• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2021

Background and objective: This study was conducted as part of research to promote garden diversity and seek sustainable garden management plans, as well as to determine the trends in understanding and use of companion plants as an eco-friendly farming method and provide the results as the basic data for sustainable urban agriculture. Methods: To determine the trends in garden activities, eco-friendly pest control, and use of companion plants, a survey was conducted on 230 urban residents participating in the Urban Agriculture Expert course. 223 copies of the questionnaire were collected excluding missing values, and IBM SPSS statistics Ver. 25 Program was used for frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, and regression analysis. Results: Most of the respondents were female (71.3%), homemakers (26.5%), were in their 50s (29.1%), and had 2 members in the family (27.8%). 164 respondents (73.5%) had experience in gardening, most of them once a week (31.7%) and for self-consumption (55.5%). Both men and women raised crops for safe food production (32.3%), and they most preferred the city garden type (39.9%). For the preparation of nourishment for eco-friendly garden management, most respondents (60.1%) purchased fertilizers from the market. For the reason why eco-friendly pest control is necessary, all respondents except 4 of them (98.2%) responded that it is necessary 'because it affects my health as I eat it (73.5%)', indicating that they still had a high level of interest in health. Only 43.9% of the respondents said that they had heard of companion plants, 89.2% responded that companion plants were effective in eco-friendly management, and 87.4% showed the will to participate in gardening using companion plants in the future. Finally, the regression analysis confirmed that the awareness of companion plants and satisfaction with gardening activities are key variables that increase the intention to participate in gardening activities in the future. Conclusion: Since plants require special care depending on the period and various diseases and insect pests occur, there must be continuous research on companion plants as an eco-friendly farming method. Moreover, by actively using companion plants in urban gardens with the utility value in not only eco-friendly pest control but also in helping plant growth, urban agriculture is expected to be continuously activated and promoted by increasing satisfaction in gardening activities with aesthetic landscaping and pest control.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.49-78
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• 1998

Nowadays, there are increasing demands of golf courses and it is necessary to make more golf courses than the present. To do this, we need to improve the environmental problems with the regional inhabitants, and it is said that the first thing to be considered in developing any golf course in Korea is to preserve the environment. In this context, the purpose of this study is to set forth several design factors to lessen the negative impacts which are accompanied with the development of golf courses. 1. The present conditions of golf courses in Korea Many new golf courses have come into being, particularly since the late 1980s, and now, in the year of 1997, over one hundred of golf courses are doing their business, yet the number of golf course is still less than required. So far, over a half of them have been made in the vicinity of Seoul on account of various reasons, and this has adversely affected on our natural environment. This unreasonable development of golf courses has caused serious water pollution, landslides and the other problems. Also, the topography of Korea is not good for golf courses. Although the demands of golf courses are increasing, the suitable sites for them are very limited, and therefore it is sometimes unavoidable to make golf courses on steep hills. Consequently, in designing golf courses in Korea, the most important thing is the balance between natural environment and artificial environment. 2.Eco-friendly golf course design factors 1) The concept of eco-friendly golf courses Ecologically sustainable and sound golf courses which are made by eco-friendly approaches 2)Basic conditions of eco-friendly golf courses (1)The most suitable sites (2) Conservation of existing ground as much as possible (3)Proper use of agricultural chemicals which have great impacts on the environment (4) Reasonable use of fertilizers (5) Developing a specialized fertilizer only for grass (6) Adaptation of organic agriculture (7) Improvement of grass sorts (8) Establishing reservoirs for purifying the water from golf courses 3) Eco-friendly golf courses (1) Location-Enough area /Gentle slope/Winding ground/Including lakes or streams /Not crossing wind's main direction Facing south or southeast /Suitable soIl for grass /Good drainage /Low level of underground water (2)Course layout and design -Consideration about existing contours as much as possible -Adaptation of Scotish design trend -Various holes' configuration -Consideration toward surrounding landscapes -Reducing grass areas -Giving buffer zones -Adapting computer methods in the process of site analysis and design (3) Eco-friendly considerations in constructing and managing golf courses -Protection of wildlife -Reuse of existing forests and preservation of topsoil -Renovation of old-fashioned courses -Reducing grass areas -Purification of water -Standization of management -Strict regulations against chemicals -Recycling organic materials -Through separation of the water inside golf courses and out of bounds -Getting proper construction works done in a due time 4.Eco-friendly considerations from a viewpoint of cultural environment 1) Well-matched landscape design and events planning 2) Implement of identifications and awarding systerns 3)Acknowledgement of superintendents' qualitications in the maintenance of golf courses 4)Increasing public golf courses and keeping good relationships with the neighbors near golf courses Key words: Pro-environmental development, Golf course.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.657-666
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• 2022

Nitrogen (N) is a vital element in growing crops and is essential for improving the yield and quality of crops. Thus, N fertilizer is the most widely used fertilizer and the primary N input source in soil-crop systems. Inorganic fertilizers such as urea are known to improve crop productivity and increase soil fertility. However, application with excessive amounts can interfere with crop growth and accelerate soil acidification. For these reasons, the use of organic fertilizers, which mainly contain organic nitrogen, has gradually increased worldwide. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of N fertilizer on the growth of Chinese cabbage including its functional compounds glucosinolates (GSLs). For the cultivation of Chinse cabbage, inorganic fertilizer was used for urea, and organic fertilizers were divided into conventional and biochar-based fertilizers. The growth parameters of Chinese cabbage treated by organic fertilizers was better than those of the inorganic fertilizers. Additionally, it was found that their co-application was more efficient. However, their GSL contents were lower with the application of the organic fertilizers. The characteristics of the experimental soil also changed according to the type, amounts and co-application of fertilizers. Therefore, this study presents the basis for an eco-friendly method that can increase the functionality and productivity of Chinese cabbage compared to conventional cultivations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.137-137
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• 2017

Rice has important role as a primary food resource in especially the Asia, Korea, China, India, Indonesia and Japan. After development and increasingly using artificial chemical fertilizer, rice is getting high quality and quantity to satisfy ever-increasing people. On the other hand, the earth environment is more polluted each day. Nowadays consumers are looking for the organic crops or foods that were grown with eco-friendly method and in pure farmland. With the immergence of this trend, it is time to development environmentally-friendly agriculture. One of the methods is growing green manure crops in winter or spring on the fields. For this reasons, growing rye and Italian ryegrass are useful to use green manure to enhance rice production without chemical fertilizers and make the property of the soil eco-friendly. To know how improve the quality and quantity of rice with green manures, rye and Italian ryegrass, first the characteristics of green manure corps were measured. Dry matter yields of the rye and Italian ryegrass were 2.21 and $1.81t\;Ha^{-1}$. And the percentages of the dry matter were 28 and 32%. And, analyzed mineral components in rye and Italian ryegrass were nitrogen, organic matter, $P_2O_5$, CaO, $C_2O$ and MgO. Specially, the percentages of the organic matter and the CaO between rye and Italian ryegrass have difference appreciably. the height of the rice on the Italian ryegrass-fertilized field was the highest among the variant fields. The height of the rice on the non-fertilized field was the lowest. Yield of the Italian ryegrass-, rye- and non-fertilized rice are 805.2, 639.9 and $415.3kg\;10a^{-1}$. At the result, Italian ryegrass is the most effective green manure among the 3 treated-fertilized.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.190-190
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• 2017

Chemical fertilizers have been used to increase crop production and contributed to escaping food shortages. However, excessive use of chemical fertilizers over a long period caused many problems such as environmental pollution and the hampered production potential of the land. Thus, it is necessary to develop eco-friendly bio-fertilizers that can replace the use of chemical fertilizers. Here, we tested the effect of some nitrogen-fixing microorganims on the plant growth promotion. Seventy free-living nitrogen fixing microorganisms were isolated from rhizosphere of crop cultivation fields, streamside soils and sludge in Ansung, Korea. Of them, three strains (NF2-4-1, Yeast; EMM409, Mesorhizobium; Gsoil662, Burkholderia) were selected to be most efficient in the capacity of N-fixing nitrogen based on colony forming cell assay in N-free media. To investigate the ability to promote plant growth, these strains were inoculated into the soil and cabbage were grown for 4 weeks in the grown chamber. Fresh weight, dry weight, and leaf area were measured from 4-week-old plants. Phenotypic analysis revealed that the growth of the plants inoculated with NF2-4-1 and EMM409 strains were significantly promoted compared to the mock-treated control plants, while Gsoil662-inoculated plants did not show statically significant promotion. These results indicate that these nitrogen-fixing microorganims can be used to develop plant growth promoting bio-fertilizers. Further analysis on nitrogen fixing level in soil by these strains will be tested.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.394-403
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• 2023

In the pursuit of sustainable and environmentally-friendly agricultural practices, we conducted an extensive study on the rhizosphere bacteria inhabiting soils that have been devoid of chemical fertilizers for an extended period exceeding 40 years. Through this investigation, we isolated a total of 80 species of plant growth-promoting rhizosphere bacteria and assessed their potential to enhance plant growth. Among these isolates, Burkholderia cepacia CD2 displayed remarkable plant growth-promoting activity, making it an optimal candidate for further analysis. Burkholderia cepacia CD2 exhibited a range of beneficial characteristics conducive to plant growth, including phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, denitrification, nitrate utilization, and urease activity. These attributes are well-known to positively influence the growth and development of plants. To validate the taxonomic classification of the strain, 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed its placement within the Burkholderia genus, providing further insights into its phylogenetic relationship. To delve deeper into the potential mechanisms underlying its plant growth-promoting properties, we sought to confirm the presence of specific genes associated with plant growth promotion in CD2. To achieve this, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed by Plasmidsaurus Inc. (USA) utilizing Oxford Nanopore technology (Abingdon, UK). The WGS analysis of the genome of CD2 revealed the existence of a subsystem function, which is thought to be a pivotal factor contributing to improved plant growth. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that Burkholderia cepacia CD2 has the potential to serve as a microbial fertilizer, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.290-303
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• 2003

Modern agriculture has been heavily dependent on chemical fertilizers to meet the food demands of ever increasing population. Progressive depletion of major plant nutrients in soil due to intensive cultivation practices has also necessitated the use of higher dose of chemical fertilizers particularly in soils where the organic matter content is very low. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pressure on agriculturists to enhance per area crop yields has led to fast depletion of fossil fuel resources with concomitant increase in the prices of chemical fertilizers and also led to environmental pollution. Hence, the current trend throughout the world is to explore the possibility of using alternate nutrient sources or increasing the efficiency of chemical fertilizers by supplementing them with organic fertilizers and bioinoculants comprising largely microbes like, bacteria, fungi, algae etc to enhance nitrogen and phosphates in the soil thus creating a sustainable agricultural environment. Among the different microbial inoculants or biofertilizers, Azospirillum could be a potential candidate due to its non specific host root colonization. It had the capability to fix $N_2$ in wide pH regimes and even in presence of combined nitrogen. Azospirillum inoculation can increase the crop yield to 10-25% and substitute 25% of recommended doses of nitrogenous fertilizers. Apart from nitrogen fixation, Azospirillum is also involved in the root improvement, the activity which was attributed to an increase in the rate of water and mineral uptake by roots. The ability of Azospirillum to produce phytohormones was reported to enhance the root respiration rate, metabolism and root proliferation. They have also been reported to produce polyhydroxybutyrate, that can be used as a biodegradable thermosplastic. A lot of studies have addressed improvements in enhancing its efficiency to fix nitrogen fixation and hormone production.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.311-322
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• 2015

The study was conducted on growth and yield of potatoes in a wick hydroponic culture as affected by concentration of aqueous extracts in order to develop natural agricultural resources using Persicaria longiseta. Each 500 ml of distilled water (control) and P. blumei extracts (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) was applied to potato plants at 5 d intervals from 1 d after potato transplanting. The potatoes with P. blumei extract emerged 1 d earlier and had 0.3 to 0.4 more stem numbers per plant compared with those of control plot. The plant height was higher in plots with P. blumei extract than in control in early stage of potatoes (50 d), but there was no significant difference observed after mid-stage of potatoes (70 and 90 d). The stem diameter and fresh weight of potatoes estimated a higher values in plots with P. blumei extract than in control plots, although there was no statistical difference. The 100% P. blumei extract increased by up to $13.8kg/m^2$ of potato yield. The numbers of tubers in classes of < 5 g and 5 to 30 g per plant did not show a specific trend among experimental treatments while it in class of > 30 g was much higher in plots with P. blumei extract than in control plot. Accordingly, the P. blumei extract had a positive effect on the growth and yield of potatoes, could be applied as of eco-friendly fertilizers

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.967-976
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• 2023

Biochar is emerging as a promising substance for achieving carbon neutrality and climate change mitigation. It can absorb several nutrients via ion bonding on its surface functional groups, resulting in slow dissociation of the bonds. Biochar, like organic fertilizers, contributes to sustainable nutrient management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of nutrient-coated biochar amendments on leafy vegetables production and soil fertility. The nutrient-coated biochar was produced by soaking rice husk biochar in a nutrient solution containing nitrogen (N), phosphorus, and potassium for 24 hours. Nutrient-coated biochar and organic fertilizers were applied to soil at a rate of 120 kg·N·ha^-1. The growth components of the leafy vegetables showed that nutrient-coated biochar led to the highest fresh weight (FW) of both lettuce and kale (i.e., 146.67 and 93.54 g·plant^-1 FW, respectively). As a result, nutrient-coated biochar amendments led to superior yield compared to the control treatment and organic fertilization. The elemental composition of leafy vegetables revealed that soil amended with nutrient-coated biochar resulted in higher nutrient contents, which was attributed to the high nutrient contents supplied by the rice husk biochar. Soil amendment with nutrient-coated biochar positively enhanced the soil fertility compared to amendment with organic fertilizer. Therefore, nutrient-coated biochar is a promising substance for enhancing agronomic performance of leafy vegetables and improving soil fertility.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.153-153
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• 2022

There is a growing need to develop ion sensors for agriculture. As a result, several technologies have been developed, such as colorimetry, spectrophotometry, and ion-selective electrode (ISE). Among them, ISE has some advantages compared to others. First, it does not require pre-treatment processes and expensive equipment. Second, it is possible for the portable detection system by introducing small-sized electrodes. Finally, real-time and multiple detections of several ions are pursued. It is well-known that N, P, and K nutrients are critical for crop growth. With the development of agriculture techniques, the importance of soil nutrient analysis has attracted much attention for cost-effective and eco-friendly agriculture. Among several issues, minimizing the use of fertilizers is significant through quantitative analysis of soil nutrients. As a result, it is highly important to analyze certain nutrients, such as N (ammonium ion, nitrate ion, nitrite ion), P (dihydrogen phosphate ion, monohydrogen phosphate ion), and K (potassium ion). Therefore, developing sensors for accurate analysis of soil nutrients is highly desired. n this study, several ISEs have been fabricated to detect N, P, and K. Their performance has been intensively studied, such as sensitivity, selectivity coefficient, and concentration range, and compared with commercialized ISEs. In addition, preliminary tests on the in-situ N, P, and K monitoring have been conducted inside the soil.