The genusBeauveriais considered a cosmopolitan anamorphic and teleomorphic genus of soilborne necrotrophic arthropod-pathogenic fungi that includes ecologically and economically important species. Species identification inBeauveriais difficult because of its structural simplicity and the lack of distinctive phenotypic variation. Therefore, the use of multi-locus sequence data is essential to establish robust species boundaries in addition to DNA-based species delimitation methods using genetic distance, coalescent, and genealogical concordance approaches (polyphasic approaches). In this regard, our study used multilocus phylogeny and five DNA-based methods to delimit species inBeauveriausing three molecular makers. These polyphasic analyses allowed for the delimitation of 20–28 species inBeauveria, confirming cryptic diversity in five species (i.e.B. amorpha,B. bassiana,B. diapheromeriphila, andB. pseudobassiana) and supporting the description ofB. peruviensisas a new taxon from northeastern Peru. The other five species were not evaluated as they did not have enough data (i.e.B. araneola,B. gryllotalpidicola,B. loeiensis,B. medogensis, andB. rudraprayagi). Our results demonstrate that the congruence among different methods in a polyphasic approach (e.g. genetic distance and coalescence methods) is more likely to show reliably supported species boundaries. Among the methods applied in this study, genetic distance, coalescent approaches, and multilocus phylogeny are crucial when establishing species boundaries inBeauveria.

Currently there are problems in improving the competitiveness of the coffee industry in Amazonas, in this context the present research seeks to analyze the future behavior of the coffee industry through a structural analysis with MICMAC. For this purpose, 14 coffee guilds of Amazonas were interviewed, followed by an external and internal evaluation and a structural analysis with MICMAC. Subsequently, future events were analyzed and validated by experts. MICMAC identified in the short term the importance of local and regional governments supporting the coffee associations in order to achieve their objectives, such as increasing organic coffee production and expanding the coffee frontier; in the medium term, a coffee research center should be created; and in the long term, studies on the different microclimates should be carried out in order to achieve a high price and international demand. The motricity and dependency study contributed to the generation of eight probable events, of which five events are likely to occur by 2030 and a desirable scenario is the ideal.

Although the coffee berry borer (CBB) is the most important coffee pest worldwide, controversies remain regarding basic aspects of its behavior, such as how this is influenced by abiotic factors of the coffee agroecosystem. In this study, we compared the level of infestation and total population per fruit under three different levels of shade (full sun, up to 40%, and >40%), for two varieties of coffee (Caturra and Catimor) and at two different altitudes (1200 to 1700 m above sea level) in Rodríguez de Mendoza, Peru. We found that the infestation percentage increases with the shade levels of the plot. The average percentages of infestation according to shade levels were 10.52% for coffee in full sun, 12.56% with up to 40% shade, and 17.99% for coffee growing in more than 40% shade; however, maximum infestation values of 68.421%, 84.127%, and 95.238% were obtained for coffee plantations in full sun, up to 40% shade, and more than 40% shade, respectively. The Catimor variety was found to be more susceptible to CBB infestation than Caturra. In addition, CBB infestation per fruit was found to decrease with increasing altitude.

Agromorphological characterization of cacao accessions in Peru is currently an important tool in the conservation and genetic improvement of cacao germplasm. The objective of this study was to carry out the morphological and agronomic characterization of 113 cacao accessions from the Huarangopampa germplasm bank. Tree, leaf, flower, fruit and seed descriptors were used. The data collected were processed by descriptive statistics using multivariate techniques. Five groups were formed according to similar characteristics. The accessions of group 1 are vigorous trees with an pod index of 19.27 pods/kg of seeds; the groups that presented better differential characteristics were group 2 with erect tree architecture, intermediate vigorousness, purple seed color and pod index of 20.07 pods/kg of seeds and group 3, which had the highest number of accessions with the lowest pod index of 18.77 pods/kg of seeds, besides being vigorous trees and having purple seeds. On the other hand, group 4 presented a particular characteristic of white seed color and high pod indexes with 22.11 pods/kg of seeds. Finally, group 5 accessions were characterized by intermediate tree architecture and vigor with an pod index of 21.3 pods/kg of seeds. The morphoagronomic characterization constitutes a first advance in the identification of cacaos with potential for genetic improvement and advances in the Peruvian chocolate industry.

Silvopastoral systems (SPS) are presented as an alternative for the protection and recovery of soils; however, the relationship between the tree component and the physical-chemical characteristics of the soil is unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the physical-chemical characteristics of the soil under four silvopastoral systems (SPS), alder (Alnus acuminata), pine (Pinus patula), cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), and pona (Ceroxylon quindiuense), and a treeless system (TS) in the Amazonas region. A completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments and three replicates was used. The experimental units were sampled at two depths, 0–15 and 15–30 cm. The parameters evaluated were pH, electrical conductivity (dS/m), organic matter (%), phosphorus (ppm), potassium (ppm), cation exchange capacity (meq/100 g), porosity (%), mechanical resistance (kg/cm2), bulk density (gr/cm3), moisture (%) and total carbon (t/ha). The results were analyzed by analysis of variance (α = 0.05 %) and Tukey's test of means (p ≤ 0.05). The systems presented strong acidic pH values (4.11–5.61), which resulted in high organic matter contents in all systems (6.74–9.99 %). The highest phosphorus content was in the SPS with alder (12.64 ppm), and the highest potassium content was in the SPS with cypress (382.33 ppm). Porosity in all systems was higher than 60 %. The highest bulk density was between 15 and 30 cm, and the highest percentage of moisture was in the surface layer (0–15 cm). The mechanical strength was higher in the SPS with cypress (2.62 kg/cm2). For all the systems evaluated, the highest carbon stock was found in the first 15 cm. The SPS with pine had the best soil characteristics and carbon sequestration (149.05 t/ha).

It is important to carry out the morphological characterization of coffee parent plants and the physicochemical properties of the associated soils in the Amazon region, Peru, in order to achieve germplasm conservation. One hundred coffee mother plants were identified and located in five provinces of the region and evaluated according to morphological descriptors such as stipula shape, young leaf color, leaf shape, leaf apex shape, young shoot color, leaf color, fruit color, fruit shape, mature leaf color, and rust incidence percentage. In the plots where the parent plants were located, soil sampling was carried out to determine the physical and chemical properties. The varieties with the greatest presence in the five provinces were Típica and caturra roja, with the greatest number of specimens reported for the province of Bagua. The predominant stipule shape was triangular (91%), lanceolate leaf shape (60%) and red fruit color (90%). Bongará reported the lowest incidence of yellow rust, as well as the Mundo Novo Rojo variety. Soil pH ranged from acidic to neutral values, low electrical conductivity, high organic matter content, low phosphorus content, high potassium levels and medium cation exchange capacity. The predominant textural class was sandy loam. The physical and chemical characterization of the soils under study show favorable ranges to encourage the best development of coffee cultivation.