La producción de plántulas de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) de calidad en vivero, es fundamental para el éxito de las plantaciones comerciales. Los biofermentos representan una alternativa sostenible para mejorar producción y la calidad de las plántulas. Objetivo. Evaluar el efecto de biofermentos en la producción y calidad de plántulas de cacao en vivero. Metodología. Se utilizaron cuatro tratamientos con diferentes combinaciones de sustratos y biofermentos sólidos y líquidos. Se empleó un diseño completamente al azar con cuatro repeticiones, midiendo variables morfológicas y de calidad. Resultados. El tratamiento sustrato tradicional con adición de biofermentos sólidos y líquidos (ST+BS+BL) presentó los mayores valores en altura, diámetro del tallo, biomasa seca y calidad de Dickson, superando en un 51% al sustrato tradicional. Implicaciones. Los biofermentos mejoran la ...

Arsenate As(V) is a toxic contaminant commonly found in aquifers and groundwater that poses significant risks to human health. The effective treatment of arseniccontaminated water is therefore crucial for safeguarding public health. This study investigates removing As(V) using iron oxide-coated ignimbrite in batch experiments by varying the adsorbent dosage, initial As(V) concentration, contact time, and system temperature. The adsorption experiments revealed that the Langmuir isotherm model better fit the data (R2 = 0.99) than the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.73). According to the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity of As(V) on the iron oxide-coated ignimbrite was 4.84 mg·g −1 ± 0.12 mg·g −1 of As(V), with a standard deviation of ±0.05 mg·g −1 after 2 h of exposure with 0.15 g/50 mL iron oxide-coated ignimbrite adsorbent concentration. In the kinetic analysis, the pse...

The use of amendments in combination with Bacillus subtilis has been understudied as a strategy for rehabilitating acid soils and improving cropping systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of amendments and B. subtilis on the development, yield, and nutritional quality of the hard yellow maize Marginal 28 T variety. A randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement was employed, considering five amendments, including biochar, alongside the application of B. subtilis. The combination of biochar and B. subtilis significantly increased plant and ear height (p < 0.01), achieved a grain yield of 4.11 t ha⁻¹, and reduced flowering time by seven days. Strong correlations were observed between male and female flowering (r = 0.99) and between stem diameter and leaf area (r = 0.95), indicating improved vegetative development. Soil pH and nutrient availability...

Introduction: Monoculture is a significant concern due to its negative impact on soil quality, resource productivity, and agricultural sustainability, particularly in vulnerable communities. This research aims to evaluate high Andean soil management for maca monoculture. Materials and methods: To this end, interviews were conducted with maca farmers adjacent to Lake Chinchaycocha. The effect on soil quality was evaluated based on principal component analysis (PCA), weighted soil quality index (SQIw), and physico-chemical characteristics. Results: The results indicated differences between farmers in agronomic management, monoculture period (from 5 to 9 years), and fallow time (up to 10 years in the best cases). Regarding soil quality, the PCA highlighted boron andtotal nitrogen locations in the same quadrant, with the highest contribution to the analysis. Finally, the SQIw showed that soi...