No abstract

El tamarindo es un fruto importante para los pequeños productores del occidente cercano antioqueño, en cuanto a que se ofrece en diversas presentaciones a los turistas que visitan esta región. Sin embargo, algunos problemas de calidad, relacionados con la presencia de insectos en este fruto generan dificultades para su comercialización. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar los insectos fitófagos de los árboles de tamarindo, con énfasis en los que causan mayor daño al fruto. En cinco fincas de Santa Fe de Antioquia y Sopetrán, se recolectaron los insectos asociados a cada órgano, de seis árboles por finca, se describió su daño y se identificaron hasta el nivel más detallado posible. Tres insectos causantes del mayor daño en el fruto tuvieron prioridad, determinándose su porcentaje de infestación (PI). Para ello, se diseñó una escala de daño y se evaluaron 30 frutos por árbol. Se encontraron once insectos fitófagos asociados al tamarindo, de los cuales cinco registros son nuevos para el tamarindo en Colombia: H. obscurus, Toxoptera aurantii, Trigona sp., Ectomyelois ceratoniae y Acromyrmex octospinosus. Cinco insectos atacan al fruto: Caryedon serratus, dos polillas Phycitinae, Sitophilus linearis e Hypothenemus obscurus. El PI promedio para C. serratus, las dos polillas Phycitinae y S. linearis fue de 19,5%, 8% y 2,5%, respectivamente. Los tres primeros afectan la pulpa y S. linearis ataca a la semilla. El daño más frecuente (43% - 52%) fue de grado 1 y los grados 4 y 5 se presentaron en menores porcentajes (0% - 4%).

Characterization of plant genetic resources is the first step to conserve plant diversity. Morphoagronomic characterization is a method that requires a selection of sensible descriptors, which are characteristics that define a phenotype. Sapodilla (Matisia cordata Bonpl.) is a plant genetic resource and is an important part of the agricultural tradition of the nearby western of Antioquia (Colombia). However, the lack of scientific information about this species shows that it is an underutilized fruit. The local community, in its traditional knowledge, recognizes two phenotypes of sapodilla: Creole and Ecuadorian. The phenotypic diversity of 100 trees of M. cordata was evaluated from 28 morphoagronomic descriptors. The Gower distance and UPGMA method were used to determine the diversity and make the dendrogram, respectively. The Bayes methodology was used to obtain the highest posterior density intervals of 95% probability and compare both phenotypes. Trees of the Creole phenotype had elliptical crown and acute shaped fruits, whereas the Ecuadorian phenotype presented a pyramidal crown and diverse fruit shapes. The Creole phenotype had stems with larger diameter at chest height (28.8 cm), more knots (10 cm), smaller leaves (25 cm), lighter fruits (301 g), larger peduncles (15.6 mm), smaller (40 mm) and lighter seeds (30 g), and an epicarp and a darker pulp than the Ecuadorian phenotype. The farmers’ local knowledge was partially confirmed since most of the descriptors coincided with the local perception, except descriptors of color and flavor of the pulp.

In Colombia there is a large diversity of promising fruit trees, one of them is Matisia cordata. Sapoti species is appreciated by the consumers, although it is produced in small volumes by traditional productors. The objective of this research is to describe the floral and reproductive biology of sapoti, including floral visitors that act as biotic pollination agents. The study was conducted in two farms, between February/2016 and July/2017. In the first farm, floral buds were marked to follow the stages until fruit formation, pollination mechanism was studied, and floral visitors were collected for identification. In the second farm, flowers were marked to measure the floral nectar production. The duration from floral bud to ripe fruit was 269 days, the 2.7% of the flowers reached the fruit stage. Twenty-five floral visitors were registered, seven of which contacted the sexual whorls, specially Meliponini bees, hummingbirds and bats from Artibeus and Glossophaga genus. M. cordata is a prevalently allogamous species, it attracts diurnal and nocturnal animals, which can contribute to the pollination process. The flowers produced 1.6 ml of nectar with a sugar content from 6.2 to 11 °Brix. The sapoti flowers constitute an abundant and valuable resource for animals from the region.