The phenotypic characterization of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) plays an important role in the generation of information for the conservation of cacao germplasm. The objective of this study is to characterize phenotypically 146 ecotypes of fine-aroma native cacao (FFNC) from northeastern Peru that were collected from 280 to 1265 metres above sea level. Morphological descriptors of fruits and seeds, sensory characteristics, and productivity descriptors were used. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics with pie charts, distribution histograms, and multiple correspondence analysis. The results showed that 76.7% of the cocoa ecotypes had green immature fruits, 73% showed slight roughness on the surface of the fruit, 54% showed an intermediate thickness of the fruit wall, and 90% had the appearance of pairs of equidistant ridges. Regarding seed characteristics, 71% showed purplish cotyledons, with a high presence of floral and fruity notes and low levels of bitterness and astringency. Likewise, 52% of the fruits and 64% of the seeds were long. More importantly, cocoa beans needed to produce between 14 and 16 pods to obtain one kilogram of dry cocoa, which reflects a good level of productivity. Finally, there was a positive relationship between elevation levels and the presence of fine-flavoured native cocoa, i.e., the greatest diversity of native cocoa with floral and fruity notes was found above 501 metres above sea level.

Cocoa beans are the raw material for the chocolate industry. In this study, the total fat contents and fatty acid profiles of fine-aroma cocoa beans of 30 cocoa ecotypes from northeastern Peru were evaluated. Results showed that SJJ-1 and ACJ-11 ecotypes from San Martin and Amazonas regions, respectively, presented highest percentages of total fat with an average of 30.49%. With respect to fatty acid profiles, it was found that cocoa ecotypes are composed of 10 fatty acids (C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C17:0, C18:1, C18:2, C18:3, C20:0, and C22:0); based on this profile, 5 clusters were determined. Cluster 5 had the highest content of C17:0 fatty acid (0.47%); however, the clusters 1, 2, 3, and 4 had the lowest content of this fatty acid (0.37%, 0.32%, 0.32%, respectively). The clusters 3 and 4 showed the highest content of C16:0 fatty acid (31.13% y 28.97%, respectively). The clusters 3 and 5 contained the highest content of the acid C18:1 (27.08% y 26.82%, respectively). The PCA found that C18:0 and C20:0 fatty acids are correlated, and are fundamentally opposite to C18:1, C16:0, and C18:3 acids. These results may be useful in identifying raw material for the development of specialty chocolates with better nutritional value than traditional cocoa.

Peru is one of the world’s leading exporters of cocoa beans, which directly impacts the household economy of millions of small farmers. Currently, the expansion and modernization of the cocoa-growing area require the zoning of the territory with suitable biophysical and infrastructural conditions to facilitate optimizing productivity factors. Therefore, we analyzed land suitability for cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) production on the Peruvian mainland as a support measure for sustainable agriculture. To this end, the climatological, edaphological, orographic, and socioeconomic criteria determining sustainable cocoa cultivation were identified and mapped. Three modeling approaches (Analytic Hierarchy Process—AHP, Maximum Entropy—MaxEnt, and AHP—MaxEnt combined) were further used to hierarchize the importance of the criteria and to model the potential territory for sustainable cocoa cultivation. In all three modeling approaches, climatological criteria stood out among the five most important criteria. Elevation (orographic criteria) is also featured in this group. On the other hand, San Martin and Amazonas emerged as the five regions with the largest area ‘Highly suitable’ for cocoa cultivation in all three modeling approaches, followed by Loreto, Ucayali, Madre de Dios, Cusco, Junín, and Puno, which alternated according to modeling approach. From most to least restrictive, the AHP, MaxEnt, and AHP–MaxEnt modeling approaches indicate that 1.5%, 5.3%, and 23.0% of the Peruvian territory is ‘Highly suitable’ for cocoa cultivation, respectively.

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.

Lakes are water bodies that play an essential role as water sources for humanity, as they provide a wide range of ecosystem services. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate Lake Pomacochas, a high Andean lake in the north of Peru. A variety of parameters were studied, including physicochemical parameters such as temperature (T°C), dissolved oxygen (DO), potential hydrogen (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), alkalinity, and chlorides hardness; the concentrations of nitrates, nitrites, sulfates, and ammonium; elements such as aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and boron (B); as well as metals and metalloids such as zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As). In addition, pH, Zn, and Cu were evaluated at the sediment level. It is important to note that all parameters evaluated in the water matrix showed significant differences in the seasonal period and depth levels. In comparison, the parameters evaluated at the sediment level had no significant differences between the seasonal period and sampling points. As for the seasonal period, the variables that were higher for the dry season were electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and lead while that for the wet season were biochemical oxygen demand, zinc, magnesium, turbidity, calcium, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and potential hydrogen. At the depth levels, parameters such as total dissolved solids, lead, and arsenic had similar behavior for the three depths evaluated. According to national standards, latent contamination by cadmium and lead was found in the lake water from the ecological risk assessment. However, by international standards, all sampling stations showed a high level of contamination by cadmium, lead, zinc, copper, and arsenic, which represents a potential risk for the development of socioeconomic activities in the lake. At the same time, the evaluation of sediments did not present any potential risk.

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar el efecto de tres fungicidas químicos y tres dosis de aplicación para el control del “tizón foliar”, <em>Exserohilum</em> spp., en el cultivo de maíz variedad INIA 617 Chuska, en el distrito de Levanto, Chachapoyas, Amazonas. Se empleó un diseño experimental en bloque completo al azar (DBCA) con tres repeticiones, donde se plantearon diez tratamientos, con un testigo sin ninguna aplicación. Los fungicidas y dosis fueron recomendados por los fabricantes: Pyraclostrobin + Epoxiconazole, con dosis 1=0,75 l/ha, dosis 2=1,125 l/ha, dosis 3=0,375 l/ha; Azosistrobim, con dosis 1=0,2 kg/ha, dosis 2=0,3 kg/ha, dosis 3=0,375 l/ha; y Sulfato de cobre + cal agrícola, con dosis 1=1kg/100 l de agua, dosis 2=1,5 kg/100 l de agua, dosis 3=0,5 kg/100 l de agua. El caldo bordelés se aplicó de manera preventiva 60 días después de la siembra. Los resultados se procesaron utilizando el software “R”; mediante un ANOVA y posteriormente una prueba Tukey, se encontró que el tratamiento T1 (testigo) fue el más afectado por la enfermedad, y el T7 como el menos atacado. Finalmente se demostró que el ingrediente activo Azoxistrobim, en sus tres dosis de aplicación, contribuye a disminuir y controlar el tizón foliar en maíz.

<p>El objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar los aspectos culturales de 12 cepas nativas de <em>Trichoderma </em>spp. Se llevó a cabo en los ambientes del Laboratorio de LABISANV, de la Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (UNTRM-A). Donde se evaluó el crecimiento radial del micelio de 12 cepas nativas de <em>Trichoderma </em>spp, en tres diferentes medios de cultivo tales como: Agar Papa Dextroza (PDA), Zezapex Dox Agar (ZDA) y Dricloran Rosa de Bengala (DRB) con tres temperaturas (25 °C, 30 °C y 35 °C). Se empleó un diseño completamente al azar (DCA) con arreglo factorial, con 108 tratamientos y 3 repeticiones por cada uno, con un total de 324 unidades experimentales. Con los datos obtenidos se realizaron análisis de varianza (ANOVA) al 5% de significancia, así mismo se efectuó pruebas de comparaciones múltiples de Tukey al (α ≤ 5 %). Obteniendo como resultados: Las cepas nativas de <em>Trichoderma</em> spp (CP14-5 y CP10-3) fueron las que reportaron el mayor crecimiento radial de micelio con 3.79 cm y 3.69 cm, respectivamente. El medio de cultivo en el que se reportó mayor crecimiento radial de micelio fue, Agar Papa Dextroza (PDA) con 3.78 cm. La temperatura de 30 °C, fue en la que se mostró el mejor crecimiento radial del micelio de las cepas nativas de <em>Trichoderma </em>spp con 3.24 cm. Demostrando de esta menara la influencia que tiene la temperatura y el tipo de medio de cultivo sobre el crecimiento radial del micelio de las cepas nativas de <em>Trichoderma</em> spp.</p>

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