Mortiño is a member of the Ericaceae family native to the Andes that has been used by local communities for centuries. This species has shown potential in the areas of medicine, agronomy, and green technology. We used a multidisciplinary approach to review aspects related to the ecology, horticulture, composition and potential biotechnological applications of mortiño. As interest in this species grows, care must be taken to identify opportunities that justify its sustainable use while emphasizing the development of local communities. Mapping the wide variety of potential uses and the current state of conservation and utilization of this berry will help researchers to better target mortiño’s potential.

Adults and nymphs of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), were collected in the Guayaquil, Samborondón, and Durán cantons in coastal Ecuador. Psyllids were found in high numbers in citrus (Citrus spp., Sapindales: Rutaceae) and orange jasmine (Murraya exotica [L.] Jack, Sapindales: Rutaceae) trees within the Guayaquil-Samborondon-Duran conurbation; however, none was found during scoutings in the main citrus producing areas in coastal Ecuador. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of D. citri in Ecuador and the Pacific coastal plain of South America.

As in other Andean countries, smallholder agriculture is the base that supports food and nutrient security in Ecuador. Ironically, in spite of their importance, the development of context-appropriate technologies for these farming systems remains still at its infancy. Today, most smallholders in the Ecuadorian Andes practice a type of hybrid agriculture that merges traditional local practices and modern technologies. This mixture of traditional and “modern” conventional technologies does not always result in resource-efficient sustainable practices. Although they represent only part of a global solution, microbial-based technologies offer a great potential to improve the functioning of smallholder farms in the Ecuadorian Andes. From nutrient cycling to biocontrol and plant growth promotion, microbial technology applications match existing needs for technology development in these systems; however, as in many cases, knowledge gaps and context-adapted implementation are some of the challenges that slow down the spreading and efficient use of these technologies. Here we offer a review of the efforts made as of today to characterize, develop and test microbial-based technologies that could boost smallholder Andean agriculture with a particular focus in the Ecuadorian context. We also propose potential lines of action to increase or accelerate the impact of these technologies.

Although a number of works present biochar as a promising material for improving the quality of degraded soils, only a few show the effect of this material in soils from the Andean highlands. The objective of this work was twofold: (a) to study the effect of two types of biochars on two agricultural soils commonly found in the Andean highlands (Andisol and Inceptisol) and the corresponding soil–biochar–fertilizer interactions, and, (b) to assess the response to biochar of two vegetable crops (lettuce and radish) grown in succession in a simulated double-cropping system. Biochar was produced at 400 °C and 500 °C, for 1 h (B400 and B500, respectively), using hardwood residues. Properties of biochar that could potentially affect its interaction with soil and water (e.g., functional groups, surface area, elemental composition) were assessed. Experiments were conducted to test for main and interaction effects of biochar type, soil type, and the addition of NPK fertilizer on the soils’ characteristics. Bulk density and water content at field capacity and permanent wilting point were affected by two-way interactions between biochar and soil type. Biochar impacted bulk density and water retention capacity of soils. Higher available water content was found in soils amended with B400 than with B500, which is a consequence of the higher hydrophilicity of B400 compared to B500. After the lettuce crop was planted and harvested, the soil pH was unaffected by the biochar addition. However, after the second crop, the pH in the Inceptisol slightly decreased, whereas the opposite was detected in the Andisol. The CEC of the Inceptisol decreased (e.g., from 36.62 to 34.04 and from 41.16 to 39.11 in the control and in the Inceptisol amended with B400 only) and the CEC of the Andisol increased (e.g., from 74.25 to 90.41 in the control and from 79.61 to 90.80 in the Andisol amended with B400 only). Inceptisol amended only with biochar showed decrease of radish weight, while a large increase was found in B400 + fertilizer Inceptisol (i.e., from 22.9 g to 40.4 g). In Andisol, the weight of radish after the second crop increased in less proportion (i.e., from 43 g in the control to 59.7 g in the B400 + fertilizer Andisol), showing a visible positive impact of B400. The results suggest that biochar produced at 400 °C performs better than biochar produced at 500 °C because B400 apparently promotes a better environment for bacteria growth in the soils, as a consequence of more OH available groups in B400 and its better interaction with water and the fertilizer.

Background. Vegetable crops in Ecuador are produced primarily by smallholders in the Andes. Cuenca is an intermediate city in Southern Ecuador whose demand of fresh vegetables is supplied mostly by small farms located < 60 Km from the city. Objective. The objective of this study was to characterize smallholder vegetable farms located on the outskirts of Cuenca using input/output energy balances. Methodology. One hundred and four vegetable farms were visited during the first semester of 2016. Farmers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire about the inputs used by them for crop production and the outputs of their crops. Results. Most of the farms (83) produced negative energy balances with energy efficiencies ranging from 0.16 to 0.97 whereas farms with positive energy balances had efficiencies ranging from 1.03 to 1.97. The largest energy input in most farms was from organic fertilizers, followed by the planting material and direct energy use for pumping and other farm activities. A positive significant correlation was detected between farm size and energy efficiency. Implications. Our results reveal opportunities to improve the functioning of these farming systems and the need to take into account efficiency considerations in the design of technological and policy interventions oriented to improve the sustainability of these systems. Conclusions. Most smallholder vegetable farms in periurban Cuenca operate producing negative energy balances. Organic fertilizers and direct energy are the largest energy inputs used in these farms. Potential energy economies of scale were detected both in energy efficient and energy inefficient farms.

Hermetia illucens is an important species for waste management and the circular economy. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of Trichoderma reesei C2A and Pleurotus sp. as pretreatments of brewer spent grain (BSG). BSG was inoculated with fungal solution or distilled water (control). After seven days, this was used for H. illucens larvae cultivation. At the end of bioconversion process, parameters of substrate reduction and H. illucens larval development were evaluated. Chemical properties of BSG, frass and larvae were also analyzed. With T. reesei C2A pretreatment, highest substrate reduction (46.3 ± 0.9%) was achieved, but larval growth rate was lower (1.0 ± 0.1 mg/d) than that of control (2.8 ± 0.2 mg/d). Larvae of Pleurotus sp. pretreatment had limited development, reflected in their negative growth rate (−0.6 ± 0.2 mg/d). In conclusion, cultivation of H. illucens larvae (six day old) on BSG pretreated with Pleurotus sp. is not recommended. On the other hand, T. reesei C2A pretreatment enhance BSG reduction, and its potential use for lignocellulosic waste management should be more explored.