Ki-Duck Kim
Korea University · Agricultural and Biological Sciences
About the Lab
Professor Ki-Duck Kim's research lab specializes in biological control of postharvest fungal pathogens in agricultural crops, with a primary focus on cereal grains such as rice. The lab investigates plant growth-promoting and antagonistic bacteria—particularly *Bacillus megaterium*, *Pseudomonas protegens*, and *Microbacterium testaceum*—to develop sustainable biocontrol strategies against mycotoxin-producing fungi like *Aspergillus flavus* and *Penicillium* spp. Research spans in vitro and in vivo evaluation of bacterial volatiles, antifungal mechanisms, and environmental factors (temperature and humidity) influencing fungal growth and biocontrol efficacy. The lab also explores alternatives to chemical fungicides, especially for solanaceous crops infected by *Phytophthora* oomycetes, emphasizing environmental safety and agricultural sustainability.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
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Selected Papers
15Cereal grains are the most important food source for humans. As the global population continues to grow exponentially, the need for the enhanced yield and minimal loss of agricultural crops, mainly cereal grains, is increasing. In general, harvested grains are stored for specific time periods to guarantee their continuous supply throughout the year. During storage, economic losses due to reduction in quality and quantity of grains can become very significant. Grain loss is usually the result of
In our previous studies, <i>Bacillus megaterium</i> KU143<i>, Microbacterium testaceum</i> KU313, and <i>Pseudomonas protegens</i> AS15 have been shown to be antagonistic to <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> in stored rice grains. In this study, the biocontrol activities of these strains were evaluated against <i>Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus fumigatus</i>, <i>Penicillium fellutanum</i>, and <i>Penicillium islandicum</i>, which are predominant in stored rice grains. <i>In vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i
In this study, we evaluated the effect of different temperatures (10, 20, 30, and 40 °C) and relative humidities (RHs; 12, 44, 76, and 98%) on populations of predominant grain fungi (Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium fellutanum, and Penicillium islandicum) and the biocontrol activity of Pseudomonas protegens AS15 against aflatoxigenic A. flavus KCCM 60330 in stored rice. Populations of all the tested fungi in inoculated rice grains were significantly en
Oomycete pathogens that belong to the genus <i>Phytophthora</i> cause devastating diseases in solanaceous crops such as pepper, potato, and tobacco, resulting in crop production losses worldwide. Although the application of fungicides efficiently controls these diseases, it has been shown to trigger negative side effects such as environmental pollution, phytotoxicity, and fungicide resistance in plant pathogens. Therefore, biological control of <i>Phytophthora</i>-induced diseases was proposed a
In our previous study, three bacterial strains, Bacillus megaterium KU143, Microbacterium testaceum KU313, and Pseudomonas protegens AS15, were selected as effective biocontrol agents against Aspergillus flavus on stored rice grains. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of the volatiles produced by the strains on A. flavus growth and aflatoxin production on stored rice grains. The three strains significantly reduced mycelial growth of A. flavus in dual-culture assays compared with
Rice contaminated with fungal species during storage is not only of poor quality and low economic value, but may also have harmful effects on human and animal health. The predominant fungal species isolated from rice grains during storage belong to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. Some of these fungal species produce mycotoxins; they are responsible for adverse health effects in humans and animals, particularly Aspergillus flavus, which produces the extremely carcinogenic aflatoxins. Not
Abstract Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a common pathogenic fungus in many plants. To investigate the specificity of the isolate C. gloeosporioides to green fruits, fungal behaviours and anthracnose development on green and red pepper fruits were compared using light and stereo microscopic techniques. When the isolate of C. gloeosporioides was inoculated on both green and red fruits, conidial germination, appressoria, and infection hyphae were observed on both fruits within 24 h after inocula
Research Areas
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