High-throughput seed quality analysis in faba bean: leveraging Near-InfraRed spectroscopy (NIRS) data and statistical methods.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides a high-throughput phenotyping technique to assist breeding for improved faba bean seed quality. We combined chemical analysis of protein, oil content (and composition) with NIRS through chemometrics, employing Partial Least Squares (PLS), Elastic Net (EN), Memory-based Learning (MBL), and Bayes B (BB) as prediction models. Protein was the most reliably predicted trait (R = 0.

Untangling the Effects of Plant Genotype and Soil Conditions on the Assembly of Bacterial and Fungal Communities in the Rhizosphere of the Wild Andean Blueberry ( Kunth).

Microbial communities in the rhizosphere influence nutrient acquisition and stress tolerance. How abiotic and biotic factors impact the plant microbiome in the wild has not been thoroughly addressed. We studied how plant genotype and soil affect the rhizosphere microbiome of , an endemic species of the Andean region that has not been domesticated or cultivated.

Presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on Surfaces of Public Places and a Transportation System Located in a Densely Populated Urban Area in South America.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible RNA virus that causes COVID-19. Being aware of the presence of the virus on different types of surfaces and in different environments, and having a protocol for its detection, is important to understand the dynamics of the virus and its shedding patterns. In Ecuador, the detection of viral RNA in urban environmental samples has not been a priority.

Characterizing the genetic diversity of the Andean blueberry (Vaccinium floribundum Kunth.) across the Ecuadorian Highlands.

The Ecuadorian páramo, a high altitude tundra-like ecosystem, is a unique source of various ecosystem services and distinct biodiversity. Anthropogenic activities are associated with its fragmentation, which alters ecological factors and directly threatens resident species. Vaccinium floribundum Kunth.