• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.799-808
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• 2021

This study was performed to investigate the extent of microbial contamination, the presence of enterotoxin genes, and the antibiotic susceptibility of Bacillus cereus in 58 red pepper plants and 43 environmental samples (soil, irrigation water, and gloves) associated with the plant cultivation. The detected counts of total aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus were lower in these samples, as compared to the regulations of standards for foods; moreover, pathogens, such as E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp., were not detected. Genes encoding hemolysin BL enterotoxins (hblA, hblC, and hblD) as well as non-hemolytic enterotoxins (nheA, nheB, and nheC) were detected in 23 B. cereus specimens that were isolated from the test samples and had β-hemolytic activity. Interestingly, B. cereus is resistant to β-lactam and susceptible to non-β-lactam antibiotics. However, in this case, the isolated B. cereus specimens exhibited a shift from resistant to intermediate in response to cefotaxime and from susceptible to intermediate in case of rifampin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, vancomycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin. Therefore, the levels of B. cereus should be monitored to detect changes in antibiotic susceptibility and guarantee their safety.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.282-293
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• 2016

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are major plant pathogens that cause reductions in yield and quality of several solanaceous crops, including pepper (Capsicum spp.). These losses can be averted through planting of resistant cultivars. Plants are defined as resistant when they suppress nematode reproduction. In this study, the resistance degrees of 102 commercial cultivars of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) to a root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, were evaluated by comparing the number of egg masses on their roots to those of 'PR huimangchan', a highly susceptible cultivar that exhibited the most egg masses of the chili pepper cultivars evaluated. Among these cultivars, forty-four (43.1%) showed resistance to M. incognita and eighteen (17.6%) were moderately resistant. The other cultivars (39.3%) were determined to be susceptible. For further study, six chili pepper cultivars (i.e., Gangryeokjosenggeon, Shinsegae, Muhanjilju, PR Bulrocho, PR Huimangchan, and Jjang) with different levels of resistance to the nematode were selected. Changes in resistance of the six cultivars under several conditions, such as inoculum concentration, plant growth stage, and cultivation period after transplanting were investigated. We found that an efficient screening method for resistance of chili pepper to M. incognita is to transplant the chili pepper seedlings 7 days before inoculation, to inoculate 28-day-old plants with M. incognita by loading 5,000 eggs per plant into the pot of soil, to cultivate the plants in a greenhouse ($25{\pm}5^{\circ}C$) for 45-60 days, to measure the number of egg masses on roots of the seedlings, and then to determine the resistance response of the plants by comparing the number of egg masses on the roots with a reference-susceptible cultivar 'PR huimangchan'.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.342-350
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• 2011

Throughout the years 2008 to 2010, we analyzed approximately two thousand oriental melon samples collected from Seongju, using electron microscopy and testing by RT-PCR using primers specific for eight cucurbit-infecting viruses. Data from RT-PCR indicated that Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Watermelon mosaic virus 2 (WMV2) and Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) were present and the other viruses were not detected. Among them, CGMMV and WMV2 were the most prevalent pathogens. CGMMV was thought to infect oriental melon from the early growing season, and reached nearly 100% in the later of growing period. Otherwise, WMV2 emerged from June, several months later compared to CGMMV. CGMMV was detected from all aerial parts of the oriental melon including seeds, but not from the roots of the grafted pumpkin rootstock. Seed of two out of five commercial varieties were shown to be CGMMV positive. Nine varieties of pumpkins used as rootstocks were not infected with CGMMV. When the seedlings of grafted oriental melon were transplanted into pots mixed with the oriental melon debris infected with CGMMV, they were not infected by CGMMV. Cutting of pruning shear and the contact of tendrils contributed 48% and 30% to the transmission of the virus, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2014

This study was performed to investigate the effect of conidial density, wetness period and temperature on conidial germination, appressoria formation and disease incidence. While there was not significantly correlated between conidial density and temperature, and conidial germination and appressoria formation, there was a significant correlation between those factors and disease incidence. The longer wetness period was, the higher the ratio of conidial germination, appressoria formation and the disease incidence was. The optimum conidial density, temperature and wetness period was $1{\times}10^6$ conidia $mL^{-1}$, $30^{\circ}C$ and 5 days, respectively. In case the wetness period was more than 5 days, the typical symptom was not found on pepper fruits because of the overgrowth of mycelia. Using this fruit assay method, which the pepper anthracnose pathogens were inoculated by spraying spore suspension on non-wounded or wounded pepper fruits, control effect of three fungicides were evaluated against pepper anthracnose by the protective and/or the curative application. Propineb showed high protective control activity, while it showed curative control activity on unwounded fruits, but did not showed curative control activity on wounded fruits. Tebuconazole, one of curative fungicide, showed higher control activity in non-wound inoculation than wound inoculation. Trifloxystrobin, one of strobilurin group, showed high both protective and control activity against anthracnose. In conclusion, we supposed that the newly developed in vitro pepper fruit assay can be used to evaluate antifungal activity of control agents against pepper anthracnose.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 2014

As an abiotic stress, chilling stress is one of the major factors limiting plant growth and increasing susceptibility to pathogens. Therefore, enhancing stress tolerance in plants is an important strategy for their survival under unfavorable environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA) or nitric oxide (NO) on chilling tolerance in pepper seedlings. Pepper (Capsicum annuum L. 'kidaemanbal') seedlings were grown under normal growing conditions ($20/25^{\circ}C$, 15 hours photoperiod, $145{\pm}5{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, fluorescence lamps) for 23 days after transplanting. The solution (3 mL) of 1 mM SA and 0.3 mM NO with surfactant triton 0.1% were sprayed two times a week, respectively. Right after the completion of chemical application, seedlings were subjected to chilling condition at $4^{\circ}C$ for 6 hours under dark condition and then the seedlings were recovered at the normal growing conditions for 2 days. In order to assess plant tolerance against chilling stress, growth characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), and membrane permeability were determined after chilling stress imposition. Total phenolic concentration and antioxidant capacity were measured during the whole experimental period. Disease incidence for pepper bacterial spot and wilt was also analyzed. Pepper seedlings treated with SA or NO were maintained similar dry mass ratio, while the value in control increased caused by chilling stress suggesting relatively more water loss in control plants. Electrolyte leakage of pepper seedlings treated with SA or NO was lower than that of control 2 days after chilling treatment. Fv/Fm rapidly decreased after chilling stress in control while the value of SA or NO was maintained about 0.8. SA increased higher total phenolic concentration and antioxidant capacity than NO and control during chemical treatment. In addition, increase in total phenolic concentration was observed after chilling stress in control and NO treatment. SA had an effect on the reduction of bacterial wilt in pepper seedlings. The results from this study revealed that pre-treatment with SA or NO using foliar spray was effective in chilling tolerance and the reduction of disease incidence in pepper seedlings.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2016

This study was conducted to elucidate the cultural and pathogenic characteristics of Cladosporium cucumerinum PT1 and resistance of 81 commercial cucumbers (Cucumis sativus). Cucumber leaves and fruits appeared as scab were collected from a plastic film house located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-province, Korea in late March, 2015. A casual fungus was isolated from the diseased fruits on potato dextrose agar and it was identified as C. cucumerinum PT1 based on the morphological characteristics. To find out the effect of wounding and fruit size on the development of cucumber scab, small (<10 cm long), medium (10 to 20 cm long), and large (>20 cm long, commercially mature fruit) size cucumber fruits were harvested, C. cucumerinum PT1 pathogens were inoculated with a single droplet of suspension ($1{\times}10^5$ spores/ml) on wounded or unwounded cucumber fruits. Small fruits were completely damaged with showing severe water-soaking symptoms and fast pathogen growth regardless of wounded or unwounded. Meanwhile slight water-soaking symptoms on medium and large size fruits occurred and disease development into plant tissues was observed only on wounded fruits. Disease resistance of 81 commercial cucumber cultivars was evaluated on third-stage seedlings and small fruits by inoculating suspension ($1{\times}10^5$ spores/ml) of C. cucumerinum PT1. As a result, mini and pickling cultivar groups were resistant, 'Cheoeumcheoreom' cultivar was symptomless and the other cultivars were resistant to medium resistant. On the other hand, most of cucumber cultivars belonging to the other groups were susceptible. Disease resistance of cucumber against cucumber scab was significantly different among cultivars and a few cucumber cultivars showed different disease resistant responses to two bioassay methods using seedlings and small fruits. Therefore, to screen scab resistance in cucumber, a test using both fruits and seedlings is advisable. We think that the selected resistant cultivars can be used to control cucumber scab effectively under the farmhouse condition.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.93-104
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• 2010

This study was conducted screening of the population densities of fungal pathogens and insect and observed the disease symptoms on the organic sweet corn seed producing field from 2008 to 2009. The dissemination spores, Alternaria sp., Cladosporium sp., Helminthosporium sp., Pyricularia sp., Collectotrichum sp., and Bipolaris sp., were detected and the three fungal spores from the front were observed for whole growth stage. Seed and seedling diseases were shown as the rotted seed and damping-off seedling caused by Penicillium sp. and Rhizoctonia sp.. The larva of Black cutworm cut down the root crown of seedlings. The damaged plants were ranged from 14% to 16%. On the Oriental corn borer, the population densities and the percentage of damaged plants were showed a low difference between two sweet corn varieties. The population densities of Oriental corn borer were scored as from 3.5 to 20.5 in 2008 and from 0.5 to 6 in 2009. Also the percentage of damaged plants were significantly increased until harvesting stage and was recorded from 7.5% to 21% in 2008 and from 1% to 46% in 2009. On the Corn leaf blight, the percentage of diseased plant were scored from 7% to 34% in 2008. The first occurrence of date was after June 18, and the percentage of diseased plant was continuously increased after August 21 and the values of diseased plants was ranged from 56% to 69% in 2009. On common smut, the percentage of diseased plant was recorded from 5% to 15% in 2008, and the first occurrence date were delayed as 17 days (July 17) and were showed less than 8% of diseased plants in 2009. Corn Southern Leaf spot was scored as average 11% at early stage and showed high score as 62% at September 19 in 2008. In 2009, the first occurrence date were advanced about 20 days (after June 8), and continuously increased up to 86% in 2009.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.337-346
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• 1992

Trichoderma spp. are an effective control agent for damping-off or other plant diseases. The interaction between. T. hamatum and Rhizoctonia solani on the rhizosphere or surface soil were examined to assess the possible roles of antibiosis or competition in the mechanisms of biological control agents as a basic research. In a proportional comparison, total bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and Trichoderma spp were 65%, 8.8%, 25.9% and 0.28% respectively in their distribution in the soil. Among Trichoderma spp isolated, the 5 species of Trichoderma spp were indentified as T. koninggii, T. pseudokoninggii, T. aureoviridi, T. hamatum and T. viride respectively. In a mycoparasitic test, one isolate of T. hamatum strain Tr-5 showed an enzymatic ability to break fungal hyphae into piecies and infected on the R. solani hyphae showing a parasitism. Spore germination of the all isolates of Trichoderma spp showed a 1.7-7.3% of germination in natural soil conditions, but the percentage was high in sterile soil indicating all the natural soil were fungistatic on conidia of Trichoderma spp. In rhizosphere competent assay in pea plant, the antagonistic T. hamatum, T. viride, T. koninggii, T. pseudokoninggii showed a colonizing upper soil depth in rhizosphere around 1-3 cm in root zone, but the colonizing ability was much reduced along the deeper the soil depth. Propagule density was decreased in deeper the soil layer. Disease development rate treated alone with plant pathogens, Fusarium solani, Rhizoctonia solani, Cylindrocarpon destructans increased, but disease incidence rate reduced in treatment with combinations with antagonistic T. hamatum strain Tr-5.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.58-66
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• 2015

This study was conducted to evaluate control efficacy of a fermented food 'Cheonggukjang' against cucumber powdery mildew caused by Sphaerotheca fuliginea in greenhouse. Sterilized Daepung beans were inoculated with the rice straw as natural inoculum and then incubated for 72 hrs at $42^{\circ}C$ in the household cheonggkjang maker. After 72 hrs of cheonggukjang fermentation, white zymogens were grown on the surface of a sterile Daepung beans. The pH of the 72 hrs fermented soybean was not significantly changed and electrical conductivity was found to increase by about 2 times than before fermentation. The population density of soybean zymogen showed a peak of growth at 60 hrs after fermentation and the concentration of zymogen was $8.2{\times}10^7cfu/ml$. Soybean zymogen form of the colony was divided into three kinds of bacteria and a white and a large colony (WL) was predominant bacteria among those up to 60 hrs of fermentation. To control the cucumber powdery mildew, diluted solutions of cheonggukjang was applied from 6.0% to 30.0% on cucumber leaves and they showed injury symptoms on cucumber leaves in more than 15% of them. However, more than 6.0% diluted cheonggukjang solutions showed more than 77.8% control effect of cucumber powdery mildew at 15 days after treatment. The fermented bacteria of Chenggukjang were well established in the cucumber leaf area at 15 days after treatment. The antifungal activity of 10% diluted cheonggukjang solutions was excellent for four species of plant fungal pathogens, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Sclerotinia cepivorum, Rhizoctonia sloani and Phytophthora capsici in the dual culture test. Results indicated that foliar application of Cheonggukjang solution could be used for the control of powdery mildews occurring on organically cultivated cucumber.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.345-362
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• 2023

Anthracnose, caused by the Colletotrichum genus, comprises a significant number of plant pathogens and poses a major threat to fruit production worldwide, including South Korea. Colletotrichum species were identified associated with anthracnose in fruits such as apple, persimmon, plum, peach, jujube, walnut, and grape. A polyphasic approach, including morphology, multigene phylogenetics, and pathogenicity testing, was used. Additionally, the in-vitro sensitivity of identified Colletotrichum species to common fungicides was also evaluated. A total of nine Colletotrichum species within two complexes, namely gloeosporioides and acutatum, have been identified as the causal agents of anthracnose in common fruits in South Korea. In the gloeosporioides complex, we found Colletotrichumaenigma, C. fructicola, C. gloeosporioides, C. horii, C. siamense, and C. viniferum. Meanwhile, in the acutatum complex, C. fioriniae, C. nymphaeae, and C. orientalis were identified. Notably, C. fructicola, C. siamense, C. fioriniae, and C. nymphaeae were reported for the first time from apple, C. siamense, C. fioriniae and C. nymphaeae from plum, C. siamense, C. fructicola, and C. fioriniae frompeach, C. siamense and C. horii from persimmon, C. fioriniae from Omija (Schisandra), C. orientalis from walnut, C. nymphaeae from jujube, and C. aenigma, C. fructicola, and C. siamense fromgrape. Fungicide sensitivity tests revealed significant variation in the EC₅₀ values among specific Colletotrichum species when exposed to different fungicides. Moreover, the same Colletotrichum species isolated from different host plants displayed varying sensitivity to the same fungicide.