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Agronomía Colombiana

Print version ISSN 0120-9965

Agron. colomb. vol.31 no.2 Bogotá May/Aug. 2013

 

EDITORIAL

Agriculture is an essential human activity with a social function that shapes civilization; and is vital to the survival and well-being of humanity. This idea forms the cornerstone for the Facultad de Agronomía with its 50 years of pursuing the mission of preserving, assimilating, developing and sharing universal agronomic knowledge through its continuous research, teachings, continuing education and interactions with the global academic community and the national production sectors for the benefit of the university, society and the government.

Thanks to the combined endeavor of many people, especially the joint efforts of teachers, students, graduates and administrators, the Facultad has graduated 3251 individuals in 55 classes since the creation of its Ingeniería Agronómica program in 1963 and has offered postgraduate programs since 1969, initially as master programs in conjunction with the Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario ICA and, starting in 1983, through the Escuela de Posgrados. In 1995, the doctorate program was opened with a basis in high-level research. Furthermore, its journal Agronomia Colombiana has been sharing knowledge since 1983 and, in that time, has published 783 technical-scientific articles that were produced by the research of students and professors of the Departamento de Agronomía and by domestic and international entities.

The Facultad has the necessary infrastructure and the notable talent of its research professors who have postgraduate degrees and the required foundation to provide leadership in teaching, research and continuing education, thereby contributing the necessary support for the international integration of the Colombian economy, especially the agricultural sector, due to the fact that, in the global context, knowledge, innovation and technological development are factors that are becoming more and more important.

This edition of Agronomia Colombiana continues to share research results, including the study of Plant breeing in the department of Valle del Cauca (Colombia), the selection of a population of zapallo or squash (Cucurbita moschata) with the potential for high yield and stability in various cultivation environments and the search for alternatives for genetic resistance to the fruit borer in the tomato Neoleucinodes elegantali, which causes losses of up to 70% in the department, with the finding that introduced wild species present some types of glandular trichomes and their chemical substances generate an antixenotic and antibiotic effect on the insect. Furthermore, population studies and genetic variation studies of the Potato yellow vein virus (PYVV), which infects crops in Colombia, found notable spatial and temporal genetic stability in the principal capsid protein.

Important advances were made in the propagation systems of tropical fruit plants: for agraz (Vaccinium meridionale), an arboreal species with the potential ability to repopulate cold climate habitats in the Andean region and whose nutraceutical properties make it a viable food source, an easy method is reported for the first time that can be used to create air layering in branches using NAA and Aloe vera as rooting promoters. In addition, for the sugar apple (Annona squamosal), morphological and anatomical changes were determined during the germination process.

There are two contributions for the topic of Crop physiology. The first looks at the effect of N, K, and Mg on biomass and the expression of symptoms related to nutrient deficiencies in the banana passion fruit (Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima). The second shows the agronomic response of rice (Oryza sativa) in three phenological stages to the effect of low light levels. Furthermore, this issue contains an analysis of the mechanical responses to the types of stresses that are encountered in harvest and postharvest management in sweet granadilla fruits (Passiflora ligularis) and the aromatic herb rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) for the export markets.

The Soil, fertilization and water management section, which contributes environment and nutritional model applications, starts with the integrated recommendation and diagnostic system (DRIS) in the evaluation of the nutritional state of crops, as in the study of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) clone RRIM 600 in the highlands, which found that K is the element that most limits production. This is followed by a study of the MODIS sensor, which registers information for use in environmental studies for the measurement of surface temperatures and is useful for real-time evaluations. Other study also presents another application of said sensor with a new algorithm for the detection of burned areas in Colombia.

In recognition of the creation of the Facultad de Agronomía, the section on economy and rural development presents topics related to the start of agronomy in Colombia and the creation of the Facultad de Agronomía: its postgraduate programs and the journal Agronomia Colombiana as a method of sharing research results domestically and internationally. This issue ends with the official description of Dasiops luzestelae (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) and the crops and geographic distribution of passion flowers associated with this pest species.

The Facultad de Agronomía has accomplished many distinguished achievements, found success in the pursuit of its impressive goals and uncovered future possibilities for its mission of teaching, researching and continuing education in its 50 years; and recognizes all those who, in one way or another, have helped or taken an interest in the Facultad.

Gustavo A. Ligarreto M.
Editor