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BACKGROUND: Plastic mulches widely used in raised-bed culture mainly to conserve water, control weeds and raise soil temperature. The most widely used plastic mulch colour is black. Reflective red and far-red light can affect on growth and yield of various vegetable crops. Objectives of this study were to investigate the characteristics of reflective light of black and red plastic mulches, and to evaluate the reflective red and far-red light on the quality characteristics and yield of the Oriental melon (Cucumis. Melo L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). METHODS AND RESULTS: Oriental melon and tomato were cultivated over the reflective red and black plastic mulches in plastic house. Reflected red and far-red light over the red plastic mulch were 2.6 times higher than those of black plastic mulch. Red to F-Red ratio of black plastic mulch, red plastic mulch and sunlight were 1.14, 0.93 and 1.16 respectively. Intensity of reflected red and far-red light over red plastic mulch were highest at surface height of 30 cm. The higher the height of the surface decrease the intensity of far-red light. Accordingly, Red to F-Red ratio were increased. Reflective red plastic mulch increased the weight of fruit and content of sugar in Oriental melon and tomato. CONCLUSION(s): Yield of Oriental melon over reflective red plastic mulch was higher than that of black plastic mulch. These results suggested that reflected red and far-red light over the red plastic mulch affected allocation of photosynthate in growing Oriental melon.

Effects of Light Quality and Lighting Type Using an LED Chamber System on Chrysanthemum Growth and Development Cultured In Vitro Jeong Wook Heo, Yong Beom Lee, Yu Seob Chang, Jeong Taek Lee and Deog Bae Lee(Climate Change & Agroeconomy Division, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Suwon 441-100, Korea, Research Policy Bureau, On-Farm Research Division, Rural Development Administration, Suwon 441-100, Korea, Farming Automation Division, Department of Agricultural Engineering, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Suwon 441-100, Korea)

The aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in the distribution of soil invertebrates among different vegetation types (forest, reservoir, and crop land types) in rural area. A total of 18 orders and 137 species were collected by pitfall traps. Species numbers were the lowest (33 species) at the Chamaecyparis obtusa plantation (St. 6). On the forest sites, the individual number of Hymenoptera was the most abundant, and Acari and Coleoptera was the relatively more abundant than the other sites. On the reservoir sites (Salix chaenomeloides community), the individual number of Collembola was the most abundant, and Diptera was the relatively more abundant than the other sites. On the crop land sites, the individual numbers of Collembola, Hymenoptera, and Araneae were the relatively more abundant than the other orders. The density of Araneae was higher in the reservoir and crop land sites than in the forest sites. From a point of view of biodiversity, although the diversity index(H') was the highest in the mixed broad-leaved forest type (St. 2) with Quercus serrata and Q. acutissima, and the lowest in the upland levee of crop land(St. 11), there was no significant difference among the habitat or vegetation types. According to the community analysis, the soil invertebrates could be divided into 4 groups, the mixed broad-leaved forest type (A group), the plantation or pure forest type (B group), the reservoir type (C group), and the crop land type (D group).

The main purpose of this work is the development of water quality level model using the data such as DO, EC, BOD, , T-N, T-P, and SS in 88 agricultural streams of the Han river watersheds. To grant water quality level for each parameters, it divided into 20% respectively in the order of water quality level. On the basis of the lowest water quality level, water quality of streams was assigned. As the result, number of stream corresponding to Level Ⅰ was 0, Level II was 1 stream, Level III was 3 streams, Level IV was 22 streams, and Level V was 62 streams. By standardized canonical discriminant function coefficient, was the highest in 0.427 at the discriminant power. According to discriminant function for water quality level, it was equal to from Level II to Level V, respectively. As a result of test at real data of the Han river watersheds in 2007, the suitability of water quality level model was high to 88.4%.

The relationships between pine mushroom emergence and meteorological factors were analyzed with three years (from 2003 to 2005) of measurement data at Yangyang site, in order to evaluate the effect of micrometeorological environment on pine mushroom production. fine mushroom was daily monitored and collected in the survey area during the its producing period (approximately one month). Pine mushroom production was highest in 2005 with the meteorological conditions of high temperature and frequent rainfalls in October. The production was lowest in 2004 due to dry conditions from mid September to late October, The meterological factors related to humidity (i.e., relative humidity, soil water content, and precipitation) were better correlated than those related to temperature (i.e., air and soil temperature, soil heat flux and solar radiation) with pine mushroom production. However, all of the correlation coefficients were statistically insignificant with values ranging from 0.15 to 0.46. Such poor correlations may be attributed to various other environmental conditions (e.g., topography, soil, vegetation, other fungi, the relationship between pine mushroom and pine forest) affecting pine mushroom production. We found that a mycelium requires a stimulation of low temperature (of three-day moving average) below , in order to farm a mushroom primordium which grows to pine mushroom after 16 days from the stimulation. We also found that the pine mushroom production ended when the soil temperature (of three-day moving average) fell below .

The woody tissue respiration rates in stems () of red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.) forest in Higashi-Hiroshima, west Japan, were measured using an open flow measurement system with several chambers in two seasons (the winter and summer in 2002). ranged from 0.25 to in winter, and from 1.25 to in summer. The variability of among the sampled trees (n

This study was focused on the investigation of the phytoplankton flora and community structure for changing of water environment at the rivers in the lower part of Nakdong river, The samples for this study were collected every month from Jan. 2004 To Dec. 2004. the 196 species belonged to 94 genera were identified during this study periods. The number of species was recorded the maximum 124 taxa in summer and the minimum 69 taxa in winter, We observed the maximum taxa (92 taxa) at the site No. 20 and the minimum taxa (55 taxa) at the site No. 8, respectively. Among the phytoplankton communities, diatoms were dominated over 40% of total phytoplankton groups. Subdominant groups were green algae (over 20% of total phytplankton groups). During this study periods, the 60 species were investigated ecologically significant species (46 cosmopolitic species, 25 pollution indicator, 21 redtide causative species, 8 dominant species, and 7 frequently occurred species). According to the cluster analysis by similarity index, the study sites could be divided into 4 groups.

Stem/branch maintenance respiration for a stand of Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) during the dormant season was examined using an open flow system. The stem/branch respiration rates per unit of volume were closely related to the thickness of the stems and branches, e.g. it decreased with increasing diameter (p

The issue of acid precipitation and related environmental problems in East Asia has been emerging. To evaluate the acidity and chemical characteristics of rainwater in Korea, its chemical properties during cultivation season from April to October in 2005 were investigated at Taean. Also, to estimate the contribution of ions on acidity, ion composition characteristics and neutralization effects by cations were determined. The electrical conductivity balance between measured and estimated values showed a high correlation. Rainwater was highly distributed in the range of pH . The acidity of rainwater was relatively low during the month of June compared with other monitored periods. was the main cation, followed by $H^+>Ca^{2+}>NH_4^+>K^+>Mg^{2+}$. Among these ions, and comprised over 94% of the total cations. Rainwater anion composition was more than 80% with and . In rainwater samples, and contributed greatly to neutralizing the rain acidity. The sulfate content decreased until September, and sea salt derivatives were higher in May and October than during other monitored periods. Also, 78% of the soluble sulfate in rainwater was nss- (non-sea salt sulfate).

This study aims to investigate the flora and the vegetation of Dokdo (Dongdo). The vegetation types were investigated by the Z-M school method. A total of 44 vascular plant taxa belonging to 24 families, 41 genera, 36 species, and 11 varieties are recognized in Dongdo, Dokdo. In this study, we confirmed four species, Chenopodium serotinum, Chelidonium majus var. asiaticum, Bromus japonicus, Elymus sibiricus, that had not been previously reported. The biological type of Dokdo was determined to be type. Two main vegetation groups which were established in a rocky area with little soil development and in a developed soil layer, along the development of soil layer have been distinguished and classified into five communities. The former was composed of 1 community; Aster spathulifolius-Sedum oryzifolium community. The latter was composed of 4 communities; Agropyron tsukusiense var. transiens community, Festuca rubra-Artemisia japonica ssp. littoricola community, Miscanthus sinensis community, and Artemisia princeps community.

This experiment was conducted to investigate heavy metal transition and bioavailability from soil to the edible pare of water dropwort near industrial complex. The soils were collected from the paddies cultivating water dropwort stream sediments, and background soils near industrial complex. The pH values, organic matter, Av. , Ex. Ca content of paddy soils were higher than those measured for nor-contaminated paddy fields in 2003. The contents of Cd and Cu was higher than those of standard level for soil contamination by Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. The pollution index in stream sediments were higher than those of paddies cultivating water dropwort. The geoaccumulation index of heavy metals in paddy soils and stream sediment were in the order Cu>Cd>Ni>Zn>Pb. The rates of 0.1N-HCl extractable heavy metals to total contents in soils were in the order Cd>Cu>Zn>Ni>Pb. In case of Cd and Ni in paddy soils near industrial complex, 0.1N-HCl extractable heavy metals and total content were highly correlated with each other. Heavy metal contents in mot parts were higher than those in top pare of water dropwort. The Zn and Cu transfer factor from soil to the top pare of water dropwort were higher than those of other heavy metals. The bioavailability of water dropwort varied considerably between the different parts and heavy metals. Cd, Cu and Ni contents in water dropwort were correlated with each elements in paddy soils.

This study was conducted to find a system for screening organic resources with 16 species, 62 samples which were selected to randomizing point from city, province and industrial areas in the whole country. Content of organic matters were in all samples so that they were largely over than 60%, raw material regulation of compost. Concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were , they could look for effect of the nitrogen and phosphorus supply as a raw material of compost. In case of 8 elements concentrations of heavy metal, they were too high to use as raw materials of compost which were over to regulation limit in Cu, Cr, Ni, and As from fiber industry, Ni from food company and leather industry, and the others are adapt to limit levels. HEM contents fro the highest to from liber industry and PAHs content were the highest to from paper-mill manufacture. Distribution of PAHs concentiations were naphthalene>phenanthrene>pyrene>fluoroanthene>acenaphthene. values for bioassay were pharmaceutical company>paper-mill manufacture>industrial area sewage sludge>fiber industry>urban sewage sludge>metropolitan sewage sludge. HEM between Zn, Cu, and Ni was significant at the 99% and between Cd was significant at the 95%, Microtox between Hg and BEM significant at the 95%.

This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of non-point pollutants discharge in a small agricultural watershed during farming season. for this purpose, the Neoungchon watershed in Goesangun was selected as a typical agricultural area. Runoff and water quality data in the stream, the domestic sewage and the precipitation of the watershed were analyzed periodically from June 1 to November 6 in 2004 and pollutant loads were estimated. As a result the mean concentrations of BOD, SS, TN and TP in the stream were 3.0, 76.7, 8.7, 0.16 mg/L in rainy season and 2.4, 10.0, 3.5, 0.11 mg/L in dry season respectively. Daily discharge of non-point pollutant occurred above of 95% in rainy period. Measured pollutant loads in the watershed were of T-N and of T-P, within the range of other research results. Effluent loads based on guideline of total pollutant to stream management of MOE (Ministry of Environment) were less than delivery loads since the guideline could not reflect the agricultural practices, geomorphic and meteorological characteristics in an agricultural watershed.

In order to examine effects of sampling frequency during rainfall-runoff process from paddy field on the estimation of pollution load, EMCs of several water sampling frequencies were examined. Water quality samples were conducted by every two hours interval for each event. It was found that difference of load estimation between five times sampling and two hours consecutive sampling during rainfall-runoff showed for T-N, for T-P, for the SS, respectively. In the same way, the effects of number of sampling data on estimation of pollution load using runoff-mass load(L-Q) method were investigated. L-Q equation made of five times sampling data provided 10% differences in estimation of mass loads of T-N, T-P, and SS when compared to those by L-Q equation using entire two hours consecutive sampling data during runoff process.

One of the obstructing factors against managing dairy fm has been heavy labor requirement for feeding dairy cows. A Power-tiller TMF mixer was developed to reduce the cost and to provide economic benefit. The TMF mixer was desisted by the feeding capacity of 20∼30 heads at a batch with various functioning systems of auger type mixer, delivery conveyer, weighing console, pipe heater type heating system, power transmission train and mounting trailer. According to the study resulted, it showed that 1,200rpm, 1,600rpm, 2,000rpm and 2,300rpm were 6ps. Bps, lops and 12ps respectively. and that reduced shaft output by 15%. On the fodder mixer attached powertiller, initial output was necessary large torque. And the heating system was maintaining uniform temperature 60 relatively.

To estimate leaf area index (LAI) and total dry matter (TDM) of rice canopy by a non-destructive method, the spectral reflectance from the canopy was measured weekly by the spectroradiometer during the growing season. The reflectivity of visible band remained less than 0.1 throughout the growing season, but that of near infrared band varied from 0.1 to 0.5, showing the positive correlation with LAI. Vegetation index by narrow band (10 nm), R910/R460 showed strong correlation with LAI and TDM.