Lepidium meyenii Walpers (maca) is a Peruvian species cultivated in the high Andean region (ca. 4000 m.a.s.l.), highly praised for the nutritional properties of its hypocotyl. The benefits to human health and their relationship with the hypocotyl have been well investigated. However, few studies have addressed the factors affecting field crop performance and the improvement of agronomic practices. Here we evaluate the effect of soil properties (humidity, temperature, and fertility) and sowing method (ridge-furrow system and flat planting) on the biological performance of five seed accessions of maca in 6 experimental plots along an altitudinal gradient (3554–4442 m.a.s.l.). Plots located at both the lowest and highest altitudes had lower plant survival, vegetative growth, and hypocotyl size. Most of the differences among plots could be attributed to the acidity and the concentration of...

The protocols and culture media available for in vitro propagation and rooting of grapevine have not yet been adjusted to the creole varieties used for pisco making. In this paper we explored the use of culture media for the propagation of varieties Quebranta, Negra Criolla, Albilla, Italia and Torontel and for rooting varieties of Quebranta, Albilla and Torontel based on known standard culture media.To address this issue, 11 media derived from the standard propagation medium for grapevine (1X Murashige & Skoog medium, 3% sucrose, 1 mg/L benzilaminopurine, and 0,8% agar) with diminished medium strength and/or hormone concentration were tested. In addition, 5 concentrations of naphtalen acetic acid or indol acetic acid were tested for rooting. We found that Quebranta, Albilla, and Italia varieties show a better growth in the standard propagation medium; by contrast, Negra Criolla and ...

The dry forest of northwestern Peru is the habitat of numerous native species that have received little attention beyond taxonomic purposes. Here we report the chemical composition of the roots and seeds of a set of accessions of Apondanthera biflora, a wild Cucurbit with potentialities as a food resource. The roots show features that are comparable to those from cassava roots and potato tubers: a high content of carbohydrates on a dry matter basis (77.5 – 84.9%), with starch representing around 20% of the total dry matter. The seeds’ fat content on a dry matter basis (22.22 – 39.37%) falls within the percentages found in oily seeds such as safflower, whereas the protein content (21.37 – 29.06%) is similar to that of flax and sunflower. The fatty acid profile of the seed’s oil shows a predominance of polyunsaturated acids, in particular linoleic acid (43.81%), making it compara...

Los protocolos y medios disponibles para la propagación y enraizamiento in vitro de la vid no han sido ajustados todavía a las variedades “criollas” con las que se elabora el pisco. En este trabajo se exploró el uso de medios para la propagación de las variedades Quebranta, Negra Criolla, Albilla, Italia y Torontel, así como para el enraizamiento de las variedades Quebranta, Albilla y Torontel, a partir de los medios estándares reportados en la literatura científica. Para ello, se pusieron a prueba 11 variantes del medio estándar de propagación de vid (medio Murashige y Skoog 1X, 3% de sucrosa, 1 mg/L de benzilaminopurina y 0,8% de agar) en las que se combinaron reducciones en la fuerza del medio con reducciones en la concentración de hormona. Para el enraizamiento posterior, se probaron el ácido naftalen acético y el ácido indol acético a 5 concentraciones distintas po...

The dry forest of northwestern Peru is the habitat of numerous native species that have received little attention beyond taxonomic purposes. Here we report the chemical composition of the roots and seeds of a set of accessions of Apondanthera biflora, a wild Cucurbit with potentialities as a food resource. The roots show features that are comparable to those from cassava roots and potato tubers: a high content of carbohydrates on a dry matter basis (77.5 – 84.9%), with starch representing around 20% of the total dry matter. The seeds’ fat content on a dry matter basis (22.22 – 39.37%) falls within the percentages found in oily seeds such as safflower, whereas the protein content (21.37 – 29.06%) is similar to that of flax and sunflower. The fatty acid profile of the seed’s oil shows a predominance of polyunsaturated acids, in particular linoleic acid (43.81%), making it compara...