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

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is a promising crop due to the nutraceutical properties of its roots and leaves. The objective of the study was to evaluate the fresh root and dry matter yield of eight yacon cultivars from northern Peru. The cultivars (treatments) were planted in a randomized complete block design, with three replications. Planting was carried out at 0.5 m between plants and 1.0 m between rows. The following variables were evaluated: number, fresh weight and total dry weight of roots, number, fresh weight and dry weight of commercial roots, fresh weight and dry weight of crown, fresh weight and dry weight of foliage, plant height, number of stems, leaf area at full flowering, allocation of dry matter to the three parts of the plant (roots, crown and foliage) and harvest index. Analysis of variance was performed for all variables and Tukey's test at 5 % for the variables that showed statistically significant differences. Highly significant differences were found among cultivars for fifteen variables related to yield and the cultivars with better performance were identified according to potential utility: I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VIII for total root weight; I, II, IV, V, VIII for commercial root weight; II, IV and VIII for commercial root dry matter. Dry matter allocation was mainly toward the crown (47 % to 65 %) and the harvest index ranged from 22 % to 40 %. Sixteen simple correlations between the variables under study were highly significant (p ≤ 0.01). The germplasm under study showed high potential to be used in productivity improvement.

Vitis vinifera is a variety of vine (grape plant), suitable for wine making, which has existed before mankind and has been linked to society for a long time. There are records of it uses in the bible and in ancient Rome, where a golden wine was made without distinguishing grape varieties. It is necessary to produce fruit of good quality, to produce good wines; the vine needs certain levels of light and heat, because excessive temperatures can negatively affect its production. The optimal conditions for the plant are areas where the winter is cold enough for them to dormancy. That is why most grapevines are in latitudes around the globe that provide the adequate amount of sunlight, warmth and water, specially between parallel 30º and 50º, both north and south. However, contrary to these theories, in Ecuador (parallel 0º) vines and wines of excellent quality can be produced. This article research about the above-mentioned in Yaruquí, a rural parish of Quito, Pichincha province. The area has one vineyard called Chaupi Estancia, where field observation research was conducted to obtain data on the varieties of strains that grow in the area, in spite of its climate. Additionally, important information on the volume of production in the plants was evidenced, along with data on the effects of the sun, considering the location of the farm (parallel 0º), on the pigmentation of the grapes, especially in white types, which gives a different color to the wines, and has a strong influence in the sweetness (sugar content), that determine the peculiar flavors of wines.

The diversity of birds in Ecuador is a key factor for the development of avitourism, a modality that involves the displacement, observation, identification and recording of the species that occupy their natural environment. In addition, it contributes to the conservation of habitats, landscapes and the promotion of the local economy through the provision of tourist services. In the study, birds were recorded for two years (February 2019 - December 2020) in the Quijos Huayco sector, in the Cuyuja parish, Quijos canton, Napo province to determine the opportunities to promote birdwathching activities in the area. It is a descriptive research and documentary analysis, which includes an inventory of bird species, their state of conservation and abundance, as well as the identification of services, tourist events and visitor sites. The analysis was based on the review of data available from previous investigations and sighting records, information that covered 28 lists, with a total of 141 species, 1169 individuals, from 15 orders and 36 families. Likewise, service establishments and potential observation sites were identified. Cuyuja, is in a special connection site with Papallacta, Baeza and Cosanga, where important birdwatching sites have been identified, and events such as the Christmas bird count take place. These characteristics are favorable to promote spotting routes in the northern area of ​​Napo province.

This research is focused on describing the perception about gastronomic heritage and how this legacy has influenced the sustainable development of Santa Elena Canton in Santa Elena province, Ecuador. One of the objectives was to develop a theoretical functional model that explains the sustainable development based on the local gastronomic heritage. The study is basic-projective research, non-experimental design and has a sample size of population with 384 people, according to the Santa Elena population, with whom two instruments were applied to collect information. The first instrument referring to gastronomic heritage has 21 items and the second instrument referring to sustainable development based on gastronomic heritage has 22 items. It was possible to describe that the state of the gastronomic heritage within citizen perception was about 60%, and considered as vital, but with two of its dimensions with less incidence these are knowledge and organization. Likewise, the state of sustainable development due 84% of survey respondents describe it as weak or regular, having more deficiency the environmental and economic development. Additionally, the influence of the gastronomic heritage on sustainable development was evident in 77.1%. The model is constituted by elements of the gastronomic heritage, which are organizational, knowledge, symbolic and emotional dimensions that will allow the development of the local public policy to promote sustainable development by the gastronomic heritage, constituted by eleven articles.

This paper presents the results of a service quality model created to promote competitiveness of Ecuadorian traditional cuisine restaurants in the city of Guayaquil. The objective is to predict the competitiveness through the consumer perception of service quality management. The research design is non-experimental - causal. The technique used was a survey applied to three hundred and four clients of Ecuadorian traditional cuisine restaurants. It had an instrument with thirty-two items for the quality management variable and sixty-four for the competitiveness variable. The data were analysed using ordinal logistic regression. Among the most important results, the theoretical model indicates an unfavourable competitiveness related to the service provided by the waiters, food hygiene protocols applied in the restaurant and architecture and parking services.

This research was developed in the Manglaralto area in the province of Santa Elena. The study main objective was to generate new cultural tourism routes within a sustainability and diversification frame offered by the Province of Santa Elena, as an alternative to complement its natural resource of sun and beach tourism affected in the Covid-19 pandemic. The applied methodology was based on geo-referencing and mapping tourism attractions throughout the County, supported by the ArcGis program, these resources were evaluated by nine standards established by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism. As a result, 163 touristic attractions were evaluated and three new cultural tourism routes were designed. The proposal was socialized with local authorities such as Manglaralto City Council, the public tourism company (EMUTURISMO) and the representatives of the Ministry of Tourism.

In Portoviejo, the dynamics of green spaces establishment has been similar to other cities in the world, with successful introduction of exotic trees to create parks or squares that provide important benefits to the population. This research was carried out in the municipality of Portoviejo, province of Manabí, in the urban parishes of 12 de marzo, 18 de octubre, San Pablo, Francisco Pacheco, Portoviejo, Picoazá, Simón Bolívar, Andrés de Vera and Colón. In these parishes, the existing green areas and the urban trees were evaluated, and the components that fulfill the important ecological and environmental functions were identified. We obtained dasometric information of the trees found in parks, green squares and boulevards, together with calculation of the green area (m2) and a global map of the urban green area of the municipality. The study was done in collaboration with the Portoparques EP company belonging to the municipality of Portoviejo. Visits to each of the parks, plazas and boulevards allowed us to carry out a forest inventory of the 50 green areas that are wooded. It was determined that Albizia guachapele (Kunth) Dugand and Tamarindus indica L. with 17.87 % and 13.04 % of trees, respectively, were the most frequent species; while, Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman and Cecropia peltata L. with 0.38% of trees were the less important species. The urban green index of Portoviejo of 4,92 m2 inhab-1 found in this study, is lower than the recommended by World Health Organization that is 9 m2 inhab-1.

Nutrient uptake curves are essential in fertilization planning to achieve high yield and production quality. The research was carried out at the Santa Catalina Experimental Station (EESC) of the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIAP - Ecuador). The research objective was to determine the nutrient absorption curves (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) in the production of pre-basic potato seed with different nutrient solutions under greenhouse conditions, evaluated in soil as the substrate and with seedlings obtained from cuttings of the Superchola variety. Five nutritional solutions were evaluated: The control (T1), Rational Method (T2), INIAP method (T3), Steiner method (T4) and Pilvicsa method (T5). These treatments were implemented in a completely randomized design. Variables evaluated were: total dry plant biomass, nutrient absorption (in four phenological stages) and yield. The highest amount of plant biomass was obtained with the nutritional solution T5 with 205.68 mg plant-1. The highest nutrient absorption of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S of 4.4, 0.97, 8.25, 1.57, 0.52 and 0.55 g plant-1, respectively, were also obtained with the nutritional solution T5. The highest yield of 10.73 t ha-1 and 10.63 t ha-1 were obtained with the nutrient solutions of T5 and T4, respectively. The logistic model presented a determination coefficient of around 90%. In conclusion, the nutrient solution T5 (Pilvicsa) presented the highest plant biomass, nutrient uptake and yield.

The economic situation of rural cantons in Ecuador is disturbing due to the lack of formulation of projects that might contribute to create opportunities to improve living conditions of the population, being tourism an alternative for generating employment and economic growth. The objective of this study was to determine the tourist potential of the Seis de Julio de Cuellaje Cotacachi´s canton, Imbabura province. For this purpose, the methodology of ranking attractions and generation of tourist spaces of Ministerio de Turismo del Ecuador was used and the general aptitude formula multicriterial was adapted, which is equal to the division of the criterion achieved by attractiveness over the standard weighting of endpoints. Twenty tourist attractions were analyzed, three correspond to hierarchy II and 17 are hierarchy I. The criteria: state of conservation and site/environment integration, accessibility and connectivity obtained higher scores: however, their potentiality is medium. The score of the seven remaining criteria is deficient, so it can be concluded that the level of tourist potential in the territory is low. Public, private and community actors must work together to improve the conditions that currently disadvantage the territory as an emerging tourist destination. 

Avocado is a traditional fruit in the diet of Ecuadorians and requires proper crop handling to guarantee high production. Implementations of new technological alternatives such as spectroscopy indexes that correlating each other will allow optimize avocado crop management. This research validated the use of red band and near infrared-based plant indices with leaf nitrogen content. The plant indices used were normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) and transformed vegetation index (TVI). These indexes were developed from two orthomosaics obtaining images that capture red and near infrared bands. Regression and correlation analysis were performed between the vegetable indices and the foliar nitrogen content analysis, generating R² values of 0.93 for NDVI, and 0.95 for TVI. The values of the plant indexes can be used to estimate plant vigor based on the nitrogen content of the foliar area.