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In this paper are studied two soil profiles from the soil map in scale 1:25 000 of the fluvial plain region Carrizal-Chone, in Manabi province, Ecuador. One of profiles is a soil fluvic Feozem by tree vegetation and the other is a fluvic eutric Cambisol by long time cultivated condition. It is studied the changes of the physical soil properties by the anthropogenic conditions, with changes in the soil structure, volume density, and the increasing of the dispersion factor. In this paper is demonstrated the change from a Feozem soil to a Cambisol soil because the long time cultivated action [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.), of American origin, represents one of the most used species today. Mexico is an important center of origin, domestication and diversification of the genus Cucurbita. Pumpkin production in Mexico places it in sixth place. This crop has as main limitation for its production the incidence of different harmful organisms, where foliar diseases of fungal origin are the most important, where powdery mildew stands out with economic losses of 50 to 100 %. For proper management, an important element is the correct identification of the causal agent, since two different genera and species are associated with the disease. Worldwide, the identified species that infect the Cucurbitaceae family are Podosphaera fusca (Fr.) Braun &. Shishkoff (syn.: Sphaerotheca fusca (Fr), Podosphaera xanthii (Castagne) U. Braun & Shishkoff) or Golovinomyces cichoracearum (DC.) V.P. Heluta. The control of the pathogen has been carried out mainly with the use of fungicides. However, its use causes negative effects on the biodiversity of agroecosystems, which can cause irreversible damage to the environment, increase production costs and enhance fungus resistance. Hence the importance of seeking new alternatives for its management, such as the use of oils, salts and biological control agents. This paper presents a review related to the updated identification of pumpkin powdery mildew, as well as trends in its management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the importance ornamental that presents the areca palm (Dypsis lutescens. H. Wendel) in our country, this paper was developed at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (INCA) in order to find alternatives for the conservation of seeds of this species, to increase the period of viability. A study of conservation of seeds in the period from September to February, in the years 2009 and 2010, using different containers (black plastic bags, cloth bags and plastic containers) and two storage conditions (temperature and fourth air-conditioned). The percentage of germination was assessed for that month and seeds were removed and placed to germinate in petri dishes, randomly distributed, with six replicates per treatment, 15 seeds were used on each plate. It also determined the percentage of moisture in each assessment. The result was that for both years the best germination percentages were found in seeds kept in nylon bags, reaching up to 50 % in 2009 and 80 % in 2010, 90 days after the conserved seeds, not so for the rest of the treatments, where germination was almost zero after two and three months of storage, reaching values of 10 and 25 %. In relation to the percentage of moisture, the seeds preserved in hermetically sealed containers had the highest values, whereas those stored in cloth bags, exhibited the lowest percentages in both study periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The land use change, principally the change from forest lands to cultivated ones, is one of the practices that have the highest impact in soil degradation in the World and, besides, provoke a great deal of CO² emission to the atmosphere. So that is necessary to evaluate theses changes that occur in soils properties in different ecosystems, to take the appropriate conservation measures and improve soil management. In this paper, for a first time, the change of some soil properties due to land use change is studied, from the lowest and middle part of Membrillo micro-watershed in Manabí province, Ecuador. This micro-watershed has a hilly to premountian relief where primary and secondary forests, cocoa plantations and lands under maize cultivation are predominant, in the lowest part. The soils are Phaeozems, Cambisols and Fluvisols. In this paper we present the results obtained related to changes on soil morphological characteristics (color, structure and the A y B horizon thickness), organic carbon lost and the change on volume density, provoked by land use change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertisols are soils constituted by very particular characteristics that are being studied in the world from different approaches (genesis, classification and characterization) and overall in the last years in relation with soil cracking and water availability in these soils. This paper presents the last criteria to the diagnosis of characteristics that define the classification of Vertisols; at a world level (Soil Taxonomy and World Reference Base), as well as in Cuban clasification. Also, physical, morphological and chemical properties are shown in three soil profiles studied near City of Havana, in low parts of the relief with a tropical sub humid climate with 1100 to 1300 mm of rainfall in the year. Finally this paper highlights that it is the first time of the characterization and classification of Vertisols in provinces near to Havana City (Mayabeque and Artemisa province). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this research were a) to characterize sulfite paper as a germination substrate available to the farmer and b) to compare the germination power reached following the internationally accepted methodology with the results obtained utilizing substrates and conditions available to the farmer. The seed variety used was Guazuncho III, INTA, sowed on three substrates: Valot paper, sulphite paper and sand, characterized by its water retention, phytotoxicity, electric conductivity and pH. Germinative potential was evaluated according to ISTA norms, under controlled and uncontrolled conditions. The statistical significance was determined according to ISTA tolerance tables. The characteristics of sulphite paper were adecuate to use in germination essays without phytotoxicity. The different treatments did not show significant differences in seed germination. According to observed results, it is feasible to estimate closely germinative potential under uncontrolled temperatures and using substrates available to the farmer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cuba is among the few countries that have developed its own soil classification system, the latest version, 21 years ago, so it is necessary to review and update it. This update should be on the basis of the new results in soil classification in the world. So that, in our paper we are taking in account the historical principle (that is the name of the soils, and the genetic geographic basis) and with the information available, try to improve the soil classification with the establishment of diagnostics profile. In our soil classification system for Alitic, Ferritic, Ferralític Ferralic and Histosol is prepare dagnostic soil profile until soil subtypes. In the case of Fersiallitic, Siallític Brown, Siallitic Humic, Vertisols, Fluvisols, Halomorphic and Few Developed Soils Groups, diagnosis profile is stablished until genus level. This classification results a Soil Taxonomy until soil subtypes or soil genus, unlike the previous classifications. We are applying also the anthropic influence in the change of soil properties, with new agrogenic and erogenic soil subtypes. In the Group of Anthrosol there are new soil types and there is a new soil group named Tecnosol with two soil types. The name of Hydromorphic soil group is changed by Gleysol and there is a new soil subtype named slitic. This version has 15 groupings, 39 genetic types and 197 subtypes of soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of the northern coastal plain from Nayarit state, Mexico, were presented in two previous papers, as well as soil distribution in five levels of the plain: marine fluvial plain with three levels (high, medium and low), current tide flooding plain and parallel bar zone, beaches and coastal dunes. Therefore, the main soils of this region: Cambisols, Fluvisols, Feozems, Gleysols, Regosols, Arenosols and Solonchaks, besides the characteristics of the most frequent soils--Cambisols and Fluvisols- at the three plain levels were determined. This paper shows important characteristics of the soils formed in the lowest coastal plain: tide flooding plain, parallel bars, beaches and coastal dunes. Data from morphological characteristics, and physico-chemical texture of the main soils -Solonchaks, Regosols and Arenosolsare also presented. This paper comprises the geographical and edaphological characterization stage of the northern coastal plain, that will be good for further investigations starting on the use and sustainable management of agricultural production in this region, a very important aspect to Nayarit state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The varietal selection performed by farmers based on their own criteria, known as participatory varietal selection (PVS), has become quite interesting within Cuban agricultural environment and all over the world, for its deep contribution to increase local diversity. However, due to its efficiency, there is not enough information about it. Therefore, the present paper was mainly conducted to study its efficiency specifically on potato crop. In December 2005, a demonstrative plot was planted with 73 commercial and noncommercial potato varieties at the areas from "Cultivos Varios" Enterprise, Batabanó, Havana. At harvest time, in March 2006, the breeders from INCA evaluated the following characters: commercial and noncommercial tuber number and total tuber weight to calculate yield per hectare. Also, some other characters as tolerance to Alternaria solani, damages by potato scab, tuber shape, color and appearance were taken into account. The selection was performed before harvest by 26 farmers from La Palma, Pinar del Río. In general, these results proved farmers' great capacity to combine several characters at the visual selection process, so that they can differentiate the best performing varieties among a group of them. Other results are shown in the paper related to different percentages of selected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of two formulations based on spirostane brassinosteroid analogs known as BIOBRAS-6 (BB6) and BIOBRAS-16 (B16) on seedling growth of two rice varieties under saline conditions was studied in the present paper. Seeds of J-104 and INCA LP-7 varieties were dipped in water, 100 mM NaCl or 100 mM NaCl supplemented with different concentrations (1, 0.5, 0.05 and 0.005 mg.L-1) of B16 or BB6 for 24 hours. Later, seeds were placed in Petri dishes with filter paper dampened with distilled water for germination and maintained in a growth chamber at darkness during 48 hours. Germinated seeds were transferred to pots containing the different assayed solutions and placed in a growth chamber with 16 hour- photoperiod and 25±2°C temperature for seven days. At the end of the experiment, shoot and root lengths as well as fresh and dry weights were evaluated. Results showed that, in general, 0.005 mg.L-1 of B16 was the most effective treatment to revert adverse effects induced by salinity in both varieties, whereas the response to BB6 depended on the variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern coastal plain of Nayarit state, Mexico, represents one of the most important areas for livestock and agricultural development. For this reason, a soil classification and characterization was done for evaluating the limiting factors and potential use of this resource. In a previous paper, region characteristics as well as soil distribution in five plain levels were described as follows: delta plain or marine floodplain with three levels (high, medium and low), flooded plain of actual tides and the zone of parallel off-shore bars, beaches and coastal dunes. In this way, it could be determined that the main soils in the area are Cambisols, Fluvisols, Phaeozems, Gleysols, Regosols, Arenosols and Solonchaks. This paper presents the characteristics of Cambisols and Fluvisols in relation to different levels of the delta plain. Thus, it was defined that concerning both soil groups, there are no salt or sodium problems in the high plain. With regard to the medium plain, there are some salts in the lower section of the soil profile; however, in the low plain, where fluvic Cambisols and Fluvisols are predominant, most soils are affected by salt and sodium. This sequence in soil distribution is related to relief evolution, sedimentation and desalinization as well as interchangeable sodium washing under a tropical sub-humid climate within a time period dated from 4 000 to 4 500 years, when this plain was formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is one of the most important issue nowadays in Soil Science from two points of view. One of them is the reserves of SOC in soils in relation with climate change and the other is in relation with other soil properties because its conditions dependent of SOC content, to have high SOC content that improve other soil properties as volume density, porosity, biological activity and others. In Manabí, Ecuador there are few and disperse results about this thematic, practically there are no results in the northern coast part of the province. So that, in soil investigations that are making in the Escuela Superior Politécnica Agropecuaria de Manabí (ESPAM), in the last five years, in the Carrizal-Chone System. In this region there are four Referential Soil Groups, Feozems (Mollisols), Fluvisols (Fluvents), Cambisols (Inceptisols) and Gleysols (Aquents). The nature soil formation in this region is Feozem and Fluvisols, the Cambisols are formed by degradation from the Feozems because its cultivation during many years. The Feozems has the higher content of SOC reserves, 52 mg ha-1, in the 0-30 cm layer of the upper part of soil profile. Fluvisols, Cambisols and Gleysols have a medium content (32-36 mg ha-1) of SOC reserves. There are also in this paper some recommendations to continue this studies in the region. That permit management technology in agricultural production that improves soils and keed good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work was carried out in the biotechnology laboratory at the Scientific Technological Base Unit "Los Palacios" (UCTB), which belongs to the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (INCA) in Los Palacios municipality, in province of Pinar del Río in the March to May period. One hundred (100) seeds of three rice cultivars obtained by different methods of improvement, INCA LP-10, J-104 and INCA LP-7, this last salinity tolerant control were selected and were germinated in petri dishes with paper of Filter and wetted with 15 mL the different saline concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) (4000, 7000 and 10000 ppm), distilled water was used as the control. The number of germinated seeds was evaluated at 7 days, determining the germination percentage and at 15 days the height of the seedlings, root length and accumulation of fresh and dry biomass were evaluated in 10 seedlings per replicate, being determined the index of Tolerance to salinity. Varietal differences were observed regarding the live response of the cultivars under study with saline concentrations, where the cultivar INCA LP-7 and INCA LP-10 showed the best tolerance indices for these abiotic stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common bean is the most important legume in human consumption worldwide and in Cuba, it is necessary to increase crop production, since bean and rice are the nutritional basis of the people. Biobras-16® and QuitoMax® are bioactive products which are able not only enhancing plant growth and increasing crop yield but also they have antistress effects. This paper aims to determine the effect of the seed spray with QuitoMax® and Biobras-16® on bean plant growth and some biochemical indicators. Bean seeds of cv. Cuba C-25-9-N were sprayed with Biobras-16® 0,05 mg L-1 and QuitoMax® 500 mg L-1, one day before sowing. At the time of sowing, each seed was inoculated with 1 x 10-3 L of Azofert® and they were placed in pots containing eutric agrogenic Lixiviated Red Ferralitic soil with a low dose of mineral fertilizer (2,78 g of complete formula, NPK, 9-13-17). At 42 days after sowing, some growth indicators and chlorophyll, total soluble carbohydrate and protein concentrations were determined in the leaves. Results demonstrated that Biobras-16® significantly stimulated aerial part growth and leaf total soluble carbohydrates while QuitoMax® favoured only the last indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of the implementation of Participatory Plant Breeding in Cuba, a methodology based on the experience gained by a group of researchers, farmers and technicians. The proposal presents in materials and methods the four fundamental phases of this process: 1) Diagnosis, 2) Collection of plant genetic resources, 3) Establishments of demonstration plots and development of diversity fairs and 4) Peasant experimentation; The structure provides the necessary flexibility that will allow a proper application of the method and follows a logical order of the activities to be executed in a way that facilitates its execution in the different contexts in which it is of interest to apply it. It was obtained as a result that in addition to the four basic stages of Participative Plant breeding, other tools were used that allowed a successful process, they were: action learning according to interests, Farmers' schools, Innovation festivals, Exchange visits and coexistence, Training of students' capacities in the local innovation scenarios and creation of local seed banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, salinity is one of the most pressing causes of stress, and brassinosteroids are compounds which stimulate plant growth and also, increase the plant tolerance to salt stress. In this paper, the effect of foliar spraying with a natural brassinosteroid (24-epibrassinolide, EBL) in rice seedlings subjected to this kind of stress was evaluated. To do this, rice young plants of J-104 and Gines cultivars were sprayed with EBL (2 μmolL-1), and then, half of them were treated with NaCl (100 mmolL-1) for seven days, and later, they were transferred to nutrient solution to assess recovery for 14 days. Evaluations of growth (length and dry mass of aerial parts and roots) were performed at three and seven days of saline treatment and seven and 14 days of recovery. Some indicators of photosynthesis such as photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration, intercellular CO2 concentration and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls and carotenes) were also determined. The results showed that, in general, foliar spraying with EBL 2 μmolL-1 stimulated the length and dry mass of rice seedlings of both cultivars under saline conditions which appear to be associated with increased photosynthesis, gas exchange and chlorophyll concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beans, inside legumes, stands out for the high human consumption and, in Cuba, this legume is part of the population basic diet. Hence, to look for alternatives that allow stimulating grain production and therefore, increase the satisfaction of consumer demand, constitute a necessity. The aim of this paper was to determine whether seed application of QuitoMax® or Biobras-16® products, increases the plant yield of two biofertilized beans cultivars. The experiment was performed at Unit of Basis Science and Technology "Los Palacios". Seed sprayings with QuitoMax®, Qm (500 mg L-1) or Biobras-16®, BB-16 (0,05 mg L-1), before inoculation with Azofert® biofertilizer, Az, were made. Seeds were placed to Hydromorfic Gley Nodule Ferruginose Petroferric soil and four treatments (100 % N, control, Az+30 % N, Qm+Az+30 % N y BB-16+Az+30 % N) by cultivar were constituted. At the harvest time, the following evaluations: shoot, legume and grain dry weights, legume and grain number per plant, grain number per legume, fresh weight of 1 000 grains and practice yield, were made. Results showed Azofert® inoculation substituted 70 % of nitrogen fertilizer used without affecting crop yield. Besides, seed sprayings with Biobras-16®, before Azofert® inoculation, increased significantly crop yield, in both cultivars, compared to control treatment with 100 % nitrogen fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the most pressing stresses today and brassinosteroids are compounds which, not only stimulate plant growth but also improve plant tolerance to salt stress. In this paper, the effect of foliar spraying with a brassinosteroid analogue (Biobras-16, BB-16) on rice seedlings under this kind of stress was evaluated. For this purpose, rice young plants cv. J-104 were sprayed with BB-16 (0; 0,01; 0,1; 1 µmol L-1), half of them was treated with NaCl (100 mmol L-1) for seven days and later, these plants were transferred to nutrient solution to assess recovery during fourteen days. The growth evaluations (shoot and root length and dry mass) were made at the beginning and the end of saline treatment and seven and fourteen days after the recovery. From the results of this experiment, the best BB-16 concentration was chosen and a second experiment, following the same methodology, was performed and, where, the growth indicators and some biochemical indicators such as malondialdehyde, proline, chlorophylls and the activities of peroxidase and catalase enzymes were determined. Results demonstrated, in general, that the foliar spraying with BB-16 0,1 µmol L-1 increased the length of rice seedlings under saline conditions what appears to be associated with increased antioxidant defenses as well as an increase of the concentration of chlorophylls, chlorophyll a fundamentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the agronomic effect of effluent from the anaerobic digestion of pig manure in cultivating tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its effect as a biological control of plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani are determined. For this, a study was conducted compared with bioproducts and recognized antagonists (vermicompost leachate, efficient microorganisms, Trichoderma harzianum and Lecanicillium lecanii). Experiments to determine the effect agronomic of the effluent were performed on a laboratory scale and field. The properties of the effluent as biological control were tested in vitro using both crude effluents as filtering. Also in PDA culture medium, superficially treated at different concentrations of the effluent, restrictive activity of possible metabolites on the development of plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani was analyzed. The results showed a significant effect of effluent on soil and development of tomato plants, both laboratory scale and field (greater foliage, increase in the number of flowers, fruits and plant height), especially with application of the effluent 5 %. Regarding the effect on plant pathogens Rhizoctonia solani a significant reduction in the diameter of the colony, compared to the control and the other antagonists used was obtained. The surface treatment of the culture medium with concentrations digested 15, 20 and 25 % reduced the development of phytopathogen to over 70 % in only 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current technology of pineapple micropropagation has problems with the plants transition to field, these problems are associated to drastic changes of environmental conditions linked to poor hardening plant for such transit. A possibility of preparation is the induction of defense mechanisms to drought stress and get modulating CAM, so that the object of this paper was study plants grown for 30 days in two water status (well-watered plants and non-watered plants) after 30 days both groups were full-watered during 15 days. Measurements were made on D-leaf, in which were determinates the gas exchange, water-efficiency use (WEU), night CO2 uptake percentage, chlorophyll content, organic acids levels, succulence index (IS) and superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) (EC 1.15.1.1). After 15 days of drought, plants had the best response to field transfer, with increase in CAM expression, supported by the decline in total chlorophyll content and increases in the night CO2 uptake percentage, WEU, SI, and SOD activity. After 30 days of drought plants had a CAM strong response, with 100 % of CO2 uptake during night, but its rapid recovery with the establishment of irrigation to saturation of the substrate, showing high drought tolerance and great metabolic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture consider weeds as undesirable in agroecosystems. However, a great amount of farmers of the tropics, estimate then by their value and benefit they bring in an agricultural system. In this paper, it is disclosed the importance of incorporating different scientific disciplines and weed management systems in agriculture with less impact on the environment. Besides it is refered to the usefulness of important weeds as plants: biocides, medicinal, soil improve, new crops and source of food for humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic fungi protect and benefit the plants in a natural way. The objective of this paper was to determine the entophytic activity of the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata (Goddard) Zare and Gams var. catenulata strain IMI SD 187 (KlamiC®) and its effect on plant growth promotion of banana and plantain vitroplants. The 'CEMSA 3/4' (AAB), 'Pisang Ceilan' (AAB), 'FHIA-01' (AAAB) and 'FHIA-18' (AAAB) cultivars were used. The vitroplants were transplanted to polypropylene trays and black polyethylene bags with bovine compost substrate, and they were then randomly distributed in the acclimatization area. Two applications were made with KlamiC® (5,6 × 105 clamidospores.vitroplanta-1) The variables evaluated were the vegetative growth and the substrate and root colonization by the fungus, using a completely randomized e×perimental design with 70 repetitions per treatment with KlamiC® and the absolute control without KlamiC® for each cultivar. The data were analyzed by a simple analysis of variance followed by Fisher's LSD test. A significant increase of growth was produced in the plants treated with KlamiC® compared with the controls. Substrate and plant rhizosphere was colonized by the fungus, with a lower percentage in the cultivar 'FHIA-18' (AAAB) con 4,15 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirostanic analogues of brassinosteroids are synthesized, compounds in Cuba and some of their formulations have demonstrated to enhance the growth when plants grow under saline stress. Recently, a new analogue (Biobras-25) which should have a good biological activity has been synthesized. For this reason, the objective of this paper was to evaluate rice seedling growth under NaCl stress by fourteen days, when the seeds were treated with Biobras-25 or Biobras-16. Two experiments were performed, in the first one, rice seeds of cv. INCA-17 were soaked in BB-25 or BB-16 solutions (0; 0,005; 0,05 y 0,5 mg L-1) and after germination, they were placed in pots which contained Hoagland nutritive solution with the addition or not of NaCl 0,1 mol L-1 and remained during fourteen days in a growth room. At the end of the experiment, root and shoot length and dry mass were evaluated to 25 plants by treatment. Later, a second experiment was performed with the best concentrations of both formulations and, also, the growth indicators described above, leaf proline, a, b and total chlorophylls and total carotenes were determined. Results showed that both analogues exhibited a distinct behavior. Biobras-25 not only enhanced significantly seedling growth under NaCl stress but also increased significantly pigment concentration and decreased the proline content in leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there are deficiencies in small and medium enterprises owned by local Ecuadorian chains, it is necessary to promote a solution to increase local production to keep these businesses in the market and to reduce the gaps in logistics linking the primary production with trading networks, to provide fresh or processed food that competitives to consumers. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the food panela chain integration level, traditional product of the Ecuadorian Amazon region. The method is applied in the chain of panela in the canton Puyo, Pastaza City. The approach on agrifood chains, positively impacts on customer satisfaction. As a technical contribution, a proposed joint business plan for the network under study, which focuses on improving product quality and integration among actors in the local network is proposed. It concludes that panela is a product of high consumption in Ecuador, but the level of integration is lower and more variable deficiency is collaborative planning. Implementing a plan of joint among microenterprises that make up the chain is necessary. The main challenge of developing agrifood chains is the recognition of human potential need to apply the philosophy of networking to improve levels of customers satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avocado crops in Colombia has many technological challenges to be a sustainable production system. Within these areas highlights the need to produce plant material with a specific genetic identity, in short time and excellent quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate different strategies for pregermination and determine the seed optimal mass of Persea americana var. guatemalensis known as race Guatemalteca in order to reduce germination times and enhance the development of seedlings in nursery stage. The variables evaluated were: germination percentage, average germination time, average speed of germination, height, percentage of viable roots, percentage of used seed reserves, biomass and leaf area. Evaluations were performed at the beginning of the experiment and after 60 and 120 days starting treatment. The design was completely randomized, with five replicates and two in time. The apical, basal, and lateral tipping seed with the seed coat removing decreases emergence time's germination in this species in 40 days. For its part the mass seed significantly affected (p<0,05) the uniformity and seedling development, resulting in the optimum mass was between 40 and 50 g. This paper reports the appropriate techniques for producing seedlings of avocado used as patterns under a traditional system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the year 1959 were carried out numerous transformations in the agriculture allowing to the peasant to increase their revenues and their level of life. In this sense the training constitutes an indispensable factor for the obtaining of good results, allowing the bring up to date of the new advances of the science and the technique and a constant flow of information. The facilitators, they play a fundamental paper in the development of these activities, since they are them those that facilitate them, therefore, it leaves of the results they are their responsibility; it is for it that this work intends to analyze the situation of the training in the Cooperatives of Credits and Services (CCS) of the municipality Boyeros, from the vision of the facilitators, for that which a survey was applied to 27 facilitators to know the bases for the design of the training programs, the actions that he/she is carried out for the development of the training activities, the existence of material resources and the presented difficulties; as well as, the reached participation level. The survey was processed by means of the statistical package SPSS version 19, obtaining you as main results that most of the training actions are designed based on the necessities of the producers, for the development of the trainings several teaching forms are used, it is not always had the necessary material resources for the development of the same ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species Polianthes tuberosa L., of the family of the agavaceas, presents favorable qualities as cut flowers and ornamental plant, also is appreciated by its medicinal properties and peculiar aroma, from the national and international point of view. However, ignorance still exists on their characteristics and potentialities like cultivated plant. The current paper presents informations of interest about this species and discusses the importance of it multiplication and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European socialist block collapse in the early 90's provoked a deep crisis in Cuban food system. In response to this difficult situation, a diversified agriculture emerged, replacing chemical inputs by biological ones, that is, a more intensive agriculture using local resources and the simultaneous application of scientific as well as traditional knowledge, which was officially supported by the definition of some measures, such as decentralizing productive structures and strengthening technical services to achieve a sustainable agriculture, starting from the fact that it is not enough for farmers to know and want to assume a new agricultural management, but also it requires to have skilled technicians and encouraged decision makers, who are able to provide them technical assistance with an available set of technical services for strengthening and sustaining the advance from an input agriculture to a processing agriculture. Therefore, this paper shows the results of a work performed in five municipalities participating in the aforementioned project entitled "agroecological joint: a design of sustainable choices for local food security" (Bejucal from Mayabeque province, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Camagüey and Las Tunas provinces), with the aim of knowing to what extent farmers are satisfied with currently available scientific-technical services, as a starting point towards redesigning them at a municipal level, to meet the needs of inputs, resources and technical assistance at the productive base. The main goal of this system is to succeed in joining local technical services with part of farmers' own demands and that the productive model to be extended should have the premise of a sustainable agriculture on agroecological bases; thus, three services prioritized by participants (seed-producing farms, territorial laboratory of soil preservation and management, municipal fruit and forest nurseries) were selected as well as some units with the social aim of providing technical services for pest control, like Plant Protection Stations, Entomophage and Entomopathogen Reproduction Centers and Farmer's Shops for agricultural input purchase in each municipality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Cuba, one of the prioritized regions in terms of water erosion is "Cuyaguateje" river basin, where more than 85% of its soil shows a high erosion risk subjected to intensive farming practices. High pluviometric values registered together with the non-uniform topography necessitate spatially characterised rain erosivity in this area, as it constitutes an essential factor of soil erosion. The objectives of this paper were: (a) to compare expressions that predict kinetic energy from rainfall intensity in our basin of interest, (b) to develop and validate the relationship between cumulative rainfall and R factor from RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) (EI30), (c) to compare results and trends between R and the Modified Fournier Index MFI, as well as with Lal's index AIm (EI7.5), (d) to present rainfall erosivity maps, according to each index calculated. Data from two pluviographic stations were used to calculate R (by Brown and Foster's also Kinnell's kinetic energy equations) and AIm, besides data from 26 pluviometric stations located along the basin of interest. Thus, R values ranged between 8284 and 22044 MJ mm ha-1 h-1yr-1 through both kinetic energy equations, with the highest erosivity values at the top or mountainous part and the lowest values at the basin bottom. Around 96% of the basin area is affected by rainfall with high erosive potential. Correlations between R factor from RUSLE and the other indexes calculated (MFI and AIm) were higher than 0,9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current technology of pineapple micropropagation has problems with the plants transition to field, these problems are associated to drastic changes of environmental conditions linked to poor hardening plant for such transit. A possibility of preparation is the induction of defense mechanisms to drought stress and get modulating CAM, so that the object of this paper was study plants grown for 30 days in two water status (well-watered plants and non-watered plants) after 30 days both groups were full-watered during 15 days. Measurements were made on D-leaf, in which were determinates the gas exchange, water-efficiency use (WEU), night CO2 uptake percentage, chlorophyll content, organic acids levels, succulence index (IS) and superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) (EC 1.15.1.1). After 15 days of drought, plants had the best response to field transfer, with increase in CAM expression, supported by the decline in total chlorophyll content and increases in the night CO2 uptake percentage, WEU, SI, and SOD activity. After 30 days of drought plants had a CAM strong response, with 100% of CO2 uptake during night, but its rapid recovery with the establishment of irrigation to saturation of the substrate, showing high drought tolerance and great metabolic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silicon (Si) is the most abundant element in the terrestrial (crust) after the oxygen. The Si is not considered essential for the higher plants because it doesn't respond to the direct and indirect approaches of the essentiality. In spite of that its absorption can cause beneficent effects for some crops, such as: resistance to pests and diseases. The objective of the present paper was to carry out an up-to-date revision of investigation results related with the resistance to the insect's pests that confers the silicon in some crops. Since more than 40 years investigation results on beneficent effects on the resistance of the insect's pests on different crops have been informed, however the information is even poor in many crops and insect groups. The most encouraging results for the reduction of pests obtained from the literature was concentrated at the beginning in rice, sugar cane, corn and others Gramineae specie, but later were informed in Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Cruciferaceae, forest specie and coffee, being the most successful results on insect species that are located mainly in Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and Thysanoptera orders. Among the sources more widely used of this element are, the scum of calcium silicate and the silicate of potassium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil Nickel (Ni) content is very dependant of the parental material that originated it. Besides, Ni in the soil surface could reveal also its contamination. The international bibliography shows total Ni values in soils of the world between 0,2 and 450 mg kg-1. At present it is known that despite Ni is essential for higher plants, an excess in available forms could be toxic and it is considered a Heavy Metal. In Cuba, studies indicate a total Ni mean content of 122,3 mg kg-1, much higher than the one pointed out by the bibliography and extreme values up to 2850,0 mg kg-1 in soils developed over ultrabasic rock (serpentinite). Nevertheless, there are no reports of high values (toxic) in crops. In present paper, it is discussed the origin and forms of Ni in Cuban soils, and its possible toxic effect for plants and animals that feed with them. Finally, it was concluded that it is necessary to establish Permissible Limits of Ni in soils, according to the soil type and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sugar industry in Veracruz Mexico participates with 37,3% of the national production of sucrose and integrates agricultural activities as growing, harvesting and transportation of sugarcane with industrial production in sugar mills. However, it faces challenges related to the fall in agricultural productivity practices derived from conventional crop management, the climate change and other socio-economic issues that threaten the conversion and diversification of sugar industry. So it requires innovative methodologies of analysis to determine critical points that threaten the environmental and economic sustainability. The goal of this term paper was to evaluate the production of the sugarcane in the supply areas of Veracruz Mexico by emergy analysis and LCA by analyzing several nonrenewable and natural inputs related to the production of sugarcane per hectare. It was determined that the environmental and economic inputs for sugarcane system in Veracruz demand is high for nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer with a percentage of 27,2%, labor 12,1% and services 40,78% of the total. The remaining 19,92% is in order of the importance to fuels and operation of agricultural machinery in the process of planting and management, pesticides and potassium fertilization, and the stage of harvesting and transportation are the most significant with 64,65% of total CO2 emissions which establishes the need of restructuring the sugarcane crops field to reduce production costs and environmental impacts to increase profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bibliometric analysis was performed with the aim of analyze scientific productivity and visibility of the journal "Tropical Crops" through the articles that have been published in the period between 2009-2013. Were quantified the number of articles published by researchers at Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Agrícolas (INCA), the number of articles published by foreign authors, national and international articles published per year and scientific category, the percentage of articles published by scientific category, the percentage of researchers who published in the scientific category five years, the level of productivity divided into three categories: large producers, medium producers and small producers, the rate of publications per researcher in each research department, and the percentage of publications by type of tax. The main conclusions of the paper highlights the increased number of international and extra-institutional authors in the journal "Cultivos Tropicales" and that few authors who have a large volume of documents and many who published shortly. The journal is included in international indexes relevant to their specialty and in different databases that provide visibility and dissemination as scientific publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to evaluate the effect of differents rates of 60 Co gamma rays to stimulate germination in botanical potato seed (Solanum tuberosum L.) with very low germination rates. The progeny seeds Atzimba x TPS-13 from the International Potato Center (CIP) in Perú, were irradiated with doses of 10 to 100 Gray (Gy) at intervals of 10 Gy and unirradiated control. It was found that not all doses stimulate the germination of potato seed, a result that could be in agreement with those presented in radiosensitivity studies for both stimulating germination and to increase the genetic variability in crops. The dose 20 Gy showed the greatest stimulation of seed germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil salinity affects food production worldwide. This shows a tendency to increase in coming years worldwide, as well as Cuban territory, where this environmental phenomenon, regardless of weather conditions, has led to processes of soil degradation, affecting crop yields of major interest in the national economy. Salt stress, causes physiological and biochemical changes in plant metabolism that determine their survival and productivity in these conditions, so plants have evolved mechanisms of tolerance. Genetic improvement offers an increase in both the recovery of underutilized areas, and yields in areas where salinity is a limiting factor or for which you work in various ways. Given that the selection of salt tolerant plants, is a long process determinedly, working in the search for efficient indicators for early selection of genotypes with better agronomic performance. These aspects are addressed in this paper focusing on the improvement as an effective tool for the selection of genotypes of different crops with better performance under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anonaceas fruits, among them cherimoya, present high organoleptic qualities, digestive and nutritious values, Annona cherimola Miller species is appreciated too by its medicinal and industrial properties in the national market as international. However, ignorance still exists on their characteristics and potentialities like cultivated plant. The current paper presents a review of the basic information regarding cherimoya and discusses the importance of expansion and conservation of the same one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last 20 years in the world, are paying ones paying attention to the problems related with the anthropogenic influence in changes of soil properties, principally at tropical regions for the intensive and continued agriculture use. These investigations are little gone aboard in Cuba, so that in this paper are presenting some results about this problem in Red Lixiviated Ferralitic soils (RLF). These soils occupy about to 150 000 hectares in old Havana province (now Mayabeque and Artemisa province), and they are one of the best agricultural soils of the country. However, they have been submitted during over two centuries to the agricultural exploitation, initially with cultivations like tobacco, sugar cane, coffee and at a later time with viands, grains and vegetables, with models in occasions of tall raw materials, most of all in 1975-1990's period. Taking the above into account we had study the properties of 38 soils profiles of RFL soils in relation with to the use to which they have been subdued, grouping in pattern profiles (under wooded land of forests of over 40 years), preserved (under pasturelands or 20-30's wooded lands years) and agrogenics (under permanent cultivation during a lot of years). The impacts in the biological activity of the soils and the decrease of the relative productivity of the agrogenic soils respect to the soil pattern were examined besides. Finally a series of indicators are proposed to the different type of soils (pattern, preserved and agrogenic) and is emphasized that the sostenibility of the soils in this ecosystem is given to maintain an adequate content in organic matter, than together with the contents and type of clay and the one iron content maintains a formation of a good structure in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassinosteroids are steroidal compounds which are required to plant growth and development and they are, also, implied in plant response to abiotic stress. The central objective of this paper was to evaluate if rice seed treatment with different concentrations of a natural brassinosteroid and an spirostane analog reduces the impact of salt stress in the seedling growth. Two experiments were performed, at the first one, a salt sensitive variety, J-104 was used and at the second one, a tolerant genotype, Ginés, was employed. In both experiments, the seeds were treated, for 24 hours, with different concentrations (0; 0,01; 0,1 y 1,0 µmol.L-1) of a natural brassinosteroid, 24-epibrassinolide, and an spirostanic analog of brassinosteroids, 25(R)-3α,5α, dihydroxy-5α-spirostan-6-one, which formulation is known as BIOBRAS-16. After germination, the seedlings were placed in pots containing Hoagland diluted nutritive solution with the addition or not of 100 mmol.L-1 sodium chloride. In the first experiment, the seedlings remaining during eleven days in a growth room with 12 h photoperiod and 25±2°C temperature; while in the second one, the seedlings were grown for thirteen days at a 28±2°C temperature. At the end of the experiments, root and shoot length and dry mass were evaluated. Results showed that 24-epibrassinolide and BIOBRAS-16 were able to reverse partially the seedling growth inhibition of both rice genotypes induced by the presence of sodium chloride; being the more effective treatments in the tolerant variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last years the crop of the yam comes presenting a considerable increment, occupying a new dimension in the alimentary chain and being present in the development of the family agriculture. In this paper was made a revision with the objective of giving to know the potentialities of the yam, as well as to gather information that can be interesting to specialists that begin in the yam, and to farmers motivated in the same one. Inside the aspects related with the cultivation of the yam (Dioscorea spp.), considering its characteristics, aspects ethnobotanical, geographical distribution, uses more frequent, propagation; as well as their socioeconomic importance for developing countries, so much from the alimentary point of view, as medicinal and industrial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The records and the knowledge of Lepidoptera larvae associated with weedy plants generate valuable and new information for this group within agroecosystems towards an integrated weed management program and a better understanding of arthropod fauna associated to these plants. Throughout 2008-2009, several Lepidoptera larvae were found in weed samples collected in the Caribbean of Costa Rica within banana farms and neighboring areas. These samples were identified with avalaible literature and a larvae collection of one of the authors. The records of 25 specimens from six Lepidopteran families on 13 weed families are presented in this paper, some of them are interesting in terms of biological control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry is one of the fruits of greater worldwide acceptance and is also one that has more uses, which include export and import as a fresh product in the food industry as flavoring (in the preparation or pastry shop) among others. However, after extensive studies in the crop, it was discovered that this fruit is not only interesting for its quality as a dessert, but also a very healthy food that brings a wealth of beneficial substances for the body. Although it might seem impossible strawberry production in Cuba, due to the characteristics of climate, and the introduction of this fruit began many years ago with the purpose of marketing to the tourist resorts as fresh fruit or raw material, but in the recent decades, productions have been very limited because the crop is affected by biotic and abiotic yet been observed that cultivars with those present have very poor quality fruit. And it would be meaningful to assess the possibility of undertaking programs to expand the number of strawberry production while Cuban varieties adapted to weather conditions while responding in favor of alternatives undertaken in the country to reduce imports. Hence in this paper aims to review the different methods used for biotechnological genetic improvement of strawberry such as: the application of different techniques of tissue culture, the characterization of strains by biochemical and molecular markers and the identification of genes associated with fruit ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abiotic stress is one of the most significative cause of the agricultural economic losses around the world. Plant growth regulators as: abscisic acid, ethylene, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid are essentials in the abiotic stress plant response. The molecular and the other chemical properties of the main plant growth regulators as well as their influence on plant response against the abiotic stress are described in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinization of soils is one of the most alarming facts worldwide, it remarks the necessity of find natural products which omdice the saline stress tolerance on plants. On this paper, the effect of 24 epibrassinolide (EBL), a natural brassinosteroid, on growth, proline level and lipid peroxidation on rice seedlings var. J-104 (susceptible) under stress caused NaCl during seven days, was evaluated. Rice seeds were sowing on distilled water during 24 hours, then were germinated on Petri dishes and 48 hours later, were planted on flasks containing a Gley nodular ferritic hydromorphic soil, whichs were placed on a plastic basket containing Hoagland nutritive solution, to allow the normal growth of plants. At the moment of the appearance of the 3th true live (five to six weeks after planting), the treatment of salinity was imposed with NaCI (100 mmol.L-1) on Hoagland solution during seven days and in this moment leaves were sprinkled with 24 epibrassinolide (0,5; 1 and 2 µmol.L-1). Plants were maintained on Hoagland solution during 14 days to their recovering. At the moment of the salinity treatment application, at the end of the stress period, seven days after beginning of recovering period and at the end of this period, the length and biomass of radical and aereal parts of plants were measured. Proline and malondialdehyde levels were also evaluated, as well as lipid peroxidation at the end of the recovering period. The results showed that the effects of NaCI and EBL on the growth and malondialdehyde level on leaves of seedlings, depends on the temperature during the growing period. The increase of proline levels, caused by the stress due to NaCl after 14 days of recovering, diminished significatively with the application of 1 to 2 µmol.L-1 de EBL on both repetitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional plant breeding is primarily based on phenotypic selection of superior individuals among segregating progenies resulting from hybridization. It is often time consuming as breeding a new cultivar takes between eight and ten years and even then, the release of improved cultivar is not guaranteed. Hence, breeders are extremely interested in new technologies that could make this procedure more efficient. Marker-assisted selection, often simply referred to as Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) offers such a possibility by adopting a wide range of novel approaches to improving the selection strategies in crop breeding. Molecular markers are powerful research tools that make it possible to determine the genetic makeup of plants; for that it is possible the selection by plants genotype. In this paper, we refer the significant advancements towards application of molecular marker technology for crop improvement in the last decade, in tomato. Finally, we discuss reasons why the greater adoption of MAS in the future is inevitable, although the extent of its use will depend on available resources, and may be delayed in less-developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participatory monitoring and evaluation of the local agricultural innovation processes strengthen as a change of the methodological approach, in which community, donors y politicians get together to decide how to measure project advances and what actions should be implemented to maintain and improve results. Starting from the indicators of direct effects and products, two practical tools are known for planning, self-monitoring, self-evaluating and externally evaluating local agricultural innovation processes, to let design operation plans, identify gradual progress when fulfilling the predicted goals, as well as visualize possible impacts. This paper presents and discusses information gathered at the workshops celebrated during 2007 and 2008 in the Local Centers of Agricultural Innovation (CLIA), with producers and other local actors participating in nine provinces from the west, center and east of Cuba. It shows the CLIA case of Las Tunas. Also, it presents the self-evaluation of a group of farmers taking part in the Participatory Plant Breeding (FP) since 2000 to 2008, in order to evaluate the direct effects y impacts reached, all of them set in concluded FP and PIAL projects guided by the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (INCA), along with other research and training institutions linked to the agricultural sector. The first case describes the steps followed up to change attitude by using a five-steps qualitative scale that enables to evaluate more clearly the indicators of direct effects on its evolution and where the initial value is the base line. The second case employs a group of indicators with a 10-levels scale to measure FP impact on the farm and family, self-evaluating those involved as they were and where they are today. Both forms are proved to be nice indicators of the direct effect reached on the target groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows sunspot performance in tomato fruits evaluated for two years. Four tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) varieties growing under optimal sowing conditions were studied. Results prove sunspot occurrence in fruits from tested varieties: symptoms of yellow shoulder (YS), yellow shoulder disorder under the red skin of the yellow fruit (YSD) and internal white tissue (IWT). Just a single variety presented a highly intense and severe YS, Severino Corbarese with 80,8 %. YSD was the most frequent symptom recorded in two years, followed by IWT. Global radiation and rainfall were the unique climatic factors differing within both years. The occurrence and severity of this disorder was dependent genotype; however, the interaction with these environmental factors could trigger its appearance. These results recommend the need to conduct more detailed genetic studies on the susceptible or tolerant germplasm, so that to find a clear explanation of its causes and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from some investigation-transformation experiences on agricultural systems in Cuba, this paper studies outstanding areas within a sustainable rural development conception, such as the strengthening and diversification of agricultural systems and local economies, actors' organization and participation in developing processes that make evident the movement from an eminently technological approach towards a more social and integrating proposal. Evidences emanating from investigation-action within the agricultural context endorse the benefits and possibility of: a) combining crop improvement with genetic diversity maintenance; b) making male or female farmers participate in breeding activity; c) needing to enlarge varietal selection criteria beyond the strictly economic ones, d) obtaining benefits from the double-way learning process and e) widening sustainability criteria which are not referred to specific technologies but to particular contexts in which they are inserted, so potentiating the relationship between agricultural research and the actual conditions of different productive systems. Besides, this study shows the need of a greater presence in the rural development conception designs within Cuban context, focused on local actors' self-transforming and self-developing potentialities, to conform a more endogenous and sustainable development model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice monoculture affects soil fertility, helps pest development, causes salinization and declines yields after three consecutive harvests. Thus, holding back such effects is strategic; the special agronomic rice management inexorably damages its agronomic qualities. Outlining a possible solution to the problem, the present paper summarizes the main results of a sustainable management in the rice-growing areas from "Los Palacios" Rice Experimental Station, where 31 alternatives were tested in seven crop rotation systems, besides a survey performed in Caribe farm from "Los Palacios" agro-industrial rice complex. It was proved that rice monoculture impoverishes soil physical and chemical fertility whereas crop rotation allows recovering lost fertility and achieving stable and sustainable productions. Also, the work shows it is possible to establish a sustainable rice-growing area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal crop development demands a higher application of mineral fertilizers and pesticides. The use of such chemicals involves not only high cost and energy requirements, but their indiscriminate contribution could cause salinity troubles and ground water pollution. Plant development can also be improved by using biological elements that co-ordinately act in the soil-root interface; among them and as an essential factor are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which are capable of colonizing 95 % land plants. A recent study on the microbial community associated to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has provided a fungal knowledge; bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeast associated to AMF structures have been observed. This paper is aimed to analyze the evident tripartite interaction between AMF, plants and other microorganisms, and to release the main scientific contributions associated to this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]