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

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) help the exchange and mobility of nutrients by associating with plants, improving crops. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate HFMA in two varieties of sugarcane for panela in the town of Suaita, Santander. A randomized block design was established, with three repetitions and four treatments (T1: Acaulospora mellea, T2: Rhizoglomus irregulare, T3: Control 50% and T4: Control 100% fertilization) in the varieties CC 93-7711 and CC 93. -7510. Height, stem diameter, chlorophyll content, nutrient absorption and dry matter in sugarcane plants were analyzed. Significant differences were shown in the variety CC93-7711 in the absorption of N, S, Fe, and Mn with T2 and in chlorophyll content at 15 months after transplantation (mdt) with T1 and T2. In variety 93-7510 significant differences at 8 mdt in height (T1), total chlorophyll (T2) and at 15 mdt in Mn absorption. The two varieties at 15 mdt presented higher values ​​with T1 and T2 compared to the controls in the variables of height, diameter, total chlorophyll and dry matter. It was positive between the presence of A. mellea with the absorption of Na, Cu, Mn, S, N and P and Rhizoglomus irregulare with Mg, Fe and Ca. Therefore, it can be concluded that HFMA partially replace synthetic fertilization, making it more effective, promoting better nourished plants with higher dry matter production.

Weaning in mammals is an event of maximum stress that generates metabolic wear with mobilization of nutrients for the maintenance of body homeostasis. Piglets experience decreased feed intake and lower productive performance. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in weaned piglets by measuring productive performance and biochemical blood tests. A total of 16 piglets distributed in four treatments were used: T1 = control 1 (without milk supplement), T2 = control 2 (milk supplement), T3 = milk supplement + BCAA (0.5% form milk supplement composition), T4 = milk supplement + BCAA (1%). The piglets of the four groups presented a similar productive performance in all the variables analyzed: daily weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion. Regarding blood variables, no statistical difference was found either. BCAA supplementation through feed did not improve productive performance or biochemical variables in piglets weaned at 28 days after 7 days of administration.

Plant growth regulators have been used to improve the visual appearance of ornamentals, and the application of mycorrhizae to facilitate phosphorus absorption. In this research, the effect of three concentrations of paclobutrazol and an inoculum with spores of Glomus intraradices on the growth, flowering, and biomass distribution of Lilium 'Armandale' and 'Tresor' was evaluated, together with complete fertilization or with a deficient phosphorus nutrient solution. Forty-five bulbs of each cultivar were submerged in solutions with 0, 50 or 200 mg L-1 of paclobutrazol and planted in pots with 2.5 L of tezontle. Another treatment consisted on 15 bulbs sprinkled with 1 g of the inoculum of G. intraradices before planting. The results showed that Lilium 'Armandale' produced taller plants (59.13 cm) than 'Tresor' (47.80 cm). In both cultivars, paclobutrazol reduced plant height while irrigation did not affect this variable. The number of leaves (89), and diameter (17.90 mm) and flower of bud length (47.49 mm) were similar in both 'Armandale' and 'Tresor'. The number and fresh biomass of flower buds were 1.3 and 2.5 times higher in 'Tresor' than in 'Armandale', with flower stems visually more striking. Bulbs inoculation of G. intraradices with a phosphorus-deficient nutrient solution, increased the dry biomass of roots, but not of the stems and leaves, showing that the positive effect of G. intraradices only occurred at the fungus-plant interaction site.

A cross sectional data collected through a structured questionnaire coupled with an interview schedule from 360 rice farmers selected via multi-stage sampling technique was used to determine the labour efficiency of rice farmers in Nigeria’s North-Central region. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the 2020 cropping season data. The empirical evidences showed a farming population that is gender bias due to stereotypes, that affected women access to and control over productive resources. Besides, economic-productive people that explored pecuniary advantages in order to achieve economies of scale engaged in cultivation of thinly uneconomic holdings. The poor economic status of the farm families made most of the farmers to rely on family labour for farm operations, thus keeping most of their children and young ones out of school. Furthermore, most of the farmers were fairly efficient in the use of labour with little technical support required to enable them achieve optimum labour efficiency level (frontier point). However, the empirical evidences showed competition for labour demand between farm and off-farm activities and conservative and complacency attitudes due to longevity in the enterprise to be the factors that affected labour efficiency. Therefore, the study calls for gender mainstreaming in agricultural budget to overcome women’s challenge on productive resources; incentivized the enterprise viz., credit provision; adoption of bottom-to-top approach in research and practical demonstration approach in transfer of innovative rice technologies.

The purpose of this research is to develop an audio guide script design methodology for tourists with visual disabilities, to be used in in museums or parks, guided tours in the open space or in technological platforms such as web portals or mobile applications. This methodology will describe, through accessible locutions, the route, and its details, such as landscape. With this technological proposal tourists can enjoy themselves and make use of their right to tourism just like sighted people. The research consisted of a bibliographic review of several authors about the subject and the collection of impressions through a focus group with impaired persons who contributed with their perception and suggestions about the recommended tool. The results helped in the development of the tool, with important suggestions about the correct use of language, specifications for the design of the script and structure of the explanations. This research is part of the results of the development of an innovation project named "Sensory agrotourism in the UTB integral farm: guide design based on the perception of the senses and promotional web page" of the Universidad Técnica de Babahoyo.

This research has as objective to present actions to the tourist stakeholders of the province of Imbabura in order to take advantage of the natural and cultural patrimony they possess. An alternative land dynamization is also offered that could be integrated in the territory. It was used a mixed methodology; a SWOT was elaborated using the macro and micro environment of the province. The results are represented in six Vester matrices, one for each canton, in addition, a survey was applied. With the obtained data, the following actions were identified: ten in Antonio Ante, three in Cotacachi, five in Ibarra, four in Otavalo, eight in Pimampiro and finally six in Urcuquí. Finally, it is concluded that Otavalo, Ibarra and Cotacachi have a better tourist development, while Antonio Ante, Pimampiro and Urcuquí have become places of passage and have problems in attracting visitors. The proposed actions are a guided to streng and improve tourist activities in the area.

In Ecuador, production of non-traditional fruits increases annually in 4%. The miraculous fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) has become an excellent option as a non-traditional natural sweetener. However, this plant is susceptible to diseases such as rust (Hemileia vastatrix) and pestalotiopsis (Pestalotia sp), which affect the leaf area decreasing metabolic processes and the photosynthetic development. Silicon in plants affects pathogen infection and can contribute in this crop with rust and pestalotiosis control. In this study, different treatments were evaluated for rust and pestalotiosis control: 1) soil silicon application, 2) foliar silicon application, 3) chemical control, 4) biological control and 5) the control without any treatment. Variables evaluated were: a) incidence of rust and pestalotiopsis on leaves, b) incidence of rust and pestalotiopsis on fruits; c) fruit quality (healthy and fruits with high quality); and d) yield of fruits. Incidence of rust and pestalotiopsis on leaves and fruits were lower with the chemical control, reducing the diseases incidence to less than 2%. In addition, a positive relationship was obtained between the chemical control and fruit quality, since no damage were observed were observed, and the yield reached 202 kg ha-1 year-1 of miraculous fruits.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the fourth most important crop worldwide. The crop is affected by the climate variability, mainly in relation to diseases severity and pathogens survival, which is the case of late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the climatic elements on late blight severity. The study was carried out in the municipality of Mosquera, Cundinamarca, Colombia, from December 2015 to May 2016. The potato varieties Diacol Capiro (DC), ICA-Unica (IU) and Pastusa Suprema (PS) were included in this study. Data of late blight severity together with data of precipitation (Pr), relative humidity (RH), temperature (T), wind speed (VV), solar brightness (BS) were recorded, and with these data the agroclimatic indices water index (IH), temperature degree day (GD) and evapotranspiration reference (ETo) were calculated. There was a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) of late blight severity in the three varieties with IH (0–158 ± 58), precipitation (0–63 mm ± 23 mm) and minimum temperature (2-10 °C ± 2 °C), and significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) of P. infestans severity with BS (2–7.7 h day-1 ± 1.7 h day-1). The GD (0–4 °Cd ± 1 °Cd) presented a significant positive correlation with DC and PS, and also positive correlation with the mean temperature (11–15.3 °C ± 1.41 °C) with DC. The ETo (0.4–3.3mm day-1 ± 0.87mm day-1) and maximum temperature (19.9–23 °C ± 0.75 °C) were significantly and negatively correlated with DC and PS, and also between VV (5 .27–7.95 km h-1 ± 0.79 km h-1) with DC. It was concluded that climatic variables influenced late blight severity and P. infestans survival.

Los riesgos a la seguridad alimentaria debido al cambio climático son variados y complejos. La Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) reconoce cuatro dimensiones de la seguridad alimentaria: disponibilidad, acceso, utilización y estabilidad en el acceso a alimentos adecuados. Cada una de estas dimensiones se espera que sea afectada negativamente por el cambio climático. La agricultura es una actividad altamente dependiente del clima, pues los cultivos son sensibles a rangos de temperatura y precipitación específicos para alcanzar las cosechas esperadas. Debido al cambio climático, se espera que este balance siga siendo afectado en diferentes magnitudes en el planeta. El Panel Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el Cambio Climático (IPCC) reconoce a Centro y Sur América como regiones altamente expuestas, vulnerables y fuertemente impactadas por el cambio climático. En cuanto la actividad agrícola, los cambios en los patrones de precipitación y las temperaturas extremas ya están teniendo un impacto en la región. Zonas como el corredor seco en América Central y algunas partes de los trópicos andinos ya están experimentando cambios en la duración de la temporada de crecimiento de cultivos. Algunas de las alternativas para la adaptación de la agricultura al cambio climático son la diversificación de cultivos y el desarrollo de nuevas variedades. Los recursos fitogenéticos, parte de la agrobiodiversidad, nos ofrecen una amplia gama de opciones para adaptarnos a los retos anteriormente mencionados. Como región tenemos frente a nosotros el reto de continuar conociendo, documentando, conservando a largo plazo y fomentando el uso sostenible de estos recursos.

Approximately 1% of fresh water on the planet is available for humans and ecosystems. Due to the growing population and human activities, its quality is threatened, not only by chemical agents, but also by biological contaminants. In order to describe the environmental and social impacts caused by fecal coliforms present in water sources in the South-central counties of the province of Manabí in Ecuador, a literature review was carried out under descriptive and analytical parameters, considering research data from the period 2015-2021. A systematic exploration of the literature was carried out in combination with search strategies to facilitate the extraction of information. Several studies on water pollution were found, which were supported by diverse findings. This literature review shows that fecal coliforms have been reported as being responsible for affecting water quality, causing illnesses to consumers and affecting the balance in nature. This problem is aggravated by the presence of heavy metals that threaten the sustainability of the environment, food security and good living. There are regulations on water quality in Ecuador, however, those are not followed or sufficiently monitored by the authorities. The present review addresses this topic with the intention of updating the discussion around the subject and contributing to the conservation of drinking water.