Cadmium (Cd) contamination threatens cocoa farming in the province of Bagua in Amazonas, Peru. This study reports our assessment of Cd concentrations in cocoa farm soils, and in cocoa roots, leaves, testa, and cotyledon, thus evaluating the magnitude of the problem caused by Cd exposure. For our analysis, we sampled agricultural soil, cocoa roots, leaves and pods at 29 farms in the province of Bagua. Concentrations of Cd in each of the samples were measured and correlated with selected variables at each sampling site. Within our collection of samples, Cd levels showed great variability. In soil, Cd concentrations ranged between 1.02 and 3.54 mg kg−1. Concentrations of this metal within cocoa trees measured from roots, leaves, testa, and cotyledon, Cd ranged from 0.49 mg kg−1 to 2.53 mg kg−1. The cocoa trees exhibited variable degrees of allocation Cd from the soil to their tissues and thus considerable variation among themselves. We found that Cd amounts in roots were up to five times more concentrated than Cd levels in the soils and 2.85 times [Cd] the amounts found in cotyledon. Soil pH is a key variable enabling the uptake of this metal. Most importantly, our evaluation determined that measurements from the majority of farms exceeded the maximum permissible limits established by Peruvian and European legislation.
Cocoa cultivation is of considerable economic and social importance to the Amazonas region and is commonly associated with forest species in the region. However, the diversification level and composition of cacao agroforestry systems in Peru are poorly understood. The objective of this study is, therefore, to describe the diversity of tree species in cocoa AFS by plantation age. Accordingly, the number of species of 15 plots covering a total of 1.5 hectares was recorded. Moderately low levels of tree species diversity were reported (H´ ranged 0.89–1.45). In total 17 species were reported throughout the study area. The most abundant botanical family was represented by a single Musa sp. species. The dissimilarity indices show a moderate similarity between the age ranges evaluated (over 62%). Additionally, the IVI indicates that the most important species are used for food and timber apart from providing shade, additionally major of this species are introduced intentionally for the farmers. Based on the observations, it may be concluded that the farmer’s interest in obtaining further benefits from the plot, mostly economic benefits affect the diversification of cocoa agroforestry systems.
The use of native Trichoderma strains has been proposed as a sustainable alternative to control cocoa diseases. The aim of this study was to assess indigenous Trichoderma strains from Bagua Province, Peru, with reference to their antagonistic characteristics in vitro and their potential for in vitro biocontrol against frosty pod rot (FPR) disease. A total of 199 strains were assessed for in vitro mycoparasitism, antibiosis, and potential antagonism. The effect of four strains was evaluated in vitro using epidemiological variables, yield, and efficacy at two sites (Copallín and La Peca). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were reported for all variables evaluated in vitro and in vitro. Mycoparasitism ranged from 32% to 100%, antibiosis from 33.36% to 57.92%, and potential antagonism from 42.36% to 78.64%. All strains were found to affect the in vitro-assessed parameters in addition to enhancing the productive yield. The efficiency ranged from 38.99% to 71.9% in Copallín, and 45.88% to 51.16% in La Peca. The CP24-6 strain showed the highest potential for biocontrol under field conditions when considering its effect on both sites.
Existe una gran diversidad de especies forrajeras en las praderas naturales de la región Amazonas, y son escasos los estudios referentes a la identificación de las mismas. Con objeto de profundizar los conocimientos en especies forrajeras, se realizó la identificación de las especies de pastos presentes en las principales microcuencas ganaderas y pisos altitudinales de la región Amazonas. Las microcuencas ganaderas identificadas fueron Shocol, Leyva, Ventilla, Alto Imaza, Pomacochas, Condechaca y Leymebamba. Sobre la base de las microcuencas ganaderas y praderas naturales se definió dos variables referentes a los sistemas de producción (sistemas silvopastoriles, SSP, y sistemas pastoriles a campo abierto, SPCA) y cuatro rangos altitudinales < 1900 m.s.n.m., 1900-2400 m.s.n.m., 2400-2900 m.s.n.m. y > 2900 m.s.n.m. Se usaron transectos, identificándose un total de 34 familias y 113 especies entre forrajeras y no forrajeras, de las cuales 27 especies fueron clasificadas como especies forrajeras que agrupan un total de 05 familias. Se encontraron diferencias porcentuales de abundancia y diversidad entre especies respecto a las variables estudiadas.
Lessonia spicata (Suhr) Santelices is the most ecologically and economically important kelp from Pacific South America. Here, we contribute to the bioinformatics and evolutionary systematics of the species by performing high throughput sequencing on L. spicata from Valparaiso, Chile. The L. spicata complete mitogenome is 37,097 base pairs (bp) in length and contains 66 genes (GenBank accession MK965907), the complete plastid genome is 130,305 bp and has 173 genes (accession MK965908), and the data assembled 7,630 bp of the nuclear ribosomal cistron (accession MK965909). The organellar genomes are similar in structure and content to others published from the Laminariales.
Mass capture is a technique widely considered in the control of the coffee plague of greater economic importance in the world. This work was carried out in the province of Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas region, Peru, with the objective of analyzing the effect of artisanal traps of different colors and attractive alcoholics in the capture of adults of coffee borer adults, Hypothenemus hampei, in a highly infested plantation, and its implication in reducing the incidence of damage caused by this pest. Six treatments generated from the combination of levels of the following color factors (transparent, red and green) and alcoholic attractants (without and with coffee essence) were evaluated. The test was conducted in a randomized complete block experiment design. The incidence of coffee berry bore damage was measured in periodic measurements every 30 days, while the capture levels (adults / trap) were evaluated every 15 days. The obtained data was subjected to an analysis of covariance, detecting statistically significant differences between the treatments and once applied the multiple comparisons test, specifically minimum significant difference, it was evidenced that the red trap without essence of coffee captured a greater number of adults (with a maximum of 4,000 adults / trap / week) and proved to be more effective in reducing the incidence (43.7 % less than the initial incidence). On the other hand, the least effective trap was the transparent one without coffee essence.
The northeastern region of Peru is one of the centers of origin of cocoa due to the great diversity of this cultivar. The objective of this study is, therefore, to search for different genetic groups of 146 ecotypes of fine-aroma native cacao from the northeastern region of Peru, based on the morphological descriptors of pods, seeds, sensory, yield, and sampling altitude. The data were analyzed using multivariate statistics; a cluster analysis was performed with the numerical and categorical variables, followed by a principal component analysis (PCA) and the DGC (Di Rienzo, Guzmán y Casanoves) mean comparison test for the numerical data. Contingency tables and the multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) were performed for the categorical data. We differentiated 5 genetic groups; helpfully, sensory characteristics of the flowers and pod, size and weight of the seeds, and pod index were in fact crucial in separating the groups. The ecotypes of the groups labeled as “Indes” and “Bagüinos” reported the best sensory characteristics with high floral and fruity notes and with a good yield expressed in pod index (13.88 and 11.88, respectively). Furthermore, these ecotypes are found at medium and high altitudes, above 500 m a.s.l., a factor that enables them to express their sensory and yield attributes. On the contrary, the ecotypes known as “Toribianos” and “Cajas” report the highest pod indices (20.77 and 16.78, respectively), resulting in low productivity. In the future, the variability of the ecotypes found will help establish genetic improvement programs that contribute to the development of cocoa farming in general.
El presente estudio fue realizado en la provincia de Rodríguez de Mendoza en Amazonas (Perú), con el objetivo de caracterizar las unidades agropecuarias cafetaleras (UAC) instaladas en esta región. La población estuvo constituida por 7061 productores, y se calculó un tamaño de muestra de 104 productores, a los cuales se les aplicó una encuesta debidamente validada y conformada por ítems vinculados a aspectos técnicos y socioeconómicos relacionados con la UAC. La información recopilada y tabulada fue sometida a la técnica multivariada de análisis de conglomerados para detectar las variables de mayor incidencia en la diferenciación de grupos con características similares, para esto se utilizó un dendograma como elemento gráfico para precisar las variables asociadas a la diferenciación. Los resultados evidencian la existencia de cinco grupos significativamente diferenciados, que indican a la variedad catimor como la más cultivada y la presencia de broca y roya del café como los problemas fitosanitarios más importantes. También se observó que la mayoría de las UAC fueron menores a dos hectáreas, realizan cultivos bajo sombra y estuvieron vinculadas a la producción orgánica, además, alcanzaron rendimientos ligeramente superiores al promedio nacional aunque aún se muestra deficiencia en las prácticas del cultivo y la comercialización.
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