We investigated the effects on various crops of inoculation with species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in soils from different sources and selected AMF species suitable for domestic environment-friendly farming. Effects on plants varied with the AMF species used. In carrot, Scutellospora heterogama, Acaulospora longula, and Funneliformis mosseae had a positive effect on growth of the host, whereas AMF had only weak effects on the growth of red pepper and leek. AMF inoculation had positive effects on the growth of carrot and sorghum. The results of this study indicate the nature of the relationship between soil, plants, and AMF; this study therefore has important implications for the future use of AMF in environment-friendly agriculture.
Agriculture ; Capsicum ; Daucus carota ; Fungi* ; Onions ; Organic Agriculture ; Plants* ; Soil* ; Sorghum

Recently, according to increase in production of pond snails resulting from the widespread organic farming, organic farmers are showing a lot of interests in the promotion of consumption and extending the market of pond snails. This study was performed to suggest the process of product development of the ready-to-eat pond-snail Mandu as a health food, to show the results of market test of the pilot product, and to investigate the change of the sensory characteristics during storage periods. For the market test of pond-snail Mandu, the survey was developed and delivered to consumers. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts such as respondents demographic characteristics, customer's perception of pond-snail Mandu before tasting, and customer's perception of that after tasting. And the market test was carried out with university students, welfare institution residents and apartment residents in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas. As a result of the test, the most important purchasing factors were determined in the order of taste (49.5%), hygienic quality (12.5%), nutritional value (10%) and price (9%). And only 4.2% of respondents selected brand name as an important purchasing factor. After tasting pondsnail Mandu, consumers had suggested the better taste (t = 6.986, p < 0.000) and price (t = 2.082, p < 0.05) than those of before tasting. In response to favorable impression of pond-snail Mandu, 54.5% of total respondents evaluated positively. The favorable impressions came from iron-rich Mandu (27.6%), high protein and nutritious Mandu (24.4%), calcium-rich Mandu (17.9%), diet Mandu (13.3%), and delicious Mandu (12.5%) respectively. Sensory characteristics of pond-snail Mandu were evaluated by professional panels in terms of the softness of Mandu skin, chewiness, moistness, toothpacking, color, aroma, saltiness, and degree of plain, taste, and aftertaste. The evaluation of sensory characteristics on a 7-point scale, showed that softness of mandu skin (4.44) and aftertaste (4.11) got a low scores. The statistical difference of the tastes (p > 0.05) was not founded by storage period of 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Based on the result, the improvement of these characteristics are desired in developing the pond-snail Mandu. Research method applied to this study can be useful for developing a new product.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diet ; Gyeonggi-do ; Food, Organic* ; Humans ; Nutritive Value ; Organic Agriculture ; Ponds ; Seoul ; Skin ; Snails

Red pepper (Capsicum annum L.) roots and soils representing different agricultural management practices such as conventional (CON), no-chemical (NOC), and organic farming systems (ORG) were collected from 32 farm field sites in Kyunggi, Korea to investigate the effects of these agricultural practices on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis. ORG inoculum significantly increased plant growth compared to inoculum from CON and NOC. A community analysis of AM fungi (AMF) using morphological features of spores revealed that AMF spore abundance and species diversity were significantly higher in ORG than in CON. Additionally, a community analysis of AMF colonizing roots using a molecular technique revealed higher AMF diversity in ORG than in CON. These results suggest that agricultural practices significantly influence AM fungal community structure and mycorrhizal inoculum potential.
Capsicum ; Colon ; Fungi ; Korea ; Organic Agriculture ; Plants ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Soil ; Spores ; Symbiosis

In this study, eight soil samples were collected from organic and conventional farms in a central area of South Korea. Spore communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by AMF, were analyzed. Spores of Glomus clarum, G. etunicatum, G. mosseae, G. sp., Acaulospora longula, A. spinosa, Gigaspora margarita, and Paraglomus occultum were identified at the study sites, based on morphological and molecular characteristics. While Acaulospora longula was the most dominant species in soils at organic farms, Paraglomus occultum was the most dominant species in soils at conventional farms. Species diversity and species number in AMF communities found in soils from organic farms were significantly higher than in soils from conventional farms. Glomalin was also extracted from soil samples collected at organic and conventional farms and was analyzed using both Bradford and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The glomalin content in soils from organic farms was significantly higher than in soils from conventional farms. These results indicate that agricultural practices significantly affect AMF abundance and community structure.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fungi ; Glycoproteins ; Organic Agriculture ; Republic of Korea ; Soil ; Spores

ELISA has been used for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, but it is being gradually replaced by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). We compared and analyzed ELISA and RDT results using the sera collected during 4 consecutive years from residents of Gyodong-do (Island), Incheon-city, Korea. Sera from 921, 993, 940, and 838 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis (2010–2013). ELISA was performed by using a crude extract of T. gondii RH strain antigen and IgG/IgM RDT mounted with recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), GST-linker-SAG1A, were applied to the sera. Comparison between groups was analyzed by the Student’s t-test. The positive seroprevalence surged from 14.7% (135/921, 2010), 23.1% (231/993, 2011), 23.6% (222/940, 2012), and 32.1% (269/838, 2013) by ELISA. In contrast, RDT showed a more moderate increasing trend from 21.7% (200/921, 2010), 25.5% (253/993, 2011), 28.9% (272/940, 2012) and 33.1% (277/838, 2013). Discrepancies between ELISA and RDT were noted near the cut-off value. At the OD 0.15–0.24 range, RDT could detect 16.1% (169/1051) more positives, which suggests an early or acute toxoplasmosis, but at the OD 0.25–0.34 range, ELISA could detect 35.9% (92/256) more positives of possible chronic infections. Over the OD > 0.35 ELISA and RDT agreed in the majority of the cases. This surge in seroprevalence may be caused by the organic agriculture in addition to eating behavior or increase in pets among Koreans. These facts may be applied on a full-scale national survey using RDT to supplement ELISA to define the characteristics of the infection.
Adult ; Antigens, Surface ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Feeding Behavior ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Korea* ; Organic Agriculture ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Toxoplasma ; Toxoplasmosis*

The purpose of the article is to apply a binary logistic model to analyze the major factors, which influence Chinese medicinal herb growers' willingness to use green pesticides by using survey data collected in Wenshan, Yunnan Province. The results indicate that, output per capita, average pesticide cost per mu, cognition of pesticide residues, expectations on Panax notoginseng prices, cognition of pesticides' effect of pests control, cognition of P. notoginseng prices of low pesticide residues have a significant influence on growers' willingness to use green pesticides. According to the analysis above, some proposals for enhancing Chinese medicinal herb growers' willingness to use green pesticides are put forward, such as, moving toward the intensive planting systems, fetching down the pieces of green pesticides, emphasizing and propagating the advantages of green pesticides, keeping the prices of Chinese medicinal herb running at steady rates.
Adult ; Attitude ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Organic Agriculture ; economics ; manpower ; Panax notoginseng ; growth & development ; Pesticides ; analysis ; economics ; Plant Diseases ; prevention & control ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Young Adult

Changes in udder health and antibiotic resistance of mastitis pathogens isolated from dairies upon conversion from conventional to organic management over a 3-year period was studied. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were the most prevalent mastitis pathogens isolated. CNS were significantly less resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics when isolated from milk after the herd transitioned to organic management. Cessation of the use of antimicrobial therapies in dairies in combination with organic management could lead to a reduction in the antimicrobial resistance of mastitis pathogens.
Ampicillin/pharmacology ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; Cattle ; Cephalothin/pharmacology ; Cloxacillin/pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Female ; Lactation ; Mastitis, Bovine/*microbiology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Organic Agriculture ; Penicillins/pharmacology ; Prevalence ; Staphylococcal Infections/microbiology/*veterinary ; Staphylococcus/*drug effects/*isolation & purification