Explaining Andean Potato Weevils in Relation to Local and Landscape Features: A Facilitated Ecoinformatics Approach

BACKGROUND: Pest impact on an agricultural field is jointly influenced by local and landscape features. Rarely, however, are these features studied together. The present study applies a "facilitated ecoinformatics" approach to jointly screen many local and landscape features of suspected importance to Andean potato weevils (Premnotrypes spp.), the most serious pests of potatoes in the high Andes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We generated a comprehensive list of predictors of weevil damage, including both local and landscape features deemed important by farmers and researchers. To test their importance, we assembled an observational dataset measuring these features across 138 randomly-selected potato fields in Huancavelica, Peru. Data for local features were generated primarily by participating farmers who were trained to maintain records of their management operations. An information theoretic approach to modeling the data resulted in 131,071 models, the best of which explained 40.2-46.4% of the observed variance in infestations. The best model considering both local and landscape features strongly outperformed the best models considering them in isolation. Multi-model inferences confirmed many, but not all of the expected patterns, and suggested gaps in local knowledge for Andean potato weevils. The most important predictors were the field's perimeter-to-area ratio, the number of nearby potato storage units, the amount of potatoes planted in close proximity to the field, and the number of insecticide treatments made early in the season. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Results underscored the need to refine the timing of insecticide applications and to explore adjustments in potato hilling as potential control tactics for Andean weevils. We believe our study illustrates the potential of ecoinformatics research to help streamline IPM learning in agricultural learning collaboratives

Maria Huanca, nueva variedad de papa resistente al nematodo de quiste de la papa (Globodera pallida)

Desde 1980 el Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) ha estado enviando clones de papa a varios investigadores del Programa Nacional de Papa del Perú adscrito al Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agraria y Agroindustrial (INIAA), para evaluar su comportamiento y resistencia al nemátodo quiste de la papa con el objeto de seleccionar variedades resistentes. En 1983, el CIPA IV del INIAA, en La Libertad (Sierra Norte del Perú), seleccionó un clon sobresaliente, identificado como 279142.12 ó G3. Después de varias pruebas, el clon fue liberado en 1987 con el nombre de María Huanca, y es la primera variedad resistente a las razas P4A y P5A de G. pallida en el Perú y Latinoamérica. Esta variedad proviene de un cruce entre S. tuberosum subsp. andigena y un híbrido de 5. tuberosum subsp. tuberosum x S. vernei. Los tubérculos son oblongos, de piel rojiza, la pulpa es blanca, ocasionalmente con estrías moradas. La planta es erecta y alcanza una altura de 80 cm con pequeños folíolos de color verde oscuro; tiene el fenotipo de andigena. Los rendimientos de las Estaciones Experimentales variaron entre 30 y 60 t/ha y en campos de agricultores de 20 a 30 t/ha. Además de su resistencia al nemátodo del quiste de la papa, esta variedad es también resistente a las razas 1 y 2 de la verruga (Synchitrium endobioticum), inmune a PVY e hipersensitiva a la raza común de PVY. Es tolerante a rancha (Phytophthora infestans) y al carbón de la papa (Tecaphora solani); susceptible a roña (Spongospora subterranea),rizoctoniasis (Rhizoctonia solani), oidium (Erysiphe cichoracearum) y a mancha foliar (Phoma andigena)

Delaying surgery for patients with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection

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