A new arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Acaulospora flava, was found in coffee (Coffea arabica) and inka nut (Plukenetia volubilis) plantations in the Amazonia region of San Martín State in Peru. The fungus was propagated in bait cultures on Sorghum vulgare, Brachiaria brizantha and Medicago sativa as host plants. It differentiates typical acaulosporoid spores laterally on sporiferous saccule necks. The spores are light yellow, bright yellow to yellow brown, (95-)105-160 × (95-)100-150 μm in diameter and have smooth spore surfaces. Phylogenetically, A. flava clusters in a well-separated clade, nearest to A. kentinensis, followed by A. herrerae, A. spinosissima, A. excavata and A. aspera, of which remarkably A. spinosissima, A. excavata and A. aspera had also been found in inka nut plantations of San Martín State during the last years. Here, we report also A. herrerae and A. fragilissima as fungal symbionts within the rhizosphere of coffee and the inka nut. The later two fungi had so far been recorded by concomitant morphological and molecular analyses only from tropical islands, A. herrerae from Cuba in the Golf of Mexico and A. fragilissima from New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean close to Australia. In this study, the ITS region of A. herrerae was analyzed for the first time and deposited in the public databases. In total, we already recovered fourteen Acaulospora species from coffee and inka nut plantations in San Martín State of Peru, suggesting that Acaulospora species are frequent and beneficial symbionts in coffee and inka nut roots in San Martín State of Peru.

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plays a major role in the economy of Peru and the world. The present study aims to elucidate the agro-morphological variability of coffee genotypes maintained in the INIA´s germplasm collection. Therefore, 20 vegetative, reproductive, and phytosanitary traits of 162 coffee accessions of INIA’s germplasm collection were evaluated and analyzed. Correlation results indicate that a simultaneous selection of characters, such as number of branches per plant, number of nodes per branch, leaf area and weight of a hundred fruits, can contribute to increase coffee yields. Additionally, coffee yield was negatively correlated with the incidence and severity of coffee leaf rust, and interestingly the occurrence of small and compact coffee plants with high resistance to the disease was also found. The analysis of Tocher and Mahalanobis D2 determined the formation of 10 groups of divergent coffee accessions; where clusters 1 (accession codes 20, 29, 38, 54, 67, 71, 117, 24, 26 and 27), 5 (accession codes 46 and 53), 9 (accession code 159), and 10 (accession code 203) group promising accessions that can be used in breeding programs. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that at least five of its principal components managed to explain 70.01% of the total variation in the collection. Finally, the high coefficients obtained for the phenotypic, genotypic and heritability variation confirm the existence of additive genes in the evaluated population, that would ensure the success of coffee breeding programs based on the selection of traits of agronomic importance.

Agromorphological characterization of cacao accessions in Peru is currently an important tool in the conservation and genetic improvement of cacao germplasm. The objective of this study was to carry out the morphological and agronomic characterization of 113 cacao accessions from the Huarangopampa germplasm bank. Tree, leaf, flower, fruit and seed descriptors were used. The data collected were processed by descriptive statistics using multivariate techniques. Five groups were formed according to similar characteristics. The accessions of group 1 are vigorous trees with an pod index of 19.27 pods/kg of seeds; the groups that presented better differential characteristics were group 2 with erect tree architecture, intermediate vigorousness, purple seed color and pod index of 20.07 pods/kg of seeds and group 3, which had the highest number of accessions with the lowest pod index of 18.77 pods/kg of seeds, besides being vigorous trees and having purple seeds. On the other hand, group 4 presented a particular characteristic of white seed color and high pod indexes with 22.11 pods/kg of seeds. Finally, group 5 accessions were characterized by intermediate tree architecture and vigor with an pod index of 21.3 pods/kg of seeds. The morphoagronomic characterization constitutes a first advance in the identification of cacaos with potential for genetic improvement and advances in the Peruvian chocolate industry.

El Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario y Riego – MIDAGRI, a través de la Dirección General de Desarrollo Ganadero, ha promovido la implementación de la Plataforma virtual “Base de Datos por Líneas y Proyectos de Investigación en Camélidos Sudamericanos”, en coordinación con el Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria – INIA del MIDAGRI, entidad encargada de la programación, registro y custodia de la base de datos por línea y proyectos de investigación, a través de un sistema de informática, que permitirá almacenar un significativo y relevante número de información (proyectos, publicaciones en revistas y libros, tesis, tesinas, entre otros) de una forma organizada para su futura consulta, realización de búsquedas, nuevo ingreso de datos de una forma rápida y simple desde un ordenador.

El maracuyá (Passiflora edulis S.) es un fruto tropical de interés socio-económico en Perú, usado como ingrediente en la industria alimentaria, estética y medicina. No obstante, este cultivo presenta un bajo poder germinativo, por lo cual es necesario realizar tratamientos pre germinativos, para incrementar el porcentaje de germinación y el desarrollo inicial de las plántulas. Objetivo: evaluar el efecto de diferentes bioestimulantes a 12 h y 24 h de hidratación sobre la germinación de semillas de maracuyá. Metodología: se recolectaron semillas de maracuyá de frutos grandes y redondos, libre de patógenos. Las semillas sin arilo fueron tratadas: T0 (agua destilada), T1 (azufre 25 g/10 L), T2 (azufre 50 g/10 L), T3 (biol 3%), T4 (biol 5%), T5 (canela 25%), T6 (canela 50%), T7 (suero de leche 25%) y T8 (suero de leche 50%) durante 12 h y 24 h de imbibición. Las variables evaluadas fueron: agua absorbida, tasa de imbibición (TI), porcentaje de germinación (PG), velocidad de germinación (VG), índice de germinación (IG) y primer día de germinación (PDG). Resultados: la mayor absorción de agua se da en las 9 primeras horas. Los Tratamientos T4, T5 y T6 mejoraron significativamente el PG, VG, IG, PDG a 12 h de imbibición. Sin embargo, a 24 h de imbibición estos valores disminuyen. El PG presentó una alta correlación positiva con VG e IG. Asimismo, la VG presentó una correlación altamente negativa con PDG. Implicaciones: El uso de bioestimulantes incrementa la germinación. Conclusiones: El extracto de canela a 25% y 50%, y biol 5% a 12 h de imbibición mejoran significativamente las variables evaluadas comparadas con la imbibición a 24 h. La correlación positiva entre las variables indica una relación directa entre estas.

El presente documento está estructurado en base a los resultados obtenidos en la caracterización agromorfológica realizada a 122 accesiones de cacao que forman parte de la colección nacional; por ende, el “Catálogo de Cacao del Banco de Germoplasma del INIA” proporciona información valiosa y detallada del cultivo, lo cual contribuirá a la identificación de accesiones promisorias para poder desarrollar estudios que conlleven a su uso potencial y sostenible.

El presente documento se ha elaborado con los resultados obtenidos de la caracterización agromorfológica de 58 accesiones de leguminosas andinas que conforman la colección nacional. En tal sentido, el “Catálogo de Frijol en Regiones Andinas del Banco de Germoplasma del INIA”, genera investigaciones importantes para la determinación de accesiones promisorias y continuar registrando otras nuevas a la colección, así como también documentarlas para su conservación en el Perú.

Dry forests are ecosystems of great importance worldwide, but in recent decades they have been affected by climate change and changes in land use. In this study, we evaluated land use and land cover changes (LULC) in dry forests in Peru between 2017 and 2021 using Sentinel-2 images, and cloud processing with Machine Learning (ML) models. The results reported a mapping with accuracies above 85% with an increase in bare soil, urban areas and open dry forest, and reduction in the area of crops and dense dry forest. Protected natural areas lost 2.47% of their conserved surface area and the areas with the greatest degree of land use impact are located in the center and north of the study area. The study provides information that can help in the management of dry forests in northern Peru.

Cattle spread throughout the American continent during the colonization years, originating creole breeds that adapted to a wide range of climate conditions. The population of creole cattle in Peru is decreasing mainly due to the introduction of more productive breeds in recent years. During the last 15 years, there has been significant progress in cattle genomics. However, little is known about the genetics of the Peruvian creole cattle (PCC) despite its importance to (i) improving productivity in the Andean region, (ii) agricultural labor, and (iii) cultural traditions. In addition, the origin and phylogenetic relationship of the PCC are still unclear. In order to promote the conservation of the PCC, we sequenced the mitochondrial genome of a creole bull, which also possessed exceptional fighting skills and was employed for agricultural tasks, from the highlands of Arequipa for the first time. The total mitochondrial genome sequence is 16,339 bp in length with the base composition of 31.43% A, 28.64% T, 26.81% C, and 13.12% G. It contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a control region. Among the 37 genes, 28 were positioned on the H-strand and 9 were positioned on the L-strand. The most frequently used codons were CUA (leucine), AUA (isoleucine), AUU (isoleucine), AUC (isoleucine), and ACA (threonine). Maximum likelihood reconstruction using complete mitochondrial genome sequences showed that the PCC is related to native African breeds. The annotated mitochondrial genome of PCC will serve as an important genetic data set for further breeding work and conservation strategies.

The population of Peruvian creole cattle (PCC) is decreasing mainly due to the introduction of more productive breeds in recent years. We report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a PCC bull for the first time. This genome was 16,339 bp in length with the base composition 31.43% A, 28.64% T, 26.81% C, and 13.12% G. It contained 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes and a control region. Among the 37 genes, 28 were positioned on the H-strand and 9 were positioned on the L-strand. The most frequently used codons were CUA (Leucine), AUA (Isoleucine), AUU (Isoleucine), AUC (Isoleucine) and ACA (Threonine). Maximum likelihood analysis clearly demonstrated that PCC are strongly related to a native African breed, giving insights into the maternal ancestry of PCC. The annotated mitochondrial genome of PCC would serve as an important genetic data set for further breeding work and conservation strategies.

This study provides a comprehensive mitochondrial genome sequence and a phylogenetic analysis of Jakumaru (Bos taurus), a prominent bull from a Peruvian breeding program. The mitochondrial genome, spanning 16,340bp, comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes, with a GC content of 40%. The gene arrangement and structural organization are highly conserved, closely resembling those of related Bovine species, indicating a stable genomic architecture essential for mitochondrial function. Phylogenetic analysis, incorporating 35 complete bovine mitochondrial genomes, positions Jakumaru within Subclade I, revealing a close relationship with European Simmental cattle. The study emphasizes the biological diversity and the evolution of the Simmental breed, influenced by natural selection, breeding practices, and genetic drift. These findings enhance our understanding of the breed's genetic variation and its evolution, particularly in the context of its importance in Peru

La quinua (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) es consumida a nivel mundial debido a su composición nutricional. Es importante conocer las características agronómicas que se ven influenciadas por las condiciones edafoclimáticas y evaluar el comportamiento agronómico de 81 genotipos de quinua del Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria (INIA) sembradas en las localidades de Cusco, Puno, Ayacucho y Junín, bajo un diseño experimental de bloques completos al azar, con tres repeticiones. Se evaluaron las variables: altura de planta, diámetro de panoja, longitud de panoja, rendimiento, severidad de infección de mildiu (Peronospora farinosa) e índice de selección (IS), en siembras del 2017 y 2018. La comparación de medias se realizó mediante la prueba de Tukey, análisis de conglomerados, componentes principales, correlación de Pearson y la evaluación del índice de selección para identificar la adaptación de los genotipos. Los resultados mostraron que la siembra del 2018 tuvo los mayores rendimientos. El análisis de conglomerados encontró la formación de tres grupos, donde el grupo tres mostró las mejores características en rendimiento, altura de planta, diámetro y longitud de panoja. El análisis de componentes principales mostró correlaciones positivas entre variables altura de planta, diámetro y longitud de panoja. Más del 45% de los tratamientos mostraron un índice de selección mayor a uno y se identificaron 16 genotipos con nivel bajo de severidad de infección a mildiu. Las localidades de Cusco y Puno reportaron el mejor comportamiento agronómico para los 81 genotipos.

El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar los costos de producción del ovino criollo. La investigación se realizó en el Centro Experimental Chuquibambilla de la Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, en Puno, Perú, al sur del Perú, a una altitud de 3970 msnm. Para calcular los costos de producción, se aplicaron los principios de costos directos e indirectos, obteniendo los datos de los registros contables del centro. En el proceso de cálculo de los costos de producción, se utilizaron precios de mercado para asegurar su fidelidad a la realidad económica. En algunos casos, también se consideraron los precios internos de ventas en el centro, utilizando la moneda local, el Sol (S/), como unidad monetaria. Los resultados revelan que, en la estructura global de costos, la mano de obra directa constituye el 77,2%, seguida de la alimentación con un 5,89%, y el personal administrativo representa el 5,65%, entre otros. Se observó una rentabilidad negativa del -3,70%. Para alcanzar el punto de equilibrio, se calculó que se necesitarían en promedio 2218 ovinos. Este estudio detalla los costos de criar ovinos criollos, ofreciendo información valiosa para la toma de decisiones en la gestión ganadera en regiones de altura como en el sur del Perú.

The quality of cotton fiber determines its value in the textile market, influencing agricultural profitability and the efficiency of textile processing. The selection of genotypes with superior fibers is a key factor for genetic improvement programs seeking adaptability and sustainability in the face of climate change. This demonstrates the strategic importance of this plant for sustainable agriculture and the global textile industry. The objective of this research was to decipher the fiber quality of Gossypium barbadense var. brasiliensis in the native Amazonian communities of La Convencion, Cusco-Peru, and to evaluate other critical aspects of native cotton that have not yet been identified. The methodology included non-probability sampling for accessibility, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and multivariate analyses. The fiber length (mm), micronaire index (maturity/fineness), fiber strength (gf/tex), length uniformity index (%), fiber elongation (%), maturation index (%), and short fiber index (%) were the fiber characteristics evaluated using the HVI method in cotton genotypes.

Background: The genetic diversity of maize in Peru includes several landraces (within race clusters) and modern open pollinated and hybrid cultivars that are grown by farmers across various regions, thereby making this country a secondary center of diversity for this crop. A main topic of controversy in recent years refers to the unintended presence of transgenic events in locally grown cultivars at main centers of crop diversity. Peru does not yet have biosafety regulations to control or permit the growing of genetically modified crops. Hence, the aim of this research was to undertake a survey in the valley of Barranca, where there were recent claims of authorized transgenic maize grown in farmers fields as well as in samples taken from feed storage and grain or seed trade centers. Results: A total of 162 maize samples (134 from fields, 15 from local markets, eight from the collecting centers of poultry companies, from the local trading center and four samples from seed markets) were included for a qualitative detection by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) 35S promoter (P35S) and nopaline synthase terminator (Tnos) sequences, as well as for six transgenic events, namely BT11, NK603, T25, 176, TC1507 and MON810. The 134 maize samples from farmers fields were negative for Cry1Ab delta-endotoxin insecticidal protein and enzyme 5 enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) using lateral flow strips. The PCR analysis did not detect any of the six transgenic events in samples from farmers fields, local markets, seed trading shops and the local collecting center. There were four transgenic events (T25, NK603, MON810 and TC1507) in grain samples from the barns of poultry companies. Conclusions: This research could not detect, at the 95% probability level, transgenes in farmers' fields in the valley of Barranca. The four transgenic events in grain samples from barns of poultry companies were not surprising because Peru imports maize, mainly for animal feed, from Argentina and the United States that are known for growing transgenic maize.

The Arnaucho chili pepper (ACP) is a traditional vegetable used in Peru because of its gastronomic properties. Due to its importance in the Peruvian diet and economy, this species is a resource that can be a candidate to plant breeding programs. In this study, the complete genome nucleotide sequence of this chili pepper was generated using the Illumina Hiseq 2500 sequencing technology. We sequenced the whole genome of the ACP using a paired-end 150 strategy, obtaining 330.46 GB of sequencing data. The genome size of the ACP was 2.98 Gb with a contig N50 of 237 Mb and 95.39% complete BUSCOs. Also, we identified 71.96% of repetitive DNA of the genome assembly, of which retroelements occupy 37.95% of the total genome. We downloaded genomes of the Solanoideae subfamily and conducted a comparative analysis of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) with our draft genome, and we identified lower number of SSRs in the ACP genome compared to other pepper species. This first ACP genome is expected to contribute to a better understanding of its genetics to adapt to the arid conditions of the Peruvian coastal ecosystem and evolution.

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Erwinia sp. strain INIA01, a bacterium isolated from lesions of Zea mays from northern Peru. This genome possesses two circular replicons, a 4.2-Mb chromosome, and a 438-kb plasmid.

Among solar energy technologies, differences exist in terms of costs, performance, and environmental sustainability. Flatplate solar collectors, solar towers, and parabolic dish systems offer high thermal efficiency and versatility, but they may be more costly and bulky compared to other collector models. This study focused on evaluating the efficiency of a cylindrical parabolic collector (CPC) for the production of domestic hot water in a high Andean region of Peru, using the F-Chart method. Its performance was estimated considering the energy demand for hot water in a single-family home with four occupants, in accordance with national regulations and international recommendations. Additionally, the collector area, water temperature, and incident solar radiation were determined based on meteorological data obtained using the PVsyst software. On the other hand, the F-Chart methodology was employed to find the dimensionless factors X and Y of the CPC collector, which allowed estimating the solar fraction factor and the monthly useful energy that can be provided by the designed CPC system. The results showed that, during months of maximum solar radiation, the CPC is capable of satisfying between 129% and 144% of the energy demand for hot water. This indicates that there is a surplus of usable solar energy in the collector during the summer, while in autumn and winter, the solar contribution balances and slightly exceeds the demand. CPC can significantly contribute to the development of high Andean areas by improving quality of life, reducing costs, and promoting environmental sustainability compared to other available technologies.

In this 8th contribution to the Fungal Systematics and Evolution series published by Sydowia, the authors formally describe 11 species: Cortinarius caryae, C. flavolilacinus, C. lilaceolamellatus, C. malodorus, C. olivaceolamellatus, C. quercophilus, C. violaceoflavescens, C. viridicarneus, Entoloma meridionale (Agaricales), Hortiboletus rupicapreus (Boletales), and Paraglomus peruvianum (Paraglomerales). The following new country records are reported: Bolbitius callistus (Agaricales) from Russia and Hymenoscyphus equiseti (Helotiales) from Sweden. Hymenoscyphus equiseti is proposed as a new combination for Lanzia equiseti, based on ITS and LSU sequence data in combination with morphological study.

El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la ganancia de peso de toretes cruzados (Bos taurus con Bos indicus) en sistemas intensivos en el trópico del Perú. Un total de 20 toretes de 11 meses de edad con peso promedio de 155,7 ± 25,9 kg fueron distribuidos aleatoriamente en dos tratamientos. Un grupo recibió alimento balanceado y el otro se basó en pastoreo convencional. Se determinó el peso y ganancia de peso mensual. Se aplicó la prueba T-student para dos muestras independientes. Se encontraron diferencias significativas para pesos y ganancias de peso (p < 0,05), constatándose superioridad de peso en los animales que fueron alimentados con concentrado respecto a los bovinos que fueron pastoreados. En conclusión, a nivel de trópico los bovinos cruzados resultaron superiores en ganancia de peso, por lo que es necesario seguir mejorando los pastizales naturales, suplementar con concentrado a base de insumos locales y hacer evaluaciones con pastizales cultivados.