Quinoa is an ancestral crop in the Andean region, characterized by its adaptability to different agroclimatic conditions, great nutritional value, and broad genetic variability. A preliminary approach for understanding the genetics of quinoa materials entails a morphologic characterization, which can provide the basis for the selection of materials that satisfy the needs of farmers and consumers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the phenotypic characteristics of thirty genetic C. quinoa accessions for the selection of outstanding accessions in terms of yield and grain quality. A randomized complete block design was used, with nine replications for each accession under greenhouse conditions. Nine quantitative and twelve qualitative descriptors were evaluated with descriptive analysis, Spearman correlation variance, and multivariate and cluster analysis. The results showed that the accessions with heights greater than the average (>176.72 cm) and long panicles (>57.94 cm) presented lower yields and smaller seed sizes, thus decreasing the grain quality. The multivariate and cluster analyses established groups of accessions with good yields (>62.02 g of seeds per plant) and stable morphological characteristics. The proposed selection index, based on yield components and morphological descriptors, indicated four accessions as potential parents for quinoa breeding programs in Colombia.

Opuntia plants grow naturally in areas where temperatures are extreme and highly variable in the day during the entire year. These plants survive through different adaptations to respond to adverse environmental conditions. Despite this capability, it is unknown how CAM photosynthetic activity and growth in Opuntia plantlets is affected by constant heat or cold. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to evaluate the short-term effect of high (40°C) and low (4°C) continuous temperatures on the photosynthetic efficiency, the organic acid content (malic acid) and the relative growth rate (RGR) in seven-month-old Opuntia streptacantha plantlets during 5, 10, and 15 days. Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis allowed us to determine that high temperatures negatively impact the photosynthetic efficiency of O. streptacantha plantlets, which exhibited the lowest values of maximum quantum efficiency of the photosystem II (F_v/F_m = 52%, F_v/F₀ = 85%), operational quantum yield of PS (ΦPSII = 65%) and relative electron transport rate (rETR = 65%), as well as highest values of basal fluorescence (F₀ = 226%) during 15 days of treatment. Similarly, low temperatures decreased F_v/F_m (16%), F_v/F₀ (50%), Φ_PSII and rETR (16%). High temperatures also decreased nocturnal acidification in approximately 34–50%, whereas low temperatures increased it by 30–36%. Additionally, both continuous temperatures affected drastically diurnal consumption of malic acid, which was related to a significant RGR inhibition, where the specific photosynthetic structure area component was the most affected. Our results allowed determining that, despite the high tolerance to extreme temperatures described for Opuntia plants, young individuals of O. streptacantha suffered photosynthetic impairment that led to the inhibition of their growth. Thus, the main findings reported in this study can help to predict the potential impact of climatic change on the establishment and survival of succulent species of arid and semiarid regions of Mexico.

Background: Native potatoes are Andean tubers of great historical, social, food, genetic and nutritional importance, and they contribute significantly to food security by supplementing the household diet and also providing alternative income. Even when their cultivation and consumption imply great benefits, their use and local preservation depend to a large extent on the recognition of their ethnobotanical and cultural importance. In this context, this study consolidates an important ethnobotanical research bases for native potatoes in Colombia. Methods: The study collected data through semi-structured interviews and dialogues (130) in the municipality of Chiscas, department of Boyacá, central-eastern Colombia. The questionnaire was focused on native potatoes and sought to investigate the knowledge related to cultivation, diversity, patterns and forms of preparation for use and consumption. Likewise, knowledge heritability mechanisms were investigated and ethnobotanical indices of relative importance, use and culture were estimated. Results: Documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge included aspects such as seed care and availability, cultural management of the crop, patterns of use and consumption, as well as ways of preparing the tubers. In total, 23 vernacular names of native potato and 360 reports of use (commercial, domestic or ritual-magical) were recorded for the 15 main genotypes. Quantitative estimates included the importance index: (a) cultural, for which values ranged between 0.059 and 0.812; (b) relative, with records between 0.04 and 0.43; and (c) use, which ranged between 0.06 and 0.63. The ethnobotanical importance index (d) for native potatoes was 57.26, which corresponds to a “very high” ethnobotanical value. This allowed us to identify that Criollas were the most recognized and used potatoes within the community. In addition, it was shown that vertical transmission is the main way in which traditional knowledge about native potatoes is inherited. Finally, an artificial intelligence tool was preliminarily implemented to identify the polarity generated in the interviewees by the questions. Conclusion: The results of this research provide valuable information on the ethnobotany of native potatoes in Colombia. The genotypes used by the community of the municipality of Chiscas were recognized for their high gastronomic and nutritional potential, as well as for their great ethnobotanical and cultural importance. These data can be considered as a valuable tool to support any action aimed at the conservation and revaluation of these tubers.

The diploid yellow potato (Solanum tuberosum L. Phureja Group) is an important plant genetic resource. In this study, we report for the first time the characterization of anther development and pollen formation in the cultivar Criolla Colombia. The description of morphological and histological characters of buds and flowers at different developmental stages permitted to identify ten main stages, from the differentiation of the male cells of the sporangium, meiosis, microspores formation and maturation, to the release of mature pollen. In addition, the results provide a graphic guide of the development of the anther, through the sequential and orderly formation of the epidermis, the endothecium, the middle layer and the nutritive layer or tapetum. This microanatomical information will be useful for work focused on androgenesis and identification of gene regulation in floral biology and gamete formation. Therefore, this study determined that to efficiently obtain haploids, flower buds between 5 and 8.9 mm long (stage 6 to 8) should be used, in which tetrads and microspores are in the early uninucleate and binucleate stage.

Shotgun metagenomics is an approach increasingly applied to investigate microbial succession and functional potential in complex fermented food systems, including cocoa bean fermentation. In this study, we used Illumina-based shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize microbial community dynamics and metabolic potential across two post-harvest cocoa processing routes (R1 and R2) in Boyacá, Colombia, encompassing both fermentation and drying stages. Cocoa beans were sampled at defined time points during fermentation and subsequent natural drying, and non-host metagenomic reads were subjected to taxonomic classification and functional annotation to assess fungi, bacteria, and viruses. A clear multi-ecological succession was observed throughout post-harvest processing. Fungal communities shifted from a yeast-dominated profile, mainly Saccharomyces and Pichia during fermentation, to the emergence of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus during drying. Bacterial populations transitioned from diverse Enterobacteriaceae in early fermentation to a near-complete dominance of Acetobacter , which persisted throughout the drying phase. Viral communities also displayed structured successional patterns, with Lambdavirus and Punavirus prevalent in early fermentation, followed by Spbetavirus , Lafunavirus , and Pemunavirus during later stages and drying. Functional analyses revealed high metabolic potential for carbohydrate, energy, and amino acid metabolism during early fermentation, followed by a marked reduction in later stages, indicating a metabolic slowdown. Core metabolic functions were retained during drying at substantially lower activity levels. This integrated metagenomic analysis links microbial structure to functional potential and provides a scientific basis for optimizing starter cultures and post-harvest processing strategies to enhance cocoa quality and safety.