• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Azadirachta indica Extract(AIE) containing azadirachtin as active ingredient have been used worldwide as environment-friendly organic material having pest control properties. However, the extracts prepared with different solvent and from different plant site is very diverse and have different toxicity. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, the four week repeated oral dose toxicity test of aqueous AIE in Sprague-Dawley rats was carried out to investigate the toxic effect of liver, main toxicity target organ of AIE. The male and female rats were divided into 4 groups, respectively; control(0 g/Kg bw), low-dose group(0.5 g/Kg bw), middle-dose(1.0 g/Kg bw) and high-dose group(2.0 g/Kg bw). As a results, relative liver weight increased with dose-dependent of AIE(p<0.05). Serum LDH in all AIE-treated groups were significantly lower than the control in male rats(p<0.05). However, serum GOT and GPT were significantly increased in all male AIE-treated groups in male rats(p<0.05) and, in particular, increase of serum GPT in dose-dependent manner raise the possibility of liver damage. Even through serum GLU was increased significantly in high-dose group in male rats compared to control, there were no significant differences of urinary GLU among all groups(p<0.05). In addition, histopathological examination of the liver did not reveal any lesions in all AIE-treated groups. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, 4 weeks of the repeated oral administration of AIE 2.0 g/Kg to rats has resulted no toxic response in liver. Therefore, AIE was no indicated to have any toxic effect in the SD rats, when it was orally administrated below the dosage 2.0 g/Kg/day for 4weeks.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Azadirachta indica has been widely used as environment-friendly organic materials because of its insecticidal properties. This study was carried out to investigate the acute toxicity and the subacute toxicity of Azadirachta indica extract(AIE) in rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: For the oral acute toxicity test, Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged with 2.0 g/Kg bw of AIE. The $LD_{50}$ value was greater than 2.0 g/Kg bw for both male and female rats. For the subacute toxicity study, rats were treated with AIE at doses of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg/Kg bw once a day for 4 weeks(n=10 animals per each group). There were no significant changes in body weight, food intake and water consumption observed during the experimental duration. In addition, no difference of relative kidney weight was observed among all treated groups. Serum creatinine level in the AIE 2.0 g/Kg group increased significantly compared with that of control group in male rats, but serum blood urea nitrogen was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). Significant increase of serum cholesterol levels were observed in all AIE groups, compared with the control group, in the female rats (p<0.05). However, histopathological examination of the kidney did not reveal any significant lesions in all groups. CONCLUSION: On the basis of results, it could be concluded that oral administration AIE didn't cause any toxic response in kidney, except the increased serum cholesterol.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the application level of expeller cake fertilizer(ECF), we have investigated soil chemical properties, leaf mineral contents and yield of tah tasai Chinese cabbage in a plastic film greenhouse. METHODS AND RESULTS: Five levels of fertilizer were applied as 0%(ECF 0), 50%(ECF 50), 75%(ECF 75), 100% (ECF 100) and 150%(ECF 150) by base 1,848 kg/ha of ECF. In 2012, tah tasai Chinese cabbage was planted on April 28 in a silt loam soil and harvested on July 12. Commercial yields were measured 10 times from May 10 to July 12. Electrical conductivity (2.24~3.09 dS/m), available $P_2O_5$(484~581 mg/kg) and exchangeable cations($K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$) were tended to increase by the application of ECF. However, the range of those was not significant. The contents of T-N, K, Ca and P of tah tasai Chinese cabbage leaves were 62.2~66.5 g/kg, 44.3~48.7 g/kg, 5.1~5.9 g/kg and 5.6~6.2 g/kg, respectively. The nitrogen utilization rate of tah tasai Chinese cabbage was 39.4~51.6%, and it was decreased with increased application amount of ECF. The yield of tah tasai Chinese cabbage was 9,806 to 12,730 kg/ha on the basis of application amount of ECF and it was not increased in spite of increased ECF. CONCLUSION: The optimum dose of application of ECF for cultivation of tah tasai Chinese cabbage was ranged from 924 kg/ha(as ECF 50) to 1,386 kg/ha(as ECF 75). Environment-friendly and economical amount of applied fertilizer is more important than yield for cultivation of tah tasai Chinese cabbage.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.411-415
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• 2009

Some microorganisms are capable of leaching Mn(II) from nonsulfidic manganese ores indirectly via nonenzymatic processes. Such reductive dissolution requires organic substrates, such as glucose, sucrose, or galactose, as a source of carbon and energy for microbial growth. This study investigated characteristics of Mn(II) leaching from manganese nodules by using heterotrophic Bacillus sp. strain MR2 provided with corn starch as a less-expensive substrate. Leaching of Mn(II) at 25.6 g Mn(II) $kg^{-1}$ nodule $day^{-1}$ was accompanied with cell growth, but part of the produced Mn(II) re-adsorbed onto residual $MnO_2$ particles after 24 h. Direct contact of cells to manganese nodule was not necessary as a separation between them with a dialysis tube produced similar amount [24.6 g Mn(II) $kg^{-1}$ nodule $day^{-1}$]. These results indicated an involvement of extracellular diffusible compound(s) during Mn(II) leaching by strain MR2. In order to optimize a leaching process we tested factors that influence the reaction, and the most efficient conditions were $25\sim35^{\circ}C$, pH 5~7, inoculum density of 1.5~2.5% (v/v), pulp density of 2~3 g/L, and particle size <75 ${\mu}m$. Although Mn(II) leaching was enhanced as particle size decrease, we suggest <212 ${\mu}m$ as a proper size range since more grinding means more energy consumption The results would help for the improvement of bioleaching of manganese nodule as a less expensive, energy-efficient, and environment-friendly technology as compared to the existing physicochemical metal recovery technologies.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.93-111
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• 2005

Defining soil quality in scopes and applications is one of the prerequisite for the sustainable management of soil environment to orient researches, strategies and policies. However, definition of soil quality is controversial depending upon a viewpoint of soil science or soil environment. Soil quality can be, irrespective of the disciplines, defined as the capacity of a soil to function within ecosystem boundaries to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality and promote plant and animal health. Common to all of the soil quality concepts can be summarized as the capacity of soil to function effectively at present and in the future. The OECD includes soil quality as one of the agri-environment indicators. This article intends to i) summarize the current soil quality research, and ii) provide information on protocol of soil quality assessment. A framework for soil quality was divided into three steps: indicator selection as minimum data set (MDS), scoring of the selected indicators, and integration of scores into soil quality index. Korean government suggested possible physical and chemical indicators such as bulk density and organic matter for paddy and upland soils to OECD. The framework of soil quality assessment is not yet implemented in Korea. Countries such as USA, Canada and New Zealand have constructed the framework on soil quality assessment and developed a user-friendly version of soil quality assessment tools to evaluate the integrated effects of various soil management practices. The protocol provided in this review might help policymakers, scientists, and administrators improve awareness about soil quality and understand the way of soil environment management.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.197-210
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• 2009

To improve the forage quality and reduce nitrogen input, trial was conducted on the effect of seeding method, combination, and nitrogen fertilizer with WCB (whole crop barley) and leguminous plant. Present experiment was carried out by split-split design having seeding methods for main plot, combinations for sub-plot, and nitrogen fertilizers for sub-sub plot with three replications. When WCB and leguminous plant were mixed-sown, WCB showed earlier heading and maturing than those of inter-sown, and the more nitrogen delayed growth stage a little. Occurrence of BaYMV (Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus), a serious disease caused by soil fungi and decrease barley yield, was deterred by mixed-seeding as compared to inter-sown barley a little. Inter-sown WCB increased the number of spike per $m^2$ as compared to mixed-seeding showing more spikes with nitrogen increase. WCB produced much fresh and dry matter yield at mixed-seeding than inter-seeding, and had advantage with hairy vetch (HV). Increased nitrogen showed much forage yield, however, half application of it is considerable for environmental-friendly farming. Electric conductivity (EC) decreased in inter-cropping or mixed-sowing soil with WCB and leguminous crop after harvest. But, organic matter (OM) content of soil after harvesting was vice versa. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) and Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of WCB plant were higher at mixed-seeding than those of inter-sown ones. It showed increased tendency with time progress.