Oregano from Socoroma (Atacama Desert) is characterized by its unique organoleptic properties and distinctive flavor and it is produced using ancestral pesticide-free agricultural practices performed by the Aymara communities. The cultivation in this zone is carried out under extreme conditions where the standard production of different crops is limited by several environmental factors, including aridity, high concentration of salts, and boron among others. However, oregano plants are associated with microorganisms that mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses present in this site. In this work, the S57 strain (member of the Pseudomonas genus that is closely related to Pseudomonas lini) was isolated from roots of oregano plants, which are grown in soils with high content of non-sodium salts and aluminum. This bacterium stimulates the growth of Micro-Tom tomato plants irrigated with saline-boric water. Moreover, it controls the growth of phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis cinerea and the nematode Meloidogyne incognita under saline-boric conditions. Together with the high levels of bacterial biomass (~47 g/L), these results allow the establishment of the bases for developing a potential new agricultural bioproduct useful for arid and semiarid environments where commercial biological products show erratic behavior.

Physalis peruviana L. belongs to the Solanaceae family and produces a spherical fruit used to treat various diseases. However, the chemical composition, nutritional characterization, and bioactive properties of the P. peruviana growing in the Andean region of the Atacama Desert have not been conducted so far. The results showed clear differences in the nutritional and bioactive characteristics of the fruits grown in arid environmental conditions, which were comparable to those from countries with a production tradition. The fruits studied showed a higher Ca, Cu, Mn, P, and Zn content and bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and tannins than those reported in the literature. UHPLC was performed to determine the main phenols. Gallic acid was identified as the predominant phenolic compound in this species (303.63 mg/100 g FW), of which to our knowledge no previous study has reported similar concentrations in this species. Moreover, Cape gooseberry extract has antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Pseudomonas syringae (MIC 0.313 mg/mL and MBC 1.25 mg/mL) was the most susceptible bacterium. Meanwhile, Erwinia rhapontici was the most resistant bacterium (MIC and MIB 5.00 mg/mL). Furthermore, it was found to inhibit α-amylase activity with an IC50 value (39.28 µg/mL) similar to that of acarbose (35.74 µg/mL). These results expand the knowledge of the species cultivated in arid environmental conditions and suggest an alternative for the potential use of this fruit to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Stabilized organic amendments (SOA) from poultry are used in agriculture to improve the conditions of the soil. SOAs favor the growth of the crops and reduces the effect of soil-borne plant-pathogens. However, in northern Chile, there are no studies to support this observation, nor have the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects observed in the field been established. This work aims to establish whether the promotion of growth and control of soil fungi in tomato observed in the field as a result of commercial SOA application can be attributed to different endospore-forming bacteria (EFB). The effect of commercial SOA on nutrient availability was determined. EFB isolated from a commercial product, and the application of bacterial isolates were compared with the commercial formulation of SOA, for plant growth promotion (PGP) and biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum fsp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL). The local tomato cultivar Poncho Negro was used given its sensitivity to different nutritional alterations and FORL. A series of measurements of growth parameters were carried out in plants submitted to different mixtures of SOA treatments. Isolates were identified by biochemical tests and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Eleven EFB were isolated from SOA, and some tests were performed to determine the PGP and biocontrol of FORL activities of each isolate. Notably, isolates BAC22 (Bacillusmegaterium), BAC21, and BAC23 (B. amyloliquefaciens/velezencis) were associated with PGP, highlighting the ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid, a trait that in many cases is key to explaining the effects of Bacillus spp.

To identify the level of knowledge, understanding, and consumption of organic food products in the North of Chile, a case study was performed with a group of patients of the Rural Health Post located in San Miguel de Azapa, Arica & Parinacota, Chile. Opinions of the nutritionist employed at the health post and a local organic farmer are included in the analysis of this study. The patients' interpretation and understanding of the definition of an organic food product was explored in this descriptive, transversal and ethnographic study. The subjects were males and females ages 18 and older of different ethnicities and levels of education. The information gathered reveals that a distorted and poorly defined idea of organic food products exists in Azapa Valley, independent of age, ethnic and/or education level parameters. No individual correctly defined what signifies an organic food product, with the exception of the local organic farmer. It is necessary to establish a campaign to produce an understanding of the definition of an organic food product, as well as the advantages and benefits that the production and consumption of organic food products would have on the land and people of northern Chile.Key words: organic, nutrition, ethnicity, rural RESUMEN Para identificar el nivel de conocimiento, percepción y consumo de alimentos orgánicos en el extremo norte de Chile se hizo un estudio de caso basado en un grupo de personas usuarias de la Posta de Salud Rural San Miguel de

We report the isolation and determination of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) in tomato plants grown in greenhouses in the Azapa Valley with symptoms consistent in bacterial canker. Determination was based on growth on selective media and serological tests. This is the first record of Cmm in the Azapa valley.Key words: bacterial spot disease, grafted tomato, horticultural crops. RESUMEN Se informa el aislamiento y determinación de