Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento Académico de Fitotecnia

Neltuma pallida (algarrobo) is a keystone species of the Peruvian dry forest whose persistence is threatened by overexploitation and habitat degradation, making its conservation and genetic improvement a national priority. This study aimed to identify outstanding phenotypes of N. pallida through phenotypic characterization in the regions of Piura and Tumbes in northern Peru. A stratified random sampling design was applied, establishing forest plots in 13 localities and evaluating 631 adult individuals. Dendrometric and phenotypic traits were recorded together with physiographic, climatic, and edaphic variables obtained from soil analyses and geographic information systems. Phenotypic differentiation among populations was assessed using the index PST, which quantifies between- and within-population variance components. High morphological variability was detected across populations, with s...

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the third most important food crop worldwide and a cornerstone of food security across the Andean region. However, its production is increasingly threatened by the potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc), the vector of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum, the causal agent of the purple-top complex associated with zebra chip disease, which severely reduces both tuber yield and quality. This study was conducted from September 2024 to February 2025 in the province of Huancabamba, Peru, to evaluate the efficacy of biological and chemical control agents against B. cockerelli under field conditions. A randomized complete block design was implemented with five treatments and four replicates, totaling 20 experimental units, each consisting of 20 potato plants (S. tuberosum L.), of which 10 plants were evaluated. Treatments included an untreated control (T0...

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a tropical fruit tree characterized by vigorous growth and high fruit production, making it one of Peru's main export crops. However, its extensive vegetative development requires substantial space, limiting productivity per unit area. This study evaluated the effects of rootstock and interstock combinations on agronomic traits and fruit biometrics, highlighting the potential of interstocks to modulate tree vigor in mango orchards of Peru's dry forest region. A total of 216 trees were established using 'Chulucanas' and 'Chato' as rootstocks and 'Chulucanas,' 'Chato,' 'Irwin,' and 'Julie' as interstocks, apically grafted with the 'Kent' cultivar, with a spacing of 6.0 m × 6.0 m. Tree performance was assessed after 10 years during the 2017–2019 growing seasons in Piura, Peru, under a randomized complete block design (2 × 4 factorial). The combination of t...