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Bradysia procera, a ginseng stem fungus gnat, is one of the most serious insect pests of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng), causing significant damage to plant growth. The goal of this study was to determine the toxicity and mechanism of action of phenylpropanoids (trans-anethole and estragole) isolated from the methanol extract and hydrodistillate of Illicium verum fruit against third-instar larvae and eggs of Bradysia procera.The filter-paper mortality bioassay revealed that estragole [median lethal concentration (LCThis finding suggests that estragole may influence Bradysia procera neurotransmitter function via both the AChE and octopaminergic receptors. More research is needed to demonstrate the potential applications of I. verum fruit-derived products as potential larvicides and ovicides for Bradysia procera population control. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background Phenological studies are a prerequisite for accomplishing higher productivity and better crop quality in cultivated plants. However, there are no phenological studies on Panax ginseng that improve its production yield. This study aims to redefine the phenological growth stages of P. ginseng based on the existing Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale and proposes a disease control reference. Methods This study was conducted at the Korea Ginseng Corporation Experiment Station in Gyeonggi province, South Korea. Phenological observations were performed once weekly or twice monthly, based on the developmental stages. The existing BBCH scale with a three-digit code was used to redefine and update P. ginseng’s phenological growth codes. Results The phenological description is divided into eight principal growth stages: three for vegetative growth (perennating bud, aerial shoot, and root development), four for reproductive growth (reproductive organ development, flowering, fruit development, and fruit maturation), and one for senescence according to the extended BBCH scale. A total of 58 secondary growth stages were described within the eight principal growth stages. Under each secondary growth stage, four mesostages are also taken into account, which contains the distinct patterns of the phenological characteristics in ginseng varieties and the process of transplanting seedlings. A practical management program for disease control was also proposed by using the BBCH code and the phenological data proposed in this work. Conclusion The study introduces an extended BBCH scale for the phenological research of P. ginseng.

Background Phenological studies are a prerequisite for accomplishing higher productivity and better crop quality in cultivated plants. However, there are no phenological studies on Panax ginseng that improve its production yield. This study aims to redefine the phenological growth stages of P. ginseng based on the existing Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale and proposes a disease control reference. Methods This study was conducted at the Korea Ginseng Corporation Experiment Station in Gyeonggi province, South Korea. Phenological observations were performed once weekly or twice monthly, based on the developmental stages. The existing BBCH scale with a three-digit code was used to redefine and update P. ginseng’s phenological growth codes. Results The phenological description is divided into eight principal growth stages: three for vegetative growth (perennating bud, aerial shoot, and root development), four for reproductive growth (reproductive organ development, flowering, fruit development, and fruit maturation), and one for senescence according to the extended BBCH scale. A total of 58 secondary growth stages were described within the eight principal growth stages. Under each secondary growth stage, four mesostages are also taken into account, which contains the distinct patterns of the phenological characteristics in ginseng varieties and the process of transplanting seedlings. A practical management program for disease control was also proposed by using the BBCH code and the phenological data proposed in this work. Conclusion The study introduces an extended BBCH scale for the phenological research of P. ginseng., Graphical abstract Image 1

Damping-off is a critical disease on ginseng seedling, which caused by the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani. The disease has been prevented by tolclofos-methyl for the last 20 years. However, the tolclofos-methyl usually detected on the harvested roots of 6-year-old ginseng. Herein, we tried to select an alternative pesticide which not only must be safe but also efficiently inhibits the fungal pathogen. Four fungicides (fludioxonil, flutolanil, pencycuron, and thifluzamide) were applied to their inhibition efficacy against the pathogen. In in vitro test, fludioxonil treatment showed 80% inhibition activity for 25 days. Thifluzamide and flutolanil showed the activity for 10 days. Pencycuron showed for 1 days. In addition, the fludioxonil was more effective to control the pathogen comparing to other three fungicides in field. The incidence of damping-off was reduced to 71% by fludioxonil treatment. The level of the fungicide residue in seedling was 0.44 mg/kg, which value will be a negligible level in final products after 5 years. Consequently, the fludioxonil is a conceivable alternative for tolclofos-methyl to cope with R. solani.

The characterstics of absorption and accumulation of inorganic germanium in Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer were examined. In 4-year-old P. ginseng, the germanium content of the field soil increased with increased amounts and frequencies of inorganic germanium application, while chemical components of the soil, such as available phosphate and exchangeable calcium, potassium, and magnesium, decreased with the increased inorganic germanium application. In the 4-year-old P. ginseng, the germanium content was highest in the rhizome and increased in the order of stem, leaf, lateral root, and main root, suggesting that inorganic germanium was absorbed from the root and translocated to the stem and leaf via the rhizome. As for changes in ginsenosides in 4-year-old P. ginseng rhizomes, the contents of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Re, and Rf decreased as the germanium content in soil increased. Ginsenosides Rb₁, Rb₂, Rc, Re, and Rf in the main root also decreased with increasing germanium content in the main root. The results suggest that inorganic germanium treatment may increase organic germanium in harvested P. ginseng, thus enhancing the medicinal effi cacy of ginseng products.

This study was conducted to compare the aerial parts growth, yield of fresh ginseng roots, quality of red ginseng roots, and photosynthesis (Fv/Fm, PSⅡ) in leaves between non-irrigation plot and furrow irrigation plot during the ginseng growing seasons. The aerial part growth in furrow irrigation plot was higher than non-irrigation plot in all including the emergency rate leafing rate and relatively growth rate. Root yield per lOa in irrigation plot was increased about 50% as compared with that of non-irrigation, also heaven and earth grade of red ginseng roots yield in inigation plot was higher (40.3%) compared with that (30.6%) of non-irrigation plot in 6-years-old ginseng plant. Furrow irrigation markedly improved the ginseng quality and yield in comparison to non irrigation condition. Therefore it needs to control the soil moisture during the growing season for high yield and good qualities of ginseng roots.

Soil erosion is one of the most serious problems in alpine upland in Korea. Soil fertility has continuously decreased due to serious soil erosion. To increase soil fertility, new sources of organic matter should be inputted. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to select winter cover crop as new sources of organic matter and to investigate the effect of winter cover crop on soil property changes, major crop productivity (Chinese cabbage, potato) production in highland, and disease occurrence with different cropping systems. Among 17 candidates for winter coverage crop, rye was most suitable due to it's soil covering rate, and over-wintering rate. The optimum sowing period for rye ranged from late August to late September. Soil porosity and organic matter content increased with rye cultivation. Rye cultivation during winter increased amounts of crop (both Chinese cabbage and potato) productivity up to 8%. There was little difference on amount of crop productivity depending on cropping systems such as monoculture (Chinese cabbage or potato) and Chinese cabbage-potato rotation.

Continuous monocropping of Chinese cabbage in Gangwon highland increased gravel and sand contents due to surface soil erosion. Nutrient leaching and Chinese cabbage growth were investigated with different treatments of gravel contents and nitrogen application levels by using Wagner pots. Gravel contents were 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90%(w/w), nitrogen application levels were 60, 120, and 240 kg/ha, and manure compost application rate was 15 ton per hectare, respectively. Wagner pots were filled with loamy sand soil mixed with 5 cm-sized gravels. Fresh weight of Chinese cabbage was decreased as gravel contents in soil increased, and particularly severely decreased at 240 kg-N/ha. Yields of Chinese cabbage were remarkably decreased at the rate of 60 kg-N/ha with 30% gravel content and 120 kg-N/ha with 50% gravel content. Most of Chinese cabbages were severely wilted by heavy N application at the rate of 240 kg-N/ha in the middle of growth stages regardless of gravel contents, while about 50% of Chinese cabbage showed wilting symptom in the treatment of more than 50% of gravel contents and 120 kg-N/ha. N content in leachate increased as gravel content and N application increased. The relationship between gravel content and N contents showed linear regression: N in leachate = 0.014(gravel content) -0.039 (r = 0.961). Particularly, contents in leachates with more than 30% gravel content and 240 kg-N/ha ranged from . Chinese cabbage growth in loamy sand soil containing 30%, and 50% gravel contents could be adversely affected by N application at the rate of 240, and 120 kg-N/ha, respectively.

To develop proper soil management practices for reducing soil erosion, experiments were carried out by using lysimeters in Pyeongchang highland, Korea. Lysimeters installed at Hoenggye bad 13% slope, 15 m slope length and 3 m width. Lysimeters with 23% slope, 15 m slope length and 3 m width were also installed at Yongsan. Soil textures in Hoenggye and Yongsan lysimeter plots were silty clay loam and sandy loam, respectively. In the lysimeters potato was cultivated, and slant furrow culture and contour culture were applied. Up-down furrow and continuous fallow lysimeter was included in the experiments as a control plot. For the slant furrow and contour culture methods, minimum furrow mulching and gravel barrier were placed at each end of the furrows in the lysimeters from April to October in 2000 and 2001 to prevent soil and nutrient losses. In Heonggye, in two years experiments, average soil loss of 17 Mg/ha was found in the up-down and continuous fallow lysimeter and 2.6 Mg/ha from furrow minimum straw and slant furrow treatment, and 1.8 Mg/ha from slant furrow and gravel bag treatment. In the contour culture, the soil losses were further reduced. In Yongsan, soil loss in the slant furrow culture without any protection treatment was 167 Mg/ha, and the soil loss was reduce to 61 and 86 Mg/ha with minimum straw and gravel bag treatments, respectively. The soil loss could be reduced more than 45% by furrow minimum straw and gravel barrier. The furrow minimum straw or gravel bag barrier successfully reduced soil loss in clay loam soil in Heonggye, but still the treatments were not enough to reduce soil loss in saprolite piled sandy loam soil in Yongsan.