Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

The objective was to determine the effect of the irrigation deficit applied in the initial and development stage of Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae) crop, without affecting the performance. The treatments were 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% (Control) of evapotranspiration crop (Etc). The experimental material was Quetzal hybrid, planted at a distance of 1.0 m x 0.5 m. The irrigation was carried out by drip with a frequency of two days and the calculations of the Eto were carried out by the evapotranspiration of reference of the evaporimeter tank type A. The treatments were distributed in a CRD (Completely Randomized Design) with four replicas. There were measured: the efficient use of water (kg/m3), plant height (cm), fruit weight (g), number of fruits per plant and performance (kg/ha). With the application of 80% of Etc, greater efficient use was obtained with 12.5 and 12.6 kg/m3. The plant height showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) at 27 and 37 days after transplanting (DAT), with the 20% of reduction being the highest average. The number of fruits per plant and the performance (t/ha) showed statistical differences (p < 0.05) due to the irrigation deficit action, 80% of the Etc had the highest performances with 8.8 fruit/plants and 20.1 t/ha. The weight (g) of the fruit was similar in all treatments, between 112.2 and 114.1 g/fruit. Plants of C. annuum tolerate a 20% reduction of the irrigation sheet without affecting production and thus obtain greater efficiency of the water use.

The collection of black shells (Anadara tuberculosa) is an ancestral productive activity, which is carried out spontaneously and intuitively and whose importance has not been sufficiently considered, highlighted and recognized in the various governmental, business and academic spheres in Ecuador and other countries. The objective of this research is to find the indicators that determine the economic, social and environmental importance of the production of this bivalve mollusc, at a global and national level. To this end, a methodology of bibliographical research of primary, secondary and tertiary sources was applied. The contribution of black shell collection to Ecuador's GDP is US$ 15 million per year, if one includes the value added to the concha prieta at the restaurant level, which generates some 8,000 full-time and part-time jobs, mostly self-employment. It contributes to the preservation of more than 156,000 hectares of mangrove area still existing on the Ecuadorian coast. It is concluded that the production of black shells is of significant relevance in economic, social and environmental terms, with a great potential to be formally inserted in the Ecuadorian export circuit, to improve the levels of income and quality of life of the concheros (shell collectors) and to contribute to the sustainable management of the mangrove ecosystem. It is recommended to deepen the study of the economic, social and environmental variables that have greater impact on their levels of sustainability and competitiveness.

The different lunar phases have an effect on fluids, as it is evidenced in tides or in tree sap, and can contribute to improve the production of crops, without having to invest many resources. With this background, the objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of lunar phases on the development and production of the Manihot esculenta cassava crop, INIAP variety Portoviejo 651, under the agroclimatic conditions of the conventional crop area of the ESPAM MFL university campus. The percentage of plant establishment success and plant height were measured at 54 days after planting as well as total yield, commercial yield, and starch in kilograms per hectare. The results show statistical significance in plant height at 54 days. The highest plant obtained was 93.8 cm in the full moon phase. No statistical differences were established for the variables fresh cassava yield, commercial pieces and amount of starch in kg/ha; however, the best values were found in the full moon variant. In the economic analysis, it was observed that cassava grown during the full moon phase gave greater profitability with a net income of US$ 1872 per hectare in fresh cassava production, with an average yield of 752 quintals/ha-1. It is concluded that the full moon phase influences plant height and yield, and therefore the economic profitability of cassava crops.

Photosynthetic activity was evaluated in order to identify clones with good physiological performance and obtain relevant information on photosynthetic activity and its correlation with national cocoa production. The analysis included the photosynthesis rate (A), stomatic conductance (gs), water use efficiency (WU) and photochemical activity: quantum efficiency of PSII (FPSII), electron transport rate (J) and the production of cocoa pods and kernels from ten domestic cocoa clones grown in northern Esmeraldas. Differences in A, gs, J and FPSII were found among the clones; the highest A was observed in LDC 12, T8 and INIAP 484, as a result of high gs and J. There was a positive and significant correlation between J, potential photosynthesis (J/10) and cocoa production in the clones evaluated, suggesting that the higher A, as a result of higher photochemical activity in Ecuadorian cocoa, would contribute to a higher amount of photoassimilates, which could partially explain a higher production. The results indicate that the T8, T1, T11 and PMA 12 clones show a high photosynthetic performance, with a higher tolerance to diseases (lower index of diseased pods) and a higher production, so they could be recommended for the northern area of Esmeraldas; while the T13, INIAP 484, T23 and T24 clones work in the opposite direction, i.e. low production, low photochemical capacity and susceptibility to diseases (high index of diseased pods).

Gas exchange: net photosynthesis rate (A), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), CO2 intercellular concentration (Ci) and water use efficiency (WUE=A/E) of 15 different clones of robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) were evaluated. The responses curves of photosynthesis (A) to the photosynthetic photon flux density (PFD; A vs PFD) and of A to Ci (A vs Ci) of 6 robusta clones: SICA 1, 2, 3, 4, CONILON 1 and ECU ROBUSTA 01, were assess, in order to obtain information on photosynthetic capacity of robusta coffee. The seedlings were grown in an umbracle, in a completely randomized statistical design in the Botanical garden at  Mutile Experimental Station; seedlings were watered every three days and fertilized during the experiment to keep the plants vigorous, in order to guarantee good physiological performance. Gas exchange parameters were significantly  differences between  clones: A showed values  of 9,5 and 15 mmol m-2 s-1,  gs (198- 375 mmol m-2 s-1) and  WUE  varied between 2,6 and 5,8 mmol CO2  mol H2O-1. The highest A and WUE were found in clones (ECU ROBUSTA 01, CONILON 1 and CONILON2). A Significant differences in A vs PFD and A vs Ci curves were found in the ECU ROBUSTA 01, CONILON 1 and SICA’s clones. In conclusion, significant differences found among robusta coffee clones studied, being the ECU ROBUSTA 01, CONILON 1 and SICA 1 clones due to their greater photosynthetic capacity, which could have high productivity in Esmeraldas

The Carrizal-Chone system represents the most important water project of Manabí, Ecuador where there are gardens consisting of fruit trees, which are affected by “fruit flies” (Diptera: Tephritidae), reported as the main pests of fruit and vegetable crops in the world. The research aimed to identify the fruit flies species, hosts, and their geographical distribution in the area of influence of the Carrizal-Chone water system (Bolívar, Chone, Tosagua y Junín). Two monitoring routes were implemented in the studying area, 24 home-made traps were evaluated, using passion fruit fermented extract as a bait. Traps were collected every fifteen days, preserving the “fruit flies” in a jar with alcohol and changing the bait at a time. Simultaneously, fruits with flies evidence were collected. Samples were processed in the entomology laboratories of the Agricultural Polytechnic of Manabí and the National Institute of Agricultural Research. From the data, it was possible to identify species, hosts, distribution, population dynamics, and index fly per trap per day (MTD). Six species were identified of which Anastrepha fraterculus y Anastrepha obliqua belong to the widest distribution. The fruits collected were guava, mombin, mango, araza, sapote, star fruit, and mamey sapote. It was determined that availability and plenty of fruit hosts and native species are important factors that influence the fluctuation and temporality of “fruit flies” populations.    

A food ration is considered to be the quantity of food that allows the nutritional needs of a species to be covered. The objective of this research was to develop a diet for broiler chickens using banana flour (Musa paradisiaca). The methodology applied in the study is descriptive and experimental. The process starts with washing, peeling, cutting, dehydrating and grinding. In the preparation of the diet, the mixture of different raw materials and inputs was made, including banana flour in different levels (5, 10, 15, 20 %), in order to carry out the corresponding bromatological analyses (humidity, fat, fibre, ash, protein). Four treatments with three replicates were determined. The results obtained determine the best formulation T1, which showed protein values of 16.88%, moisture 5.19%, fiber 1.21%, ash 5%, fat 5.07%, which according to the INEN NTE 1829-2014 standard meets the parameters established for the final physiological stage of chickens. It is concluded that the incorporation of flour from refuse banana wastes to the balanced diet, provides stability in the protein part with a low percentage of inclusion.

Bananas are widely grown in Ecuador, being the most exported crop, however, fruit production is reduced by phytosanitary diseases such as black Sigatoka. Management of this disease includes mostly chemical synthesis fungicides that contribute to environmental pollution.  For this reason, this experiment was carried out in the central zone of the ecuadorian coastal region, to evaluate at field level the effect of inducing resistance substances against the evolution of  “black Sigatoka” in the dry and rainy seasons. The experiment was deployed in a complete randomized block design, with five treatments and 4 blocks. The treatments studied were T1: Jasmonic acid, T2: Salicylic acid, T3: Carophilaceas extract, plus chemical (T4) and absolute (T5) controls. The infection rate, leaf area and functional leaves were measured at both, flowering and harvest stages. Additionally, net bunch weight was also evaluated. Jasmonic and salicylic acid showed a negative effect on the infection rate in both production periods. In terms of net bunch weight, Salicylic Acid registered the best average, compared to other treatments. Finally, this experiment showed that these resistance inducers can be implemented in disease management programs, as well as to increase crop yield, thus reducing the use of chemical products whose indiscriminate use creates resistance and environmental contamination.

It is known that excessive consumption of sugars leads to tooth decay and obesity, among other diseases. Some phenolic compounds have an antimicrobial character. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius), taxa (Passiflora mollissima) and mortiño (Vaccinium floribundum) was evaluated in vitro in concentrations of 1, 2, 3% against Streptococcus mutans, a microorganism responsible for the development of dental caries. The method of diffusion with discs was used. The effect of fruit addition to whole milk provided by the School Feeding Program was evaluated by sensory analysis with the addition of taxo and mortiño at 1%. The results showed that blackberry, mortiño and taxo extracts presented an average inhibition halo at 24h of 1.34, 1.42, and 1.57 cm and at 48h of 1.31, 1.40 and 1.46 cm, respectively. Mortiño and taxo had equal inhibitory activity (p<0.05). The extracts with different concentrations showed that the concentration of 3% presented a greater inhibition zone with respect to 1 and 2%, being these last two statistically equal. The results of the sensory analysis showed that the mortiño-flavored milk had the greatest acceptance, with a classification of "I like it very much" in a 5-point hedonic scale. In conclusion, mortiño is the recommended fruit to use as milk flavoring, added to the fact that it also has high inhibitory power against S. mutans.

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the inclusion of deep bed compost (CP) of rice husk and pig feces in the feeding of double-purpose crossed heifers. For this, 18 heifers fed with CP processed in 12 months were used, obtained from the Hato Porcino Teaching, Research and Linking Unit of the Escuela Superior Politécnica Agropecuaria de Manabí “Manuel Félix López ". An ramdon desing was applied with a bifactorial arrangement [first factor: age (less than 25 months of age and greater than 25 months of age and pregnant with different gestation periods); second factor: levels of deep bed compost (0%, 10% and 20%)], was considered as a covariate to the initial weight. The nutritional composition of the bed compost was determined by a proximal analysis with 5.71% crude protein. No significant differences were found (P> 0.05) in each of the factors and in the interaction of these, the group of animals under 25 months of age had a better weight at the end of the research with 308.48 Kg (± 2.24), while the animals that were fed a diet that included 20% CP had an average weight of 310.18 Kg (± 2.10) at the end of the experiment. It is concluded that the nutritional content found in the deep bed compost did not disadvantage the weight gain and feed conversion, so the diets supplied 20% of porquinaza could be used to improve the productive