Ji Hye Yoo

A footprint of past climate change on the diversity and population structure of Miscanthus sinensis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Miscanthus is a perennial C4 grass that is a leading potential feedstock crop for the emerging bioenergy industry in North America, Europe and China. However, only a single, sterile genotype of M. × giganteus (M×g), a nothospecies derived from diploid M. sinensis (Msi) and tetraploid M. sacchariflorus (Msa), is currently available to farmers for biomass production. To facilitate breeding of Miscanthus, this study characterized genetic diversity and population structure of Msi in its native range of East Asia. METHODS A total of 767 accessions were studied, including 617 Msi from most of its native range in China, Japan and South Korea, and 77 ornamental cultivars and 43 naturalized individuals from the USA. Accessions were evaluated with 21 207 restriction site-associated DNA sequencing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, 424 GoldenGate SNPs and ten plastid microsatellite markers. KEY RESULTS Six genetic clusters of Msi from geographically distinct regions in Asia were identified. Genetic data indicated that (1) south-eastern China was the origin of Msi populations found in temperate eastern Asia, which is consistent with this area probably having been a refugium during the last glacial maximum (LGM); (2) Msi migrated directly from south-eastern China to Japan before migrating to the same latitudes in China and Korea, which is consistent with the known sequence of warming post-LGM; (3) ornamental Msi cultivars were derived from the southern Japan population, and US naturalized populations were derived from a sub-set of the ornamental cultivars; and (4) many ornamental cultivars previously described as Msi have hybrid ancestry from Msa and Msi, whereas US naturalized populations of Msi do not. CONCLUSIONS Population structure of Msi was driven by patterns of warming since the LGM, and secondarily by geographical barriers. This study will facilitate germplasm conservation, association analyses and identification of potential heterotic groups for the improvement of Miscanthus as a bioenergy crop.

Genetic structure of Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus sacchariflorus in Japan indicates a gradient of bidirectional but asymmetric introgression

Summary Using high-density genetic markers, gene flow is identified from diploid Miscanthus sinensis to tetraploid M. sacchariflorus in Japan, in contrast to genetic isolation between these species in China.

The Effect of Temperature and Seed Soaking on Germination in Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) Hemsl.

This study is part of research to develop the technology for managing major medicinal crops after harvest. We studied the optimal germination conditions of Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) Hemsl. The mean germination time (MGT) of C. wilfordii seeds was higher after soaking for 4 days after storage at 5℃ for 8 weeks, than with germination at 25 ℃ (3 days). However, the germinative energy (GE) decreased as the number of days soaking increased. The greatest germi- nation rate (83.3 ± 8.8%) was at 25℃ with no soaking of seeds stored at �20℃ for 8 weeks. Based on these results, we char- acterized the germination conditions of a major medicinal crop.

Antisense-overexpression of the MsCOMT gene induces changes in lignin and total phenol contents in transgenic tobacco plants.

Initially, we isolated the caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene from Miscanthus sinensis (accession number HM062766.1). Next, we produced transgenic tobacco plants with down-regulated COMT gene expression to study its control of total phenol and lignin content and to perform morphological analysis. These transgenic plants were found to have reduced PAL and ascorbate peroxidases expression, which are related to the phenylpropanoid pathway and antioxidant activity. The MsCOMT-down-regulated plants had decreased total lignin in the leaves and stem compared with control plants. Reduced flavonol concentrations were confirmed in MsCOMT-down-regulated transgenic plants. We also observed a morphological difference, with reduced plant cell number in transgenic plants harboring antisense MsCOMT. The transgenic tobacco plants with down-regulated COMT gene expression demonstrate that COMT plays a crucial role related to controlling lignin and phenol content in plants. Also, COMT activity may be related to flavonoid production in the plant lignin pathway.

Comparison of the Characteristics of Seed Germination and the First Stage of Growth in Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) by Different Light Conditions

This study was carried out to compare the characteristics of seed germination and the first stage of growth in Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) by different light conditions such ass fluorescent light, dark and light emitting diode (LED). There was not much difference from the germination rate of C. wilfordii (Maxim.) in different light conditions for 10 days. The highest of germination rate occurred over 91.11 percentage by LED red condition at 26℃. Also mean germination veloc- ity and promptness index were represented the highest results of 2.3 ea/day and 52.67 under red light, respectively. But mean germination time under both LED red and blue light was represented low data that it takes over three days for germi- nating of seed. Even though handling both LED red and blue lights, the germination uniformity was not constant. These results may help our understanding of variations in germination characteristics for C. wilfordii (Maxim.) seeds treated under different light conditions.

The Germination Characteristics of Seed by Storage and Germination Temperature in Astragalus membranaceus

*Department of Applied Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.**Bioherb Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.***Department of Herbal Crop Research, NIHHS, RDA, Eumseong 369-873, Korea.****Department of Herbal Medicine Resource, Kangwon National University, Samcheok 245-907, Korea.ABSTRACT : This study was investigated to evaluate germination rate of Astragalus membranaceus B. in Korea as affectedby storage temperature, germination temperature and storage period of seed. The highest germination rate was obtainedfrom condition of 25℃ in germination temperature. Seeds were stored at −20℃ and 5℃ for 8 weeks has showed higher ger-mination rate than one at room temperatures. The germination rates showed significantly difference by harvested year of2010, 2011 and 2012. The seed of A. membranaceus in harvested year of 2011 and 2012 had germinated well. On the otherhand, seeds in harvested year of 2010 were not nearly germinated. Consequently, the longer storage period after seed har-vest lower germination rate and seed vigor as well.Key Words : Astragalus membranaceus, Germination Rate, Germinative Energy, Storage Temperature, Germination Temperature

The Germination Characteristics of Rheum undulatum L. Seeds in Treatment Conditions

This study was investigated seed germination of Rheum undulatum L. depends on storage temperature (-20, 5 ℃ and room temperature), germination temperature (5, 15, 25 and 40℃) and a soaking treatment (no soaking, 2 days and 4 days). There was not much difference from the germination rate of R. undulatum L. in storage temperature conditions for 8 weeks. The highest of germination rate occurred over 80 percentage at 25℃. When R. undulatum L. was soaked with tap water for four days, the average values of germination velocity and germination day were represented of 1.7 ea/day and 1.68 days. These results may help our understanding of variations in germination characteristics for R. undulatum L. seeds treated under various germination conditions.

Establishing Optimal Germination for Stored Rheum palmatum L. Seeds

*Department of Applied Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.**Department of herbal medicine resource, Kangwon National University, Samcheok 245-907, Korea.***Ganagwon Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Crop & Agriculture Management Research Section, Chuncheon 200-150, Korea.****Department of Herbal Crop Research, NIHHS, RDA, Eumseong 369-873, Korea.ABSTRACT : This study evaluated the germination rate of Rheum palmatum L. in Korea as affected by storage temper-ature, germination temperature, and a soaking treatment. The germination rate of R. palmatum L. stored at various con-ditions for 8 weeks was > 60%. The highest germination rate occurred at 25

Contrasting allelic distribution of CO/Hd1 homologues in Miscanthus sinensis from the East Asian mainland and the Japanese archipelago

Highlight Homologues of CONSTANS/Heading date 1 were cloned from Miscanthus sinensis and named MsiHd1. MsiHd1a in most Japanese accessions contained non-functional alleles, whereas Asian mainland accessions harboured only functional alleles.

Expressed Sequence Tags Analysis and Design of Simple Sequence Repeats Markers from a Full-Length cDNA Library in Perilla frutescens (L.)

Perilla frutescens is valuable as a medicinal plant as well as a natural medicine and functional food. However, comparative genomics analyses of P. frutescens are limited due to a lack of gene annotations and characterization. A full-length cDNA library from P. frutescens leaves was constructed to identify functional gene clusters and probable EST-SSR markers via analysis of 1,056 expressed sequence tags. Unigene assembly was performed using basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) homology searches and annotated Gene Ontology (GO). A total of 18 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were designed as primer pairs. This study is the first to report comparative genomics and EST-SSR markers from P. frutescens will help gene discovery and provide an important source for functional genomics and molecular genetic research in this interesting medicinal plant.