The climactic conditions limit fruit production and quality in gulupa (Passiflora edulis Sims f. edulis) under integrated fertilization

The gulupa (Passiflora edulis Sims f. edulis) is one of the main fruit trees that are part of Colombia's export supply. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of chemical fertilizers alone (control) or together with integrated fertilization (humic acids or vermicompost; two separate treatments), on the yield and quality of gulupa fruit during two consecutive production cycles in the Colombian Amazon foothills. The climatic conditions were monitored and the phenological state of the plant was related to the average temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, solar radiation, and vapor pressure deficit. The integrated fertilization with vermicompost offered better values in productive parameters (fresh weight, number of fruits and equatorial diameter) irrespective of the cycle considered, but the fruit quality attributes were similar irrespective of the fertilization treatment tested. The fluctuations of the climatic variables of precipitation, relative humidity and solar radiation in both cycles (the second rainiest and affected by the ENSO phenomenon) reduced the quality of the fruit (whole fruit firmness by 19%, dry matter and pulp total titratable acidity by 24%, total soluble solids by 8%, individual sugars by 49%, organic acids by 63% and antioxidant capacity by 67%) as well as the productive parameters during the second cycle. These results demonstrate the high degree of influence exerted by the climate on productive and fruit quality attributes that are decisive in the production and marketing of the fruit.This research was supported by the Colombian Ministry of Science through the Bicentennial Doctoral Excellence Scholarship Program to F.M. Authors thank the technical staff of the Universidad Surcolombiana and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia who contributed to the development of this research. This work belongs to the doctoral thesis of F.M. supervised by Dr. M.S.H.G. and Dr. N.G.G. and is part of the collaboration agreement between the Sinchi Institute and the UPCT

Integrated management in coastal lagoons of highly complexity environments: Resilience comparative analysis for three case-studies

Enclosed coastal seas are usually high environmental value territories that are located, in many cases, indeveloped countries often subjected to a large catalog of anthropic activities such as tourism, agricultureor industry. These more difficult to manage cases are precisely those that require more complexmechanisms to both diagnose their needs as well as to implement measures that allow the cohabitationbetween existing activities and the preservation of the natural values of these territories.This article analyzes the link between the lagoon and such activities from a multidisciplinary approach.This new perspective is raised toward implementing integrated analysis methodologies using indicatorsthat determine global diagnostics capable of being compared from one lagoon to another in differentparts of the world. To this end, a comparative study has been developed of three highly complex caseslocated in three different continents: the Salton Sea in America, the Mar Menor in Europe and the MarChica in Africa. Through the implementation of GIS-LiDAR analysis tools, an integrated assessment of thesituation and the challenges facing these three lagoons will be set out in order to help solve their currentissues. The results will enable to highlight the ability of the lagoons to absorb the impacts of the activitiesthat surround them and guide us to where their future management should be routed

Efficacy of topical risedronate and risedronate - Eudragit E complex in a model of cutaneous leishmaniasis induced by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis

An efficacious topical treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is highly desirable but still an ongoing challenge. Systemic risedronate (Ris) has been reported to have anti-leishmanial properties and Eudragit EPO (EuE) has shown in vitro activity against L. (L.) amazonensis. The aim of this work was to investigate the in vivo efficacy of topical Ris and EuE-Ris complexes on CL. Surface charge and Ris release kinetics from the different dispersions were analyzed. BALB/c mice were infected intradermally with promastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis. Ulcers were treated with Ris or EuE-Ris hydrogels. All the lesions that received topical Ris or EuE-Ris showed an improvement with respect to control: reduction of ulcer average size, cicatrization, flattened edges and no signs of necrosis. In addition, a marked parasitic inhibition of 69.5 and 73.7% was observed in the groups treated with Ris and EuE-Ris, respectively, with the IgG2a levels indicating a tendency towards cure. The results are promising and the system should now be enhanced to achieve total parasite elimination.Fil: Peralta, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Guzman, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; ArgentinaFil: Bracamonte, María Estefanía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Patología Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Instituto de Patología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Marco, Jorge Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Patología Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Instituto de Patología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Olivera, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; ArgentinaFil: Carrer, Dolores Catalina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Barroso, Paola Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Patología Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Instituto de Patología Experimental; Argentin

The Identification of Haemonchus Species and Diagnosis of Haemonchosis

Diagnosis is often equated with identification or detection when discussing parasitic diseases. Unfortunately, these are not necessarily mutually exclusive activities; diseases and infections are generally diagnosed and organisms are identified. Diagnosis is commonly predicated upon some clinical signs; in an effort to determine the causative agent, identification of genera and species is subsequently performed. Both identification and diagnosis play critical roles in managing an infection, and involve the interplay of direct and indirect methods of detection, particularly in light of the complex and expanding problem of drug-resistance in parasites. Accurate and authoritative identification that is cost- and time-effective, based on structural and molecular attributes of specimens, provides a foundation for defining parasite diversity and changing patterns of geographical distribution, host association and emergence of disease. Most techniques developed thus far have been grounded in assumptions based on strict host associations between Haemonchus contortus and small ruminants, that is, sheep and goats, and between Haemonchus placei and bovids. Current research and increasing empirical evidence of natural infections in the field demonstrates that this assumption misrepresents the host associations for these species of Haemonchus. Furthermore, the capacity of H. contortus to utilize a considerably broad spectrum of ungulate hosts is reflected in our understanding of the role of anthropogenic forcing, the ‘breakdown’ of ecological isolation, global introduction and host switching as determinants of dis- tribution. Nuanced insights about distribution, host association and epidemiology have emerged over the past 30 years, coincidently with the development of increasingly robust means for parasite identification. In this review and for the sake of argument, we would like to delineate the diagnosis of haemonchosis from the identification of the specific pathogen. As a foundation for exploring host and parasite biology, we will examine the evolution of methods for distinguishing H. contortus from other com- mon gastrointestinal nematodes of agriculturally significant and free-ranging wild ru- minants using morphological, molecular and/or immunological methods for studies at the species and genus level

Diet of Neotropical parrots is independent of phylogeny but correlates with body size and geographical range

Body mass and geographical range are two main drivers of diet in animals, yet how these factors influence diet in the morphologically and ecologically diverse avian group of Psittaciformes is little known. We reviewed current knowledge of the diet of Neotropical parrots and assessed the relation between diet (breadth and composition), phylogeny, body mass and geographical range. Diet has been documented for 98 of 165 species, but information is available only for 34 of 59 threatened species, and countries with high species diversity (> 20 species) had few studies (one to seven). Neotropical parrot species consumed 1293 plant species of 125 families. When assessing the relative frequency of different food items in the diet (seed, fruits, flowers, leaves, nectar, bark and stems), we found that parrots mostly exploited seeds (41.9%) and fruits (38.3%) of native species. Diet overlap was very low among genera (0.006–0.321). At the species level, geographical range and body size explained the variation in diet composition. In particular, small parrots of restricted distribution had a distinct diet composition relative to either large or widely distributed species. Although body size and geographical range showed phylogenetic inertia, diet was independent of phylogenetic history. Our review not only reveals ecological factors explaining diet in a generalist group but also exposes information gaps across the Neotropical region.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Agroecological management of the grey mould fungus Botrytis cinerea by plant growth-promoting bacteria

Botrytis cinerea is the causal agent of grey mould and one of the most important plant pathogens in the world because of the damage it causes to fruits and vegetables. Although the application of botrycides is one of the most common plant protection strategies used in the world, the application of plant-beneficial bacteria might replace botrycides facilitating agroecological production practices. Based on this, we reviewed the different stages of B. cinerea infection in plants and the biocontrol mechanisms exerted by plant-beneficial bacteria, including the well-known plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Some PGPB mechanisms to control grey mould disease include antibiosis, space occupation, nutrient uptake, ethylene modulation, and the induction of plant defence mechanisms. In addition, recent studies on the action of anti-Botrytis compounds produced by PGPB and how they damage the conidial and mycelial structures of the pathogen are reviewed. Likewise, the advantages of individual inoculations of PGPB versus those that require the joint action of antagonist agents (microbial consortia) are discussed. Finally, it should be emphasised that PGPB are an excellent option to prevent grey mould in different crops and their use should be expanded for environmentally friendly agricultural practices

The more we post, the better? A comparative analysis of fan engagement on social media profiles of football leagues

Purpose In a dynamic, continuously evolving sports landscape, social media have become an indispensable tool for sports organizations to cultivate meaningful connections with fans. The rapid pace of technological advancements has elevated these digital platforms from a supplementary role to a pivotal position within strategic management frameworks. The existing literature explores how football clubs can utilize social media, but analyzing social media strategies within the context of football leagues is lacking. The absence of comparative studies benchmarking clubs across different geographical regions while simultaneously analyzing multiple social media platforms is especially noteworthy. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of social media engagement is undertaken within esteemed football leagues spanning Europe, South America and North America. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on relationship marketing and employing content analysis as a methodological tool, the study examined 10,772 posts from the official accounts of eight football leagues on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Findings Across the leagues, the findings reveal that content quality drives engagement more than frequency. In addition, several format combinations were identified that facilitate engagement and Instagram emerged as the top social media platform for generating fan engagement. Originality/value This is one of the first empirical studies focusing on optimizing the use of social media to amplify fan engagement across various geographies and social media accounts and formats simultaneously