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

Beekeeping is one of the most significant agricultural activities in Colombia, despite the lack of technological and industrial advancements in this field. Therefore, the floral offer and the quality of both honey and beeswax from hybrid and European bees were evaluated. The study was conducted at the University of Nariño's apiary (Colombia). Colonies of hybrid and European bees were used to determine the floral offer and its apicultural potential, as well as the production and quality of honey and beeswax during the period from May 2022 to February 2023. Seventeen nectariferous and polliniferous plant species were found, with the Asteraceae and Fabaceae families standing out. Differences were observed in honey production, with values of 6206 g/colony for European bees and 3971 g/colony for hybrid bees. Brix degrees of 81.0 were found for hybrid bee honey and 80.0 for European bee honey, with a pH of 4.15 in hybrid bees and 4.52 in European bees. Differences were observed in beeswax production and a good physicochemical composition (moisture <2 g/100g and 2.30 g/100g in hybrid and European bees, respectively). Microbiological results showed the absence of Salmonella and Escherichia coli <10 CFU/100g in the beeswax of both types.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivation in Colombia is highly versatile in the market and requires technologies to increase its competitiveness and sustainability. The use of biofertilizers represents an efficient strategy to improve productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of inoculating arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF): Claroideoglomus etunicatum and Gigaspora rosea; and the biofertilizers of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB): Rhizobium leguminosarum, Azospirillum brasilense, and Herbaspirillum frisingense, Fosfotal®, and monibac®, individually and in mixtures on crop production. The experiment was carried out on a commercial farm using a randomized complete block design, three replications, and nine treatments. Results show higher aerial fresh biomass with the inoculation of G. rosea (T3), followed by C. etunicatum (T4), and its mixture with PGPB2 (T8 and T7). There were positive correlations between T3 and G. rosea and plant length, leaf area index, number of stems, and phosphorus uptake. Treatments 4 and 7 showed positive relationships with C. etunicatum and fresh and dry biomass, chlorophyll, nitrogen uptake, and stomatal conductance. Treatments 2 and 8 showed affinity with Azospirillum brasilense, Herbaspirillum sp., and Rhizobium sp., and the physiological variables of intrinsic and extrinsic water use efficiency and the ratio of net photosynthesis to intercellular carbon. It is concluded that AMF, individually or in mixture with PGPB, promotes the growth and development of basil plants, leading to increased fresh biomass production. 

In Colombia, the largest pea production occurs in the south of the department of Nariño. Seed is the most important input for cultivation; however, practices used for its selection and storage can reduce its quality and viability. This research analyzed the physical, physiological, and sanitary quality of pea seeds from two sources: producers and those produced according to Colombian regulations (wineryhouse). Regarding quality variables, 58% of the samples in producer seed presented rough, whitish, or spotted grains, plant residues, and inert material. Their germination was lower than required by regulations; 75% presented a humidity percentage higher than recommended (14%). Environmental and phytopathogenic fungi were isolated, from which 15 consensus sequences of the ITS region of rRNA were obtained, allowing the identification of Alternaria sp., Botrytis sp., Stemphylium sp., Arthrinium sp., Dydimella sp., Parastagonospora sp., Penicillium sp., Verrucoconiothyrium sp., Cladosporium sp., Trametes versicolor, and Epicoccum sp. No presence of Pseudomonas spp. was detected in the seed. Potyvirus was present in 5 of the 24 samples evaluated. There were no impurities or atypical grains in the seed from the winery; germination was greater than 80% in the 24 months of evaluation, and humidity met the specifications for certified seed. The frequency of fungi and bacteria was lower than in the producers' conditions, although Monilia sp. and Penicillium sp. were found. The seed from producers has low quality, while warehouse seed complies with Colombian regulations, highlighting the importance of improving production and storage conditions by producers.

In rural Colombia, female-headed households represent a vulnerable group regarding food insecurity, highlighting the need for strategies to improve the diversity and volume of cultivated food. This study aimed to develop an agroecological strategy using the Food Consumption Score (FCS) as an indicator. To achieve this, we worked with 38 participants from the Obonuco district in the department of Nariño, conducting an initial characterization through a semi-structured survey and applying the FCS methodology to identify at-risk food groups that could be managed. This information served as the foundation for the participatory design of two gardens based on agroecological principles, and over a year, the contribution of these gardens to the prioritized food groups was evaluated. The results revealed that age, education level, and land access increase vulnerability in this population. Based on the FCS results, the gardens were designed to positively impact five food groups by integrating 15 plant species and two animal protein sources (guinea pigs and eggs). The project enhanced food security among rural women heads of households through participatory strategies, the FCS indicator, and agroecological production processes, creating a methodological framework that can be replicated in similar initiatives.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a crucial reservoir that facilitates climate change mitigation through its sequestration. The SOC stock was estimated in the top 30 cm in the predominant land use systems (LUS) (agriculture, grasslands, and forestry – forestry plantations, gallery forests, and natural regeneration) in the Centro Universitario Regional del Norte (CURDN), located in the dry zone of northern Tolima, Colombia. The bulk density (BD) and SOC concentration were estimated at this depth in a sampling. Information on the latter variable was also taken from a study in the same area in 2007. The effects of possible changes in land use on SOC stock between 2007 and 2021 were estimated, calculating a change rate between the two years. A significant effect of land use on the variables analyzed was found: agriculture presented the highest BD and lowest SOC concentration, while livestock production reached the highest SOC concentration and stock (1.45% and 63.2 Mg C/ha, respectively). The SOC stock, after 14 years, increased in all LUS, mostly in livestock production (150%), resulting in a SOC capture rate of 3.0 Mg/ha/year. Changing livestock to other uses can cause emissions of up to 60.6 Mg CO2/ha and up to 9.3 Gg CO2 in the total area of the CURDN. These results are the basis for LUS management for climate change mitigation through SOC conservation and sequestration.

The phenomenon of insecticide resistance is defined as the ability of insect populations to develop the capacity to survive doses of insecticides that would otherwise be lethal. This phenomenon can be attributed to the natural selection of individuals with genetic mutations that confer resistance. A comprehensive understanding of insecticide resistance mechanisms is crucial for developing novel control strategies within existing integrated pest management plans. In this context, this review examines the research conducted to characterize the resistance of agricultural pests (insects/mites) to insecticides/acaricides in Colombia. A search of relevant scientific literature was conducted using keywords in the databases. A literature review revealed that, according to reports from Colombia, there have been 27 documented instances of insecticide/acaricide resistance across 12 species. Conversely, the Arthropod Pesticide Resistance Database (APRD) indicates the existence of 98 reports of resistance to insecticides/acaricides distributed across 10 species. A single instance of acaricide resistance was identified in the respiratory target; all other cases demonstrated resistance to the nervous and muscular targets. In this review, we present the main results, which are focused on determining toxicity curves and calculating lethal concentrations. We highlight the research carried out in the last decade, which makes use of new molecular techniques and allows a more detailed view of the resistance mechanisms. Furthermore, we suggest novel methodologies that could be employed to improve current integrated pest management plans.

The therapeutic properties of Cannabis sativa have been widely investigated and have become a subject of great importance for the treatment of diseases such as epilepsy, as well as pain management in patients with cancer, arthritis, and Parkinson's disease, among others. The commercialization of Cannabis products has flourished due to these properties, highlighting the need to develop analytical methods for quality control of products marketed for medicinal purposes, as well as for Cannabis research. The objective of this work was to develop an HPLC-DAD-based analytical method for Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabinol (CBN), and Tetrahydrocannabinol, (∆9-THC) cannabinoids tests in commercial Cannabis oils and plant material samples. Regarding the suitability of the system, the developed analytical method exhibited symmetrical peaks, with good resolution and symmetry. The system’s precision was adequate, with relative standard deviation (%RSD) values of less than 5%, and accuracy in terms of recovery greater than 90% for the extractions. Analysis of commercial samples revealed high ∆9-THC content (2.6-42.55 mg/mL) and low CBD content (0-4.3 mg/mL). The plant material sample analyzed correspond to a non-psychoactive chemotype (∆9-THC ≤ 1%) with a higher CBD content (8.0 mg/g). Considering the above, the developed method is suitable for the analysis of plant material and cannabis oils.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) farmers in Colombia, especially in Nariño, lack knowledge about the appropriate fertilizer dosage needed to achieve optimal crop yields, resulting in reduced product competitiveness in the market. The objective was to evaluate the effect of six levels of NPK fertilization on yield components of four promising lines of bush pea with the afila gene in four municipalities in the Nariño department. A split-plot design with three replications was used in the experiment. The principal plot corresponded to the four promising lines of bush pea with the afila gene, and the subplot corresponded to six levels of fertilization. The results showed differential responses of the genotypes to different levels of fertilization. Based on the number of pods per plant, within the ARB15 line in Yacuanquer and ARB16 in Pasto, the result of the 120-16-56 fertilization level was higher than the recommended level based on soil analysis. In number of grains per pod, fertilization based on soil analysis showed similar results to the other five fertilization levels that were evaluated within the four pea lines in the different locations, except in Pasto within the ARB12 line, where 7.45 grains per pod were obtained, being lower than that obtained by the 120-6-56 level, which was 9.02. In terms of yield, the lines ARB2, ARB12, and ARB16 did not present a superior response to the fertilization level applied based on soil analysis. The best yield for ARB15 was obtained with a fertilization level of 90-12-42 in two locations.

Biofiltration is an alternative method for reducing methane, a greenhouse gas with public health risks and climate impacts. However, its feasibility is often limited by the high costs of organic beds and inadequate surface area. This study evaluated the removal efficiency and specific methane removal capacity of biotrickling filters (BTFs). In the air quality laboratory of the Universidad de Nariño, methane was diluted to a concentration of 4% in two BTFs with recycled material (polyethylene terephthalate - BTF1 and expanded polystyrene - BTF2) and inoculated with a methanotrophic microbial consortium. The reactors were operated in parallel for 24 hours per day with countercurrent flow under controlled conditions (25°C, 10 psi, neutral pH), TRLV of 31 min, and a flow rate of 6 L h-1 with a concentration of ~2000 ppmv. BTF1 achieved a maximum removal efficiency (RE) of 75%, higher than BTF2’s 60%, likely due to the greater external specific area of PET.  BTF1 and BTF2 showed a positive influence of temperature and humidity on RE, while pH had an opposite effect. However, BTF2 exhibited a higher specific removal capacity (SRC) due to its superior surface properties, though its performance was limited by filter bed compactation. In conclusion, BTFs using these two materials as support media demonstrate biological efficiency in methane removal, highlighting their potential for treating methane emissions from the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in agricultural activities.

The total concentrations of heavy metals in agricultural soils in the flat and piedmont zones of Valle del Cauca (Colombia) were evaluated. A simple random sampling was performed in 489 representative sampling sites. Samples were collected in the orders mollisol, inceptisol, and vertisol soils in 13 watersheds. Concentrations of Cd, Ni, Pb, Co, Cr, As, and Hg in soils do not follow a normal distribution. In some agricultural soils, concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Co exceeded typical ranges. Cr shows warning signs in the Pescador, RUT, and Tuluá watersheds. Alarm Ni concentrations were found in Guadalajara, Pescador, RUT, San Pedro, Sonso, and Tuluá. Alert Co levels were in the Jamundí and Pescador watersheds. As, Hg, Cd, and Pb showed high variability, while Cr, Ni, and Co showed moderate variability. A factorial analysis was performed using the Kaiser Meyer-Olkin index (KMO) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity. The KMO index indicated a correlation between the elements Hg, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Co. Cr, Ni, and Co have the highest contribution to the variance of component 1. In component 2, the highest variance is inversely correlated with Hg and Pb. The research provided a baseline for the levels of heavy metals in the region’s agricultural soils. The concentrations of metallic elements are reported and compared with typical ranges found in agricultural soils.