In Ecuador, since 2005 in the northern Amazon, trinitario hybrid cacao mother plants characterized by early and abundant fruiting, known as “Super árbol”, have been identified. This genetic material was disseminated in the region, but most of the available information corresponds to empirical knowledge. In this sense, the present study aimed to evaluate different fermentation techniques in the “Super árbol” cocoa by analyzing physical and chemical variables in the climatic conditions of the Joya de Los Sachas canton to establish differences between the group of genetic material of the “Super árbol” cocoa with respect to the “Arriba” variety, which is considered a reference in Ecuador. The physical and chemical parameters evaluated were: fermentation rate, weight of 100 beans, pH cotyledon, beans shell, protein, ash, lipid, and total polyphenols. The study was conducted under a completely randomized design with three factors. A Spearman correlation analysis was performed, followed by the establishment of a model for each variable and the use of Tukey’s test to establish the difference between means of treatments and a Levene’s test to test homogeneity. The “Super árbol” cocoa reported fermentation percentages between 64.33 and 95%, testa percentages between 13.28 and 18.08%, and polyphenol content between 48.46–55.54 GAE/g DW. Thus, this genetic material of the “Super árbol” trinity group has characteristics that reach higher fermentation percentages compared with the “Arriba” variety. In addition, it has a lower polyphenol content (less bitter and astringent), which leads to a better-quality raw chocolate material.

En la actualidad, las exigencias de los consumidores están enfocados en la búsqueda de nuevos productos con propiedades funcionales y medicinales que puedan proporcionar un valor nutritivo y otros componentes importantes que favorecen a la salud. En este contexto, estos alimentos están evolucionando como una estrategia potencial en la prevención de enfermedades crónicas porque tienen efectos beneficiosos fisiológicos, debido a que poseen compuestos bioactivos relacionados con propiedades analgésicas, antiinflamatorias, anticancerígenas, antidiabéticas, hepatoprotectoras, nefrógenas y antioxidantes; éstos componentes están contenidos en diversas plantas de los cultivos de la agrobiodiversidad de la Amazonía ecuatoriana. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar especies vegetales con características funcionales y medicinales que contribuyan a mejorar el sistema inmunológico, para lo cual se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura disponible en plataformas digitales, lo que permitió identificar 15 especies con características funcionales y medicinales por sus propiedades antioxidantes, inmunoestimulantes, antiinflamatorias, antioxidantes, antivirales, antimicrobianas, antifúngicas, y anticancerígenas. Estas especies constituyen una alternativa potencial para aportar el sistema inmunológico.

The study was focused on determining the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur in Axonopus scoparius grass subjected to nine cutting intervals: 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240 and 270 days, carried out at the Domono Experimental Farm, Morona Santiago, Ecuador. Forage samples were collected, dry matter production was evaluated, and nutrients in the tissues were concentrated. Data adjustment was performed by non-linear regression using the logistic model, and a randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The 5% Tukey test was used to establish statistical differences. The results of dry matter production reached significantly higher values (p < 0.05) at 240 and 270 days. In addition, statistical differences were found in the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur at the 30 and 60 day intervals. Regarding nutrient removal, it was determined that the order of removal was potassium>nitrogen>calcium>magnesium>sulfur>phosphorus, with a higher removal of these nutrients at 270 days. The use of the logistic model parameters allowed the identification of predictive trends through the generation of extraction curves in Axonopus scoparius grass.