Heat and drought are major stresses that significantly reduce seed yield of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In turn, this affects the profitability of the crop in climatic-vulnerable tropical arid regions, which happen to be the poorest and in most need of legume proteins. Therefore, it is imperative to broaden the sources of heat and drought resistance in the common bean by examining closely related species from warmer and drier environments (i.e., Tepary bean, P. acutifolius A. Gray), while harnessing such variation, typically polygenic, throughout advanced interspecific crossing schemes. As part of this study, interspecific congruity backcrosses for high temperature and drought tolerance conditions were characterized across four localities in coastal Colombia. Genotypes with high values of CO2 assimilation (>24 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1), promising yield scores (>19 g/plant), and high seed mineral content (Fe > 100 mg/kg) were identified at the warmest locality, Motilonia. At the driest locality, Caribia, one intercrossed genotype (i.e., 85) and the P. acutifolius G40001 control exhibited sufficient yield for commercial production (17.76 g/plant and 12.76 g/plant, respectively). Meanwhile, at southernmost Turipaná and Carmen de Bolívar localities, two clusters of genotypes exhibited high mean yield scores with 33.31 g/plant and 17.89 g/plant, respectively, and one genotype had an increased Fe content (109.7 mg/kg). Overall, a multi-environment AMMI analysis revealed that genotypes 13, 27, 82, and 84 were environmentally stable with higher yield scores compared to the Tepary control G40001. Ultimately, this study allows us to conclude that advanced common bean × Tepary bean interspecific congruity backcrosses are capable of pyramiding sufficient polygenic tolerance responses for the extreme weather conditions of coastal Colombia, which are likely to worsen due to climate change. Furthermore, some particular recombination events (i.e., genotype 68) show that there may be potential to couple breeding for heat and drought tolerance with Fe mineral biofortification, despite a prevalent trade-off, as a way to fight malnutrition of marginalized communities in tropical regions.

Este estudio describe las características socioeconómicas y tecnológicas del sistema de producción de berenjena en las microrregiones del Valle del Sinú y Sabanas de Colombia. A través de la técnica de muestreo aleatorio simple se seleccionaron 62 agricultores. Los datos fueron recolectados utilizando una encuesta formal estructurada, previamente probada y analizada. Se encontró que el cultivo es sembrado por pequeños productores en un área promedio de 0,6 hectáreas. La edad promedio de los productores es de 53 años con más de 30 años de experiencia en el cultivo. Resulta menos costoso producir berenjena en el departamento de Sucre que en Córdoba, lo que se explica por la proporción en que participa la mano de obra en los costos de producción, debido a que es mayor para el departamento de Sucre con el 75 % del total de los costos; por el contrario, en el departamento de Córdoba la mano de obra participa en un 63 %. Los ingresos netos son mayores en el caso del departamento de Córdoba por la diferencia de los rendimientos, los cuales son de 35 t ha-1, en tanto que para el departamento de Sucre son de 25 t ha-1. Con relación a los márgenes de comercialización, por cada unidad monetaria que paga el consumidor, $0,82 constituyen utilidades que se distribuyen en la cadena de intermediación, la cual corresponde a un valor muy alto, siendo este de un 53 %. Se concluye que el agricultor es el que más arriesga y el que menos recibe de esta diferencia del precio entre el agricultor y el consumidor final.

Sweet potato is a crop with a wide capacity to adapt to adverse conditions. To study the tolerance of the sweet potato to a low-altitude environment, 34 genotypes comprising three groups from different altitude conditions ranging from 18–599, 924–1298, 1401–2555 meters above sea level were evaluated. These genotypes were evaluated through ecophysiological parameters: net photosintetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (GS), transpiration (E), leaf internal CO2 (ICO2), vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and leaf internal temperate (LT). sSubsequently, water use efficiency (WUE) and carboxylation efficiency index (CEI) were estimated. Simultaneously, morpho-agronomic characterization of the genotypes was conducted including descriptors and morpho-colorimetric parameters. A wide ecophysiological variability was found among genotypes from high, intermediate and low altitudes, when those were evaluated under low altitude conditions. The genotypes that presented major soil coverage efficiency and leaf size showed greater Pn, WUE and CEI, and Low VPD and E, aspects that benefited the ability to form roots the under low-altitude environment. The altitudinal origin of the genotypes influenced the ecophysiological response under low altitude conditions. The capacity of certain sweet potato genotypes to tolerate low altitude conditions were due to to different mechanisms, such as certain morphoagronomic traits that allowed them to adjust their physiological processes, especially those related to photosynthesis.

La habichuela larga se cultiva en el sistema de producción de economía campesina. El objetivo del trabajo fue obtener información básica sobre la producción y los retornos económicos de la habichuela larga en el Caribe Húmedo de Colombia en el año 2018. No se evidencian trabajos anteriores en materia de caracterización tecnológica y socioeconómica. La información se obtuvo de una encuesta estructurada aplicada mediante el método de muestreo aleatorio simple a 16 productores de habichuela larga. Los retornos económicos se calcularon empleando patrones de costos y técnicas de análisis económico de rentabilidad. Los resultados demuestran que los productores tienen experiencia en cultivar la habichuela larga de tres a cuarenta años, bajo un sistema de agricultura familiar y de subsistencia; la superficie dedicada al cultivo varía de 0,2 a 0,5 ha. Predomina el uso de mano de obra familiar en un 75 %, el 100 % de los agricultores usa semilla no certificada, un 90 % realiza control manual de malezas y el 70 % hace control químico de insectos.  Un 86 % de la producción tiene como destino el mercado local, y un 14 %, el consumo de las familias. Los costos de producción corresponden a $3.476.914,2 por hectárea, la producción media es de 4.950 kg ha-1, el precio de venta promedio es de $765 por kilogramo, lo cual genera una relación beneficio costo de 1,09 en cuatro meses del ciclo productivo y una rentabilidad de    8,9 %. Dado que las inversiones son bajas, se considera una producción eficiente, que garantiza la sostenibilidad en el tiempo.

In Colombia, the highest cassava production comes from the semi-arid region of the Atlantic Coast with relatively low yield for fresh consumption (≤11 t/ha). Development of improved varieties is based on a plant ideotype which integrates a group of desirable traits independently measured in the field. However, selecting high performance genotypes for several traits simultaneously is a complex process. Sixteen genotypes were evaluated under four environmental conditions (localities) of the Colombian Caribbean region (Cereté, Carmen de Bolivar, Agustín Codazzi, and Sevilla), and two production cycles (2016/2017–2017/2018) in order to assess phenotypic expression of selected traits, their stability, and utility in genotype selection. Selection of promising genotypes should consider both their superiority and stability. Genotypes SM3106-14, GM1692-56, CM9456-12, and GM214-62 were selected based on their agronomic performance. In addition, frequency analysis of sensorial data showed that genotypes CM9456-12, SM1127-8, SM3553-27, and SM3562-32 were preferred by panelists who assessed, color, flavor, texture, and root shape. Determination of superiority through across-environments, multi-trait selection index allows identifying genotypes with superior performance. However, selection was improved when local multi-trait selection indices were included—phenotypic stability determination (through Lin and Binns index and AMMI model) supported an adequate selection of superior and stable cassava genotypes. The inclusion of palatability response and quality features determination in cassava genotypes can be recommended to identify genotypes with higher adoption rates by farmers and consumers.

No abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize the Zaragoza pink bean production system in the Colombian Caribbean from the technical and economic point of view. A survey was randomly applied to 32 farmers in producing areas. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, measurements of central tendency and contingency tables. The economic return calculations were made using a production cost pattern and economic profitability analysis techniques. The results showed that the average experience in cultivation is 12 years; the average age of the farmers is 48 years; the predominant type of tenure is property in 63% of the sample; and the mode of the area devoted to this crop is 0.5 ha. The use of family labor predominates in 65% of cases. 90% of the production is destined for the market, 8% is destined for self-consumption, and 2% is for seeds. Production costs correspond to 1,437 USD/ha, the average production is 1,700 kg ha-1, and the average sale price was 0.886 USD/kg, which generates a cost benefit ratio of 1.43% in three months of the productive cycle, from sowing to postharvest. This crop is profitable and stable inasmuch as its yields recover costs and generate profits for producers.

En este estudio se caracterizaron la tecnología local y los aspectos socioeconómicos del sistema productivo de fríjol Caupí en las regiones productoras del Caribe colombiano. Para ello se aplicaron encuestas estructuradas y un taller de costos por consenso a 30 productores seleccionados mediante muestreo aleatorio simple. La información obtenida se analizó por estadísticos descriptivos de distribución de frecuencia, tablas de contingencia y análisis de correlación. Los resultados mostraron que el cultivo se siembra por pequeños productores en 1,1 hectáreas en promedio. La edad promedio de los agricultores es de 55 años con más de 11 años de experiencia en el cultivo. El 78% de los productores encuestados refiere al monocultivo como sistema de producción con rendimiento de grano máximo de 1,7 t ha-1, destinado principalmente al mercado local, de acuerdo con lo indicado en el 90 % de las encuestas.  El valor de la mano de obra constituye el 60% de los costos de producción dado que las labores se realizan predominantemente de forma manual. La rentabilidad es del 19 %, el punto de equilibrio se alcanza con el 84 % de la producción quedando un remanente del 16% como ganancia. Los resultados alcanzados serán de utilidad para entidades enfocadas en el fomento de la producción, planificadores de política y la formulación de agendas de investigación en el frijol Caupí.