The Stevia rebaudiana Germplasm Bank at the University of Cordoba, Colombia, plays a pivotal role in conserving and efficiently utilizing the genetic variability of this species. Despite safeguarding promising genotypes with valuable traits, such as late flowering or a significant diterpenoid glycoside content, there is a need for an efficient mass propagation protocol for elite genotypes. This study aims to develop efficient in vitro micropropagation protocols for three elite S. rebaudiana genotypes (L020, L102, and Morita II). The methods employed various combinations of cytokinins and auxins following organogenesis protocols. The results showed that optimal shoot multiplication (17.3 shoots per explant) for L020 was achieved when cultures were grown on a basal medium MS supplemented with 1 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). For L102, optimal shoot multiplication (18.5 shoots per explant) was achieved in MS supplemented with 1 μM BAP and 0.5 μM naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), while for Morita II, the best treatment was an MS supplemented with 2 μM BAP and 0.5 μM NAA, producing 16.4 shoots per explant. This study successfully achieved micropropagation for promising S. rebaudiana genotypes, highlighting the significant impact of genotype on tissue culture, particularly in shoot multiplication. Developing a successful micropropagation system is crucial for the conservation and improvement of S. rebaudiana, with significant implications for its future use and performance.

Se evaluaron las características probióticas de cepas nativas aisladas de ganado cebú y se realizó identificación molecular de una de estas cepas, para considerar su posterior aplicación como aditivos microbianos en la alimentación bovina. Se usaron muestras de estiércol de terneros de levante, se aislaron bacterias y levaduras, determinándose la capacidad probiótica de estas cepas mediante pruebas como; resistencia a sales biliares (0.05, 0.1, 0.15 y 0.3 %), resistencia a pH ácido (pH 3, 4, 5.6, 7), tolerancia a NaCl (2, 4, 6, 8,10 %), actividad antagónica (Salmonella spp., y Escherichia coli), producción de gas a partir de la glucosa, y crecimiento a diferentes temperaturas (37 y 40 °C). La identificación preliminar de las cepas se realizó mediante: tinción de Gram, tinción de endosporas (método de Wirtz), prueba de la catalasa, prueba de oxidasa. Se seleccionó una de las cepas que superó las pruebas probióticas para su identificación mediante métodos moleculares y se realizó el análisis filogenético de la misma utilizando la base de datos NCBI Reference Sequence (RefSeq). Los ensayos se organizaron en un diseño completamente al azar, los resultados obtenidos por triplicado se sistematizaron en el software Statgraphics Centurion XVI y el efecto de los diferentes tratamientos se analizó estadísticamente mediante análisis de varianza. Se aislaron 10 cepas nativas, identificándose molecularmente a Bacillus toyonensis. Esta investigación representa el primer reporte molecular de B. toyonensis en estiércol de terneros de levante cebú en el Departamento de Sucre, el cual ha sido ampliamente utilizado como probiótico en la nutrición animal.

Renewable energy sources are essential to mitigating climate change, with biofuels offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Jatropha curcas, the best, non-edible, high-oil-yielding species, is a leading candidate for biodiesel production. However, ensuring a stable seed supply through effective storage is critical for biodiesel markets stability. This study evaluated the physiological and biochemical viability of J. curcas seeds stored at 4 °C with controlled humidity using 1.5 g of silica gel per gram of seed over 12 months. The results demonstrated that low-temperature, low-humidity storage significantly reduced metabolic activity, embryo respiration, and seed deterioration, preserving high germinability and oil quality. Despite a slight increase in mean germination time, seeds retained resilience in germination potential and viability. Additionally, preliminary assessments of salt tolerance revealed the potential of J. curcas seeds to germinate under saline conditions, supported by analyses of mineral nutrition and salt tolerance-related gene expression. These findings underscore the practicality of optimized storage conditions for maintaining seed quality and economic value, ensuring a consistent supply chain for biodiesel production. This study highlights the importance of integrating storage strategies into biodiesel systems to enhance sustainability and market resilience in the face of fluctuating production demands.

Este estudio evaluó la actividad pectinolítica de las enzimas producidas por el aislado Aspergillus niger M6P21 (P. Micheli, 1729), utilizando albedo de piña, albedo de maracuyá y una combinación de ambos como únicas fuentes de carbono, con pectina comercial como control. El aislado M6P21 fue obtenido de un cultivo de piña en el distrito Sarandelo de Lorica, Córdoba, Colombia. La producción enzimática se evaluó en cuatro tratamientos: albedo de piña, albedo de maracuyá, su mezcla y pectina comercial. La actividad pectinolítica se monitoreó durante tres días, y los resultados se expresaron como concentración de azúcares reductores. Los hallazgos demostraron una actividad enzimática notable: 0,2816 g/L para el albedo de piña, 0,2740 g/L para el albedo de maracuyá, 0,3923 g/L para la mezcla de sustratos y 0,3046 g/L para la pectina comercial. El análisis estadístico mediante ANOVA arrojó un valor – p de 0,9383, lo que indica que no hubo diferencias significativas entre los tratamientos. Estos resultados resaltan el potencial de Aspergillus niger M6P21 para la producción de pectinasas a partir de subproductos agroindustriales, ofreciendo un enfoque biotecnológico sostenible para la valorización de residuos frutales en las industrias alimentaria y biotecnológica.

Frosty pod rot (FPR), caused by Moniliophthora roreri, severely constrains cacao production in the Neotropics, yet evidence supporting molecular breeding for resistance remains fragmented and is often conflated with findings from witches’ broom disease. We conducted a structured critical review, not a systematic review, and classified each FPR-related claim with an author-developed, multidimensional evidence classification system (E0–E5) separating directness, genetic replication, mechanistic inference and breeding utility. The evidence supports a quantitative, partial and context-dependent architecture of resistance. The strongest QTL have been re-detected only within the Pound 7 × UF273 pedigree (E2a), and no FPR locus replicated in genetically independent material (E2b) was identified in the literature retrieved and verified. Genomic predictive ability reached 0.60–0.67 under random cross-validation within one clonal panel but averaged approximately 0.16 when models were transferred among related populations; these values answer different questions and are not directly comparable. Host and pathogen transcriptomics provide correlative evidence (E3a), and recombinant M. roreri effectors show biological activity in heterologous or cacao tissues (E3b-i), but no stable genetic manipulation altering FPR in a pod-challenge assay (E4) and no documented breeding utility (E5) were identified. We propose a Phenotyping and Reporting Guideline for FPR (PRG-FPR) and MIGGA, a modular, evidence-gated decision framework illustrated with a retrospective worked example; its effect on realised genetic gain remains to be tested.