Microbial bio-inoculants have been proposed as management tools to enhance crop performance under variable environmental conditions; however, their effectiveness is often influenced by site-specific factors. This study evaluated the effects of bio-inoculation on seed germination and seedling vigor of pea under osmotic stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000), and its interaction with two fertilization levels (75% and 100% of the recommended dose) under field conditions in the Amazonas region of Peru. Under laboratory conditions, germination percentage remained high across all treatments (93.3–100%) and was not affected by bio-inoculation or osmotic potential; however, osmotic stress altered germination dynamics, increasing mean germination time from 1.85–2.09 days at 0 MPa to 2.26–2.43 days at −0.8 MPa, while germination synchrony and seedling vigor decreased as stress increased. The seedling vigor index reached maximum values at −0.2 MPa (4.47–5.29) and declined at −0.8 MPa (1.50–2.00), and multivariate analyses showed that variation in germination responses was mainly associated with germination timing and vigor rather than seed viability. Under field conditions, no significant effects of fertilization level, microbial bio-inoculation, or their interaction were detected on agronomic traits or yield, although variability between locations was observed; plant height ranged from 38.5–46.3 cm in Lamud and from 100.6–108.3 cm in Molinopampa, while grain yield varied from 698–1846 kg/ha and 8771–9919 kg/ha, respectively. Overall, environmental conditions exerted a stronger influence than microbial bio-inoculation on germination dynamics and field productivity, while the findings provide practical guidance for improving pea production with bio-inoculants and optimized fertilization.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the third most important food crop worldwide and a cornerstone of food security across the Andean region. However, its production is increasingly threatened by the potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc), the vector of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum, the causal agent of the purple-top complex associated with zebra chip disease, which severely reduces both tuber yield and quality. This study was conducted from September 2024 to February 2025 in the province of Huancabamba, Peru, to evaluate the efficacy of biological and chemical control agents against B. cockerelli under field conditions. A randomized complete block design was implemented with five treatments and four replicates, totaling 20 experimental units, each consisting of 20 potato plants (S. tuberosum L.), of which 10 plants were evaluated. Treatments included an untreated control (T0), a chemical control (thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin, abamectin, and imidacloprid) (T1), and three biological control agents: Beauveria bassiana CCB LE-265 (>1.5 × 10¹⁰ conidia g⁻¹) (T2), Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251 (1.0 × 10¹⁰ conidia g⁻¹) (T3), and Metarhizium anisopliae (1.0 × 10¹⁰ conidia g⁻¹) (T4). Foliar applications targeted eggs, nymphs, and adults of the psyllid. Results indicated that B. cockerelli mortality across developmental stages was lower under biological treatments compared with T1, which achieved the lowest probability of purple-top symptom expression (46%) and a zebra chip incidence of 60.60%. Among the biological agents, M. anisopliae (T4) reduced incidence to 56.60%, while P. lilacinus (T3) demonstrated consistent suppression of nymphal populations. In terms of yield, T1 achieved the highest tuber weight (198.86 g plant⁻¹) and number of tubers (7.74 plant⁻¹), followed by T3 (5.08) and T4 (4.24). Nevertheless, all treatments exhibited low yields and small tuber sizes, likely due to unfavorable environmental conditions and the presence of the invasive pest. Overall, chemical control was more effective than biological agents; however, the latter showed considerable potential for integration into sustainable pest management programs. Importantly, vector suppression alone does not guarantee the absence of purple-top complex symptoms or zebra chip disease in potato tubers.

Neltuma pallida (algarrobo) is a keystone species of the Peruvian dry forest whose persistence is threatened by overexploitation and habitat degradation, making its conservation and genetic improvement a national priority. This study aimed to identify outstanding phenotypes of N. pallida through phenotypic characterization in the regions of Piura and Tumbes in northern Peru. A stratified random sampling design was applied, establishing forest plots in 13 localities and evaluating 631 adult individuals. Dendrometric and phenotypic traits were recorded together with physiographic, climatic, and edaphic variables obtained from soil analyses and geographic information systems. Phenotypic differentiation among populations was assessed using the index $P_{ST}$, which quantifies between- and within-population variance components. High morphological variability was detected across populations, with significant differences in tree height, diameter, and fruit production, largely explained by environmental heterogeneity, particularly soil fertility and organic matter. The $P_{ST}$ values, ranging from 0.83 to 0.98, revealed strong phenotypic divergence among populations, suggesting adaptive differentiation rather than neutral variation. Eight superior individuals were identified as potential candidates for inclusion in a germplasm bank to support breeding and restoration programs. This study provides a scientific basis for the sustainable management and conservation of N. pallida in the arid ecosystems.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a key fruit crop in Peru; however, its reliance on chemical fertilizers raises concerns regarding fruit quality and environmental sustainability. This study evaluated the effects of soil-applied compost and foliar-applied biol on the quality of ‘Kent’ mango fruits at physiological and commercial maturity stages. Conducted during the 2022–2023 season, the experiment used a 3 × 3 factorial design with compost applied at 0, 5, and 15 t/ha and biol at 0, 5, and 10%, plus a chemically fertilized control. Results revealed significant compost–biol interactions. At physiological maturity, treatments 5-10, 15-5 and 15-10 improved pulp color, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and dry matter content, achieving a desirable yellow pulp (2.0 on the scale), 9.29 °Brix, 1.23% acidity, and 20.96% dry matter—surpassing the control. At commercial maturity, these treatments also enhanced fruit firmness (0.42 MPa), reduced acidity (0.47%), increased pulp pH (4.69), and intensified orange pulp color. Overall, organic fertilization, particularly higher compost and biol doses, significantly improved fruit quality parameters compared to conventional chemical management. These findings highlight the potential of integrating organic amendments to promote sustainable mango cultivation while maintaining or enhancing fruit quality, thus providing a viable alternative for eco-friendly nutrient management in mango orchards.

Background: Soil fertility management in mango and banana production systems in northern Peru is limited by marked spatial heterogeneity, driven by chemical imbalances, particularly salinity, alkalinity, and sodicity. Aim: This study developed a spatial predictive framework to assess soil quality across the agricultural area of Morropón Province, Piura, by integrating a weighted soil‐quality index (SQIw), specifically designed to diagnose salinity‐, sodicity‐, and alkalinity‐related constraints, with hybrid machine learning–geostatistical modeling. Methods: Soil sampling was carried out in homogeneous units delimited according to slope, texture, and soil color. Within each unit, subsamples were composed of the 0–30 cm layer, resulting in 1304 observations representative of mango and banana fields. The SQIw was constructed using laboratory‐derived physicochemical soil properties combined with environmental covariates, including vegetation indices extracted from Sentinel‐2 images in Google Earth Engine. A minimum data set was defined through transformation, collinearity screening, and principal component analysis. The variables were standardized, weighted according to their contribution to the explained variance, normalized using scoring functions, and linearly integrated to calculate the index, which was classified into five quality levels. Spatial prediction was performed using ordinary kriging (OK), random forest (RF), and a hybrid RF with residual kriging (RF + RK). In random cross‐validation, OK showed the lowest performance ( R ² = 0.245; root mean square error [RMSE] = 0.155), whereas RF improved accuracy ( R ² = 0.315; RMSE = 0.147), and RF + RK ( R ² = 0.309; RMSE = 0.148) achieved comparable improvements. Results: A reduced RF + RK model based on the most relevant predictors achieved the best numerical performance ( R ² = 0.340; RMSE = 0.144), although it was not statistically different from the other RF‐based models. Conclusion: The resulting map supports site‐specific fertility management in mango and banana production systems in northern Peru.

The Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla hybrid is characterized by its rapid growth and high productivity, which has led to an increasing demand for its propagation in nurseries. To preserve these desirable traits, it is essential to establish clonal gardens and apply effective clonal propagation methods. With the aim of advancing knowledge on asexual propagation techniques, this study evaluates the influence of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and a commercial formulation combining IBA and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on the rooting and root development of cuttings of this hybrid. To achieve this, cuttings were collected from a clonal garden and subjected to five rooting treatments: T0 (control) with 0 ppm IBA; T1 with 1,000 ppm IBA; T2 with 1,500 ppm IBA; T3 with 2,000 ppm IBA; and T4, a commercial formulation containing 4,000 ppm NAA and 1,000 ppm IBA. The experiment was conducted under a completely randomized design (CRD) with 90 experimental units. After treatment application, the cuttings were placed in a greenhouse for 30 days. At the end of this period, rooting percentage, mortality rate, number of roots, root length, and root dry weight were assessed. The results indicated that T2 and T4 exhibited the best performance in terms of rooting and root development. Furthermore, comparison with other studies revealed that excessively high concentrations of IBA can exert toxic effects on cuttings. Overall, the study concludes that IBA, either alone or in combination with NAA, positively influences the rhizogenesis process of Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla cuttings, increasing rooting percentage by up to 62% compared to the control.