Centro Agrícola

5-12

Authors: Juana Mercedes Pérez Pérez, Ana Nelis San Juan Rodríguez, María Laura Tortora, Lucia Vera, Mario Casas González

Azospirillum is a bacterium that produces growth and yields increments due to its capacity of fix atmospheric nitrogen and to produce phytohormones. In Cuba, the 8-INICA strain of Azospirillum sp. has been used successfully in sugarcane biofertilization and others economical crops. The morphological and biochemical characterization of this stain showed similarity with the species A. brasilense. Due to the importance of this strain in the biofertilization works carried out in our country, the aim of this paper was to confirm the identity of this strain through immunoenzymatic and molecular techniques.

22-29

Authors: Yakelin Cobo Vidal, Elio Angarica Baró, George Martín Gutiérrez, Adrián Serrano Gutiérrez, Juan Alejandro Villazón Gómez

The study was developed with the objective of evaluating the zinc content available in five profiles of Chromic Vertisol, its distribution within the soil profile and the relationship with some chemical properties. The samples were taken in areas dedicated to the agricultural activity in Mayarí municipality, Holguín province. The variables evaluated were: pH, available phosphorus and potassium, organic matter and the interchangeable cations: calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. The available zinc was determined by extraction with diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). The results showed deficiencies of zinc available in the five soil profiles, with average values between 0.23 and 0.30 mg kg-1, according to the established critical levels. The highest concentration of zinc occurred in the superficial horizon with a tendency to decrease with depth. The available zinc variability was low within the study area, influenced mainly by the assimilable levels of phosphorus in the soil profile.

38-45

Authors: Marlen Cárdenas Morales, Mayrelis Lavastida Pérez, Rosabel Rodríguez Rojas, Edilberto Pozo Velazquez, Roberto Valdés Herrera

In the laboratory of Insect Pathology of the Center for Agricultural Research (CIAP), between the months of February to June 2018, this study was conducted with the objective of determining the population increase of Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boh.) (Coleoptera; Crysomelidae) in 23 common bean cultivars. The oviposition of the insects on the seeds, the increase of the number of insects and the reduction of the weight of the seeds in the second generation were determined. In the 23 cultivars evaluated the insect reproduced, the largest increases were over Mulangri 112, P 2170, Quivicán and Milagro Villareño. The presence of Z. subfasciatus on the cultivars BAT 304 and Holguin 518 did not cause considerable losses in the period evaluated.

58-63

Authors: Justo Antonio Rojas Rojas, Cristhian Eduardo Maldonado Vargas, Oscar Sebastián Meza Zambrano, Yosbel Lazo Roger, Juan Carlos Palacios Peñafiel

The objective of this work was to evaluate two types of traps with attractants for monitoring of the black boll weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus Germar) and the striped weevil (Metamasius spp.) in the plantain crop. The treatments resulted from the combination of the two types of trap (one handmade canister 4 L and the other with pseudostem), with the four types of natural attractants, plus a control treatment. The experimental design used was a randomized complete block bifactorial arrangement (DBCA) with nine treatments and four repetitions. The monitoring of the adults captured and the reactivation of all the traps was carried out weekly. The pseudostem trap was found to have a better catch average of 3.11 black weevils and 7.81 of striped weevils. The combination of the trap of pseudostem and ripe banana fruit as attractant, turned out to be the one with the highest capture with an average of 10.82 specimens and differs significantly with the rest of the combinations. The number of specimens captured of the black boll weevil increases as temperatures decrease in the locality of El Carmen.

72-83

Authors: Angel Gabriel Polanco Rodríguez, Teresa Virginia Magaña Castro, Jorge Cetz Luit, Rocío Quintal López

The indiscriminate use of highly toxic agrochemicals and especially the herbicide glyphosate, are of global concern nowadays, since they produce high pollution impacts for the aquifer and public health. The karstic soils of Yucatan, Mexico, are extremely vulnerable to contamination of the aquifer, due to the easy filtration of pollutants. There is evidence of contamination of the Yucatan aquifer, Mexico, by organochlorine pesticides, as well as its bioaccumulation in blood of women with cancer and breast milk, due to agricultural activities. In order to characterize the knowledge on the handling of agrochemicals, interviews were conducted, aimed at farmers and housewives in the municipalities of Tekáx, Oxkutzkab and Dzán, in the agricultural area at Yucatan. To the information process were used the STAT, SPSS, ArcMap, and Ethnograph programs were used. The results indicate the use of 69 classes of agrochemicals, among them, organochlorinated pesticides such as lindane and endosulfan 23 %, DDT 13 %, heptachlor 10 %, aldrin 10 %. Likewise, 55 % of the farmers reported using the glyphosate herbicide for the production of soybeans. In the backyard production, women use agrochemicals for the production of vegetables and pest control of small animal species. The results show the use of pesticides banned and / or restricted by international organizations, as well as glyphosate for the production of soybean, representing high impacts for human health and the aquifer. It is recommended to apply the international norms, as well as educational programs with agroecological basis on sustainable agriculture, avoiding applying carcinogenic agrochemicals.

93-103

Authors: Mariuxi T. Morocho, Michel Leiva-Mora

Clean agricultural production system currently is a priority in the agricultural development programs of several countries. The efficient microorganisms (EM) since the 80s thanks to research of the scientist Teruo Higa, professor of horticulture at the University of Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan. He proved EM is an efficient and sustainable alternative in the production of food. The aim of this work is to develop and summarize part of published information in the last 10 years related with EM, their functional properties and agricultura applications. EM is a group of great microbial diversity among which: lactic acid bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes and filamentous fungi with fermentative capacity are distinguished. From an agricultural point of view, EM promotes the germination of seeds, flowering, growth and development of fruits and allows a more successful reproduction in plants. Additionally, it has been shown that they improve the physical structure of soils, increase their chemical fertility and suppress several plant pathogenic agents that cause diseases in numerous crops. From a physiological point of view, it has been determined that EM increases the photosynthetic capacity of crops, as well as up take of water and nutrients. Application of EM improves quality and reduces the maturation times of organic fertilizers, particularly compost. All these aspects explain the increase in agricultural yield and the widespread use of EMs as well as products derived from them such as bioles.