• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.564-577
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• 2017

We investigated whether external environmental factors acted as a trigger for flowering in the draft bamboo (Sasa borealis (Hack.) Makino) blooming area of Mt. Baekwoon located in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province. We then considered the cause for flowering, flowering patterns and life history strategies of the draft bamboo based on the investigation. There were no differences in soil, physical conditions, and light amount between the draft bamboo flowering and non-flowering areas. The precipitation and temperature of the areas in Korea and Japan where it blossomed from 2014 to 2017 were similar to the normal year values (for the past 30 years). Moreover, most of the draft bamboo died after flowering on a large scale, but some did not, or some culms were developed again. In other words, the draft bamboo bloomed simultaneously regardless of external environmental factors, and most of the culms were dead, but some were left alive. Therefore, it is considered that the flowering is triggered by the specific genes (referred as to clock genes) expressed periodically by a biological clock rather than the external environmental factors. Meanwhile, the draft bamboos generally bloom on a large scale by synchronizing with other ones in the distance but may also bloom several times separately on a small scale. It may be a kind of an insurance system established to disperse the risk of failed sexual propagation when flowering once in a lifetime. The results reveal that the long-period monocarpy of the draft bamboo has been strengthened to optimize the sexual propagation to overcome the increased environmental instability caused by the expansion of distribution of tropical bamboos and bamboo species to the temperate regions.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.328-334
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: The low temperature at flowering period break the balance between vegetative and reproductive growth of apple tree. Summer pruning has been used to control vegetative growth. So, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of summer pruning time on shoot growth and fruit quality of 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees damaged by the low temperature at flowering period. METHODS AND RESULTS: The following treatments were applied to tree : a) control (no summer pruning), b) pruned 26 June, c) pruned 30 July, d) pruned 28 August, and e) pruned 26 September. The summer pruning significantly increased light penetration and fruit red color by reducing the total shoot growth compared with control. And the summer pruning control the outbreak of apple valsa canker. But the summer pruning at the end of June increased regrowth of shoot and pruning weight compared with the summer pruning at the end of August. The summer pruning at 30 July had the highest fruit weight, but return bloom was the highest in the summer pruning at 28 August. CONCLUSION(S): These results indicated the optimum summer pruning time of 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees damaged by the low temperature at flowering period were the end of August.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.265-271
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• 2018

Background: Temperature-driven variation in pollinator assemblage and activity are important information, especially at high altitudes, where rising temperature trends exceed global levels. Temporal patterns of pollinators in a flowering season can be used as a proxy to predict the changes of high-altitude plants' mutualistic relationships. We observed a spring temperature change in one population of a high-altitude endemic species, Megaleranthis saniculifolia on Mt. Sobaeksan, and related it to pollinator assemblage and activity changes. Methods: This study was conducted at two sites, each facing different slopes (NE and NW), for two times in the spring of 2013 (early-flowering, April 27-28, vs. mid-flowering, May 7-8, 2013). We confirmed that the two sites were comparable in snowmelt regime, composition of flowering plants, and flower density, which could affect pollinator assemblage and activity. Pollinator assemblage and activity were investigated at three quadrats ($1m^2$ with 5-m distance) for each site, covering a total of 840 min observation for each site. We analyzed correlations between the temperature and visitation frequency. Results: Twelve pollinator species belonging to four orders were observed for M. saniculifolia at both sites during early- and mid-flowering times. Diptera (five species) and hymenopteran species (four species) were the most abundant pollinators. Pollinator richness increased at both sites toward the mid-flowering time [early vs. mid = 7 (NE) and 3 (NW) vs. 9 (NE) and 5 (NW)]. Compared to the early-flowering time, visitation frequency showed a fourfold increase in the mid-flowering time. With the progression of spring, major pollinators changed from flies to bees. Upon using data pooled over both sites and flowering times, hourly visitation frequency was strongly positively correlated with hourly mean air temperature. Conclusions: The spring temperature change over a relatively brief flowering period of M. saniculifolia at high altitudes can alter pollinator assemblages through pollinator dominance and visitation frequency changes. Thus, this study emphasizes information on intra- and inter-annual variations in the mutualistic relationship between pollinators and M. saniculifolia to further assess the warming impacts on M. saniculifolia's reproductive fitness.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.543-554
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• 2021

To preventively control fire blight in apple trees and determine policies regarding field monitoring, the Maryblyt ver. 7.1 model (MARYBLYT) was evaluated in the cities of Chungju, Jecheon, and Eumseong in Korea from 2015 to 2020. The number of blossom infection alerts was the highest in 2020 and the lowest in 2017 and 2018. And the common feature of MARYBLYT blossom infection risks during the flowering period was that the time of BIR-High or BIR-Infection alerts was the same regardless of location. The flowering periods of the trees required to operate the model varied according to the year and geographic location. The model predicts the risk of "Infection" during the flowering periods, and recommends the appropriate times to control blossom infection. In 2020, when flower blight was severe, the difference between the expected date of blossom blight symptoms presented by MARYBLYT and the date of actual symptom detection was only 1-3 days, implying that MARYBLYT is highly accurate. As the model was originally developed based on data obtained from the eastern region of the United States, which has a climate similar to that of Korea, this model can be used in Korea. To improve field utilization, however, the entire flowering period of multiple apple varieties needs to be considered when the model is applied. MARYBLYT is believed to be a useful tool for determining when to control and monitor apple cultivation areas that suffer from serious fire blight problems.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.56-67
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• 1978

This study was conducted to characterize comparatively the accumulative patterns of protein and oil, temporal changes in electrophoretic components of proteins during seed development and maturation for the soybean varieties with high, medium and low protein contents. 1. The dry matter of the developing seed increases slowly for the first 22 days after flowering, followed by rapid linear increase for 20 to 30 days and further slow increase for 5 to 15 days attaining its maximum. During the period 12 to 27 days after flowering the protein content of seed increases rapidly while oil content increases rapidly. Following this period of rapid changes, there was period of slow increase until 40 to 47 days after flowering and no seizable further change in the content of both protein and oil. 2. The high protein variety, Saikai # 20, was characterized by shorter period and lower rate of decrease in protein content during the early period, followed by longer period and higher rate of increase in protein content, with earlier stop of oil accumlation during the seed development. 3. The low protein and high oil variety, Shelby, was characterized by longer period of decrease in protein content and shorter period of increase in protein content in contrast to the longer period of slow oil increase during seed development. 4. The temporal pattern of protein component accumulation during seed development was distinctly different among varieties differing in protein content. The time of distinct appearance of all the protein components identifiable in the matured seeds was in accordance with the end of d crease in the protein content of seed. A component having Rm of 0.03 which was absent in the matured seeds was identifiable during the first 17 days after flowering. 5. The high protein variety, Saikai # 20, had much higher compositioral ratio of the component a from the early days of seed development and it continued to increase until 47 days after flowering, while the increase in the composition of the component a stopped as early as 27 days after flowering in the other lower protein varieties. 6. The composition of the component b increased during the period from 17 to 42 days after flowering in all the varieties tested, but the rate of increase during the period was lowest in the high protein variety, Saikai # 20.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.27-39
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• 2005

a-Ketol linolenic acid [KODA, 9,10-ketol-octadecadienoic acid, or 9-hydroxy-10 -oxo-12(Z), 15(Z)-octadecadienoic acid] was found as a stress-induced factor in Lemna paucicostata. KODA reacts with catecholamines to generate many products that strongly induce flowering in L. paucicostata, although KODA itself was inactive. KODA contains an asymmetric carbon at the 9-position in the molecule; the 9-hydroxyl group is predominantly 9R, with an enantiomeric excess of 40% (70% 9R and 30% 9S). We analyzed two major products of the reaction between KODA and norepinephrine, named FN1 and FN2. FN1 was identified as a tricyclic a-ketol fatty acid, 9(R)-11-{(2'R,8’R,10'S,11'S)-2',8'-dihydroxy-7'-oxo-11'-[(Z)-2-pentenyl]-9'-oxa-4'-azatricyclo[6.3.1.01.5]dodec-5'en-10'-yl}-9-hydroxy-10-oxoundecanoic acid. FN2 was the C-9 epimer of FN1. FN1 was derived from 9R-type KODA and FN2 from 9S-type. FN1 showed strong flower-inducing activity, but FN2 was inactive. Pharbitis nil (violet) is a typical short-day plant; flowering can be induced by exposing a seedling cultivated under continuous light to a single 16-h dark period. We analyzed endogenous KODA levels and showed that they were closely related to flower induction: KODA sharply increased in the later part of a 16-h dark period, on the other hand, it failed to increase in the night-break experiment. In addition to it, KODA increased transiently in immature flower buds in all the plants we examined, including P. nil. No such increase of KODA was seen in foliar buds of P. nil. When KODA was sprayed on seedlings of Pharbitis, flower induction was promoted only by the (R)-form of KODA. We also found that KODA enhances flowering in garden plants such as carnations and impatienses. These phenomena indicate that KODA may be involved in flowering formationg of plants and it is potentially useful for a regulating agent for commercial plant flowering.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.50-59
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• 2018

Background: Duodichogamy is the rarest form of dichogamy in angiosperms, which is characterized by flowering in the sequence of male${\rightarrow}$female${\rightarrow}$male. Disentangling factors promoting duodichogamy require the discovery of more duodichogamous species in angiosperms. However, extremely limited information on duodichogamous species makes it difficult to make general conclusions. Given the inflorescence morphology and flowering characteristics, the Meliaceae family is highly likely to contain duodichogamous species. Methods: We selected 48 individuals from 20 populations in Korea and investigated their flower morphology, arrangement of flowers by sexual condition within inflorescences, and flowering phases and duration of male and female flowers of Toona sinensis (Meliaceae) for 5 years (2011-2015) to determine if the species shows duodichogamous flowering. Results: Toona sinensis belonging to Meliaceae possessed functionally unisexual flowers with rudimentary parts of the opposite sex. The floral organs in male were larger than those in female, except for ovary length and width. In dichasium, male flowers were observed on primary or lateral branches, whereas female flowers were borne only on lateral branches. Overall, individuals from six different populations flowered in the male${\rightarrow}$female${\rightarrow}$male sequence, thereby male is blooming far longer than female flowers at the level of individual trees (male vs. female = 17-20 days vs. 2-4 days). Conclusions: This is the first study to report a duodichogamously flowering species, T. sinensis, within Meliaceae. Several flowering characteristics observed from T. sinensis may be important clues used to discover additional duodichogamous Meliaceae species. Short flowering period and relatively small number of female flowers, which is analogous to reduced ovule numbers observed in other duodichogamous species, may intensify male-male competition in T. sinensis. This study contributed to narrowing down potential candidates of duodichogamy based on their geographic distributions and flowering time.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1987.07a
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• pp.213-237
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• 1987

In vitro flowering system may minimize the confounded influence of non-floral meristem parts of plants in studying the relationship of a given treatment and flowering responses. We have induced flower buds from plantlets regenerated from zygotic embryo-derived somatic embryos of ginseng, which circumvented the normal 2-year juvenile period before flowering. The result suggests that the adulthood of ginseng root explants in the experiment previously conducted by Chang and Hsing (1980; Nature 284: 341-342) is not prerequired to flowering of plantlets regenerated through somatic embryogenesis. We have also induced flower buds from elongated axillary brandches from cotyledonary nodes by culturing ginseng zygotic embryos, seedlings, and excised cotyledonary nodes. It was found that 6-benzyladenine (BA) supplemented to the medium was essential for flowering, whereas abscisic acid (ABA) was inhibitory. Gibberellic acid(GA3) was also required for flowering when ABA was present with BA in the medium. The results suggest that cytokinins, gibberellins, and inhibitors play primary, permissive, and preventive roles, respective-ly, in the induction of flowering of ginseng. Tran Thanh Van (1980; Int. Rev. Cytol., Suppl. IIA: 175-194) has developed the "thin cell layer system" in which the induction of shoots, roots, or flower buds from epidermal layer explants were controlled by culture conditions and exogenous growth regulators in the medium, Utilizing the thin cell layer system, Meeks-Wagner et al. (1989; The Plant Cell 1: 25-35) have cloned genes specifically expressed during floral evocation. However, the system is too tedious for obtaining a sufficient amount of plant materials for biochmical and molecular biological studies of flowering. We have developed a garlic callus culture system and one obvious advantaging over the thin cell layer system is that an abundant cells committed to develope into flower buds proliferate. When the above cells were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with those which have just lost the competence for developing into flower buds, a few putative proteins specific to floral evocation were detected. The garlic callus culture system can be further explored for elucidation of the molecular biological mechanism of floral evocation and morphogenesis.hogenesis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.138-147
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• 2023

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), which is a traditional Korean crop, has been known as a health food due to its rich nutrition. This study was conducted to evaluate the change in flavonoid content of flowers and seeds during post-flowering growth of Korean tartary buckwheat variety 'Hwanggeummiso', with the aim of providing basic data for the development of functional food and feed additive. Tartary buckwheat took 69 and 99 days from the sowing date to reach the flowering and maturity stages, respectively. As a result of examining the flavonoid components of each part of tartary buckwheat, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and isoquercitrin of flowers increased from the flowering period on 22 May (0 days after flowering) to 42 days after flowering, while quercetin increased until 21 days after flowering and then decreased thereafter. In seeds, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and isoquercitrin were most abundant at the time of seed-bearing on 14 days after flowering, and showed a decreasing tendency thereafter. On the other hand, quercetin showed a tendency to increase until 21 days after flowering and then decrease. Overall, the flavonoid content was higher in flowers than in seeds, with rutin being particularly prominent. Based on this, the possibility as food materials and feed additives was confirmed using buckwheat produced in Korea.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.257-265
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• 2010

The objective of study was carried out to investigate the proper nutrient nitrogen concentration and irrigation period for increasing plant growth and flowering in Ardisia pusilla. Nutrient nitrogen concentrations were 120, 150, 180 and $210\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and they were based on the Sonneveld solution. Irrigation periods were divided into ED (except dormancy) and TG (total growth) according to plant age. The results of plant age and irrigation period, growth of 1 year-old plant was promoted by nitrogen concentration above $150\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ regardless of irrigation period. And plant growth values of 2 years-old in TG treatments were higher than ED treatments, especially TG-180 treatment was best of all. The contents of total nitrogen of leaves after flowering were increased with nutrient nitrogen strength. And the contents of potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphate slightly were decreased or were no significant differences. Plant growth and flowering decreased when nitrogen concentration was over $210\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$. Therefore, TG-150 and TG-180 were supposed to be appropriate treatment for plant growth and flowering of 1year-old plant and 2 years old plant, respectively.