Actinobacteria of the genus Streptomyces are part of the soil microbiota from rice-growing areas and along with other microorganisms, such as Trichoderma spp., combine to act as natural enemies against the destructive soil-borne pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, causal agent of rice sheath blight disease. In this study, seven actinobacteria of the genus Streptomyces and three fungi of the genera Trichoderma and Purpureocillium were isolated from soils cultivated with rice using the serial dilution method. Streptomyces spp. M2A2 was selected for its ability to significantly reduce the in vitro growth of R. solani by 52% after 96 h by antibiosis in dual culture, while in the control treatment the mycelial growth was 100%. Furthermore, biocontrol efficacy of treated plants of the susceptible cultivar Fedearroz 68 with actinobacteria was confirmed and the onset of symptoms were delayed up to 14 days, compared to the control treatment. Rice plants treated with Streptomyces spp. M2A2 showed lesions of R. solani reaching 0.7% of the plant height, the effectiveness of this treatment was similar to the difenoconazole treatment, whereas in the control treatment, the lesions covered 34% of the plant height. When compared to the antagonist fungus Trichoderma spp. M2H1, Streptomyces spp. M2A2 presented a better performance of biological control. The results clearly demonstrated that Streptomyces spp. M2A2 isolate from soils of rice growing areas has biocontrol efficiency against R. solani and therefore can be a promising biocontrol agent.

In order to improve the sustainability of livestock systems at Cumaral, Meta, under tropical conditions of Colombia, implementation of different Brachiaria decumbens production technologies can be beneficial for a better soil fertility. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two pastures type (Factor A): (a) Brachiaria decumbens grass (B1) and Brachiaria decumbens grass associated with kudzu Pueraria phaseloides legume (B2); (b) Factor B: Four lime (CaCO3) doses: L0 = 0 tons ha -1 , L1 = 1.1 tons ha -1 , L2 = 2.2 tons ha -1 and L3 = 3.3 tons ha -1 ; and (c) Factor C: three N, P, K fertilizers sources: 100 kg ha -1 Urea, 200 kg ha -1 triple superphosphate (TSP) and 100 kg ha -1 potassium chloride (PCl) on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and soil chemical properties (SCP). Cluster analysis showed that B2*L3, L2*Urea, TSP, PCl increased the number of AMF spores per g soil and improved soil chemical properties (SCP), as B1*L3*Urea, TSP, PCl, in cluster 1, higher lime doses were the most influential factor, indistinctly pasture type, as N, P, K fertilizer sources showed low effect in cluster conformation. Farmers in the area can implement these B. decumbens technological practices that help improve the sustainability of livestock systems at tropical zones. HIGHLIGHTS Brachiaria decumbens pasture associated with kudzu Pueraria phaseloides legume represents an alternative for higher arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).  Higher lime doses presented high rates of AMF and improved soil chemical properties (SCP).  Higher lime doses were the most influential technological factor than the type of pasture and the N, P, K fertilizer sources on AMF.2 Silva Parra, A.; et al.

The aim of this research was study if the effect of different Brachiaria decumbens production technologies could to improve the sustainability of livestock systems at Cumaral, Meta, Colombia. We evaluated the effects of two pastures type: Brachiaria decumbens grass (B1) and Brachiaria decumbens grass associated with kudzu Pueraria phaseloides legume (B2), four lime doses: 0 t CaCO3 ha-1 (L0), 1.1 t CaCO3 ha-1 (L1),  2.2 t CaCO3 ha-1 (L2), 3.3 t CaCO3 ha-1 (L3), and three N, P, K fertilizers sources:  Urea, triple superphosphate (TSP), potassium chloride (PCl) on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and soil chemical properties (SCP). B2*N, P, K fertilizers sources L3 and L2 showed highest number of spores of AMF and improvement of the SCP.

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La antracnosis en el maracuyá (Passiflora edulis) es uno de los problemas más limitantes en las zonas tropicales de Colombia causante de considerables pérdidas económicas. Este experimento fue realizado bajo condiciones de campo en un cultivo que estaba afectado por Colletotrichum spp (antracnosis) en un 50%. Con los resultados se demostró que existen alternativas diferentes al manejo químico convencional que reducen la dependencia de agroquímicos, con menor impacto negativo sobre el medio ambiente. Los ocho tratamientos evaluados para el control de antracnosis incluyeron productos biológicos y preparados con minerales, y fueron los siguientes: T1, Trichoderma spp (TR); T2, fosfito de potasio (FP); T3, caldo sulfocalcico (CS); T4, bacterias promotoras de crecimiento Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilis, licheniformes, Azobacter chroococcum y Pseudomonas fluorescens (BPC); T5, caldo bordelés (CB); T6, mezcla de: BPC, TR, CS y FP; T7, control químico con un producto que contiene N-(triclorometiltio) ciclohex-4-eno-1,2-dicarboximida (CQ) y T8, testigo absoluto (TA), los cuales fueron aplicados cada 15 días, una vez iniciada la floración. Se midió el porcentaje de incidencia, teniendo en cuenta ramas, hojas y botones que manifestaron la sintomatología la enfermedad. Se estableció un diseño experimental completamente al azar con tres repeticiones para cada periodo de floración, para lo cual se seleccionaron tres ramas; se aplicó un análisis de varianza y posteriormente prueba Tukey. Durante el tiempo de evaluación se presentaron dos periodos de floración en el cultivo de maracuyá, se destacó un mayor un control de la enfermedad con CB y FP con 55.1 y 56.2% de incidencia respectivamente, valores significativamente diferentes (P<0.05) a los demás tratamientos; en tercer lugar, se destacó TR con 61.8%, es de anotar que estos tres tratamientos lograron un mejor efecto que el control químico (67.6%). En general, el porcentaje de incidencia de antracnosis fue reducido con la aplicación de los tratamientos que incluyeron inductores de resistencia como fosfito de potasio, caldo Bordelés y Trichoderma spp, cuyo comportamiento fue similar o incluso mejor que el control químico. Por su bajo costo el caldo Bordelés constituye la mejor alternativa efectiva para disminuir la incidencia de este patógeno causante de pérdidas económicas en los cultivos de maracuyá.