacillus velezensis is an important member of the plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) which can enhance plant growth and control soil-borne disease. The complete genome of Bacillus velezensis WRN014 was sequenced by combining Illumina Hiseq 2500 system and Pacific Biosciences SMRT high-throughput sequencing technologies. Then, the genome of Bacillus velezensis WRN014, together with 45 other completed genome sequences of the Bacillus velezensis strains, were comparatively studied. The genome of Bacillus velezensis WRN014 was 4,063,541bp in length and contained 4,062 coding sequences, 9 genomic islands and 13 gene clusters. The results of comparative genomic analysis provide evidence that (i) The 46 Bacillus velezensis strains formed 2 obviously closely related clades in phylogenetic trees. (ii) The pangenome in this study is open and is increasing with the addition of new sequenced genomes. (iii) Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) revealed local diversification of the 46 Bacillus velezensis genomes. Surprisingly, SNPs were not evenly distributed throughout the whole genome. (iv) Analysis of gene clusters revealed that rich gene clusters spread over Bacillus velezensis strains and some gene clusters are conserved in different strains. This study reveals that the strain WRN014 and other Bacillus velezensis strains have potential to be used as PGPR and biopesticide.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.211-219
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• 2022

Over the past decade, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated gene silencing technology has progressed significantly for pest management in agriculture and for protecting beneficial insects from pathogens. Recently, breakthroughs in RNA interference (RNAi) applications for insect pest management by academia and commercial entities have provided RNAi products as commercial biopesticides. Although RNAi technology has vast potential and advantages for pest control, challenges, and limitations remain in practical applications. This review explores current challenges in the development of dsRNAs as a pest management tool and considers new approaches to overcome biological and environmental obstacles, such as poor stability and resistance.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1763-1772
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• 2017

This study aimed to isolate and characterize antibacterial metabolites from Pharbitis nil seeds and investigate their antibacterial activity against various plant pathogenic bacteria. The methanol extract of P. nil seeds showed the strongest activity against Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Xap) with a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) value of $250{\mu}g/ml$. Among the three solvent layers obtained from the methanol extract of P. nil seeds, only the butanol layer displayed the activity with an MIC value of $125{\mu}g/ml$ against Xap. An antibacterial fraction was obtained from P. nil seeds by repeated column chromatography and identified as pharbitin, a crude resin glycoside, by instrumental analysis. The antibacterial activity of pharbitin was tested in vitro against 14 phytopathogenic bacteria, and it was found to inhibit Ralstonia solanacearum and four Xanthomonas species. The minimum inhibitory concentration values against the five bacteria were $125-500{\mu}g/ml$ for the n-butanol layer and $31.25-125{\mu}g/ml$ for pharbitin. In a detached peach leaf assay, it effectively suppressed the development of bacterial leaf spot, with a control value of 87.5% at $500{\mu}g/ml$. In addition, pharbitin strongly reduced the development of bacterial wilt on tomato seedlings by 97.4% at $250{\mu}g/ml$, 7 days after inoculation. These findings suggest that the crude extract of P. nil seeds can be used as an alternative biopesticide for the control of plant diseases caused by R. solanacearum and Xanthomonas spp. This is the first report on the antibacterial activity of pharbitin against phytopathogenic bacteria.