Proyectos

Participé en este proyecto desde el 2010 hasta el 2013. Objetivo general Crear y transferir la tecnología necesaria que permita la producción y exportación a gran escala de cerezas de alta calidad en la zona Centro-Sur de Chile. Objetivos específicos Evaluar el potencial productivo y de calidad de variedades tardías de cerezas aptas de producir en la zona centro sur.; Desarrollar las de directrices la Producción Integrada de Cerezas en la zona CentroSur.; Transferir y difundir, comenzando desde una fase temprana, la tecnología que desarrollará el proyecto.; Proponer el diseno de un centro tecnológico y de difusión frutícola en la zona que basado en la tecnología propuesta por el proyecto, realice labores de investigación, desarrollo y transferencia tecnológica.

*El valor fue calculado en base a una media del convenio que se establece con las empresas químicas. • CHEMIE Chile. Eficacia de DC-MAX SL para el control de Neofabraea sp., en manzanos orgánicos en la localidad de Bulnes, Chillán. • ANASAC. Eficacia bactericida de Cobamin para el control de Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina en Corylus avellana, Región de La Araucanía. Chile. • ANASAC. Eficacia bactericida de Cobamin para el control de hongos de poscosecha de avellana europea, Región de La Araucanía. Chile. • CHEMIE Chile. Eficacia in vitro de DC-MAX SL para el control de Neofabraea sp. • Basf Chile. Eficacia in vitro y in planta del producto comercial Comet EC contra Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina, Región de La Araucanía. Chile. • Basf Chile. Eficacia in vitro del producto comercial Comet EC contra hongos de la semilla y estructuras reproductivas del avellano europeo, Región de La Araucanía. Chile. • BASF Chile. Verificación de viabilidad de cepas de bacterias antagonistas contenidas en el producto Ecoterra SC. Chile. • BioAmerica S.A. “Evaluación fitotóxica in vivo del bioestimulante BC-FE-12 en arándano”. Chile. • Agrotechnology. “Eficacia del fungicida orgánico GWN9999 contra Botrytis cinerea en cultivares de arándano”. Chile • Arysta Life Science Chile. “Eficacia in vivo de los fungicidas Tebuconazole y Caldera contra Neofusicoccum nonquaesitum y N. parvum en arándano”. Chile. • Stoller. “Evaluación in vivo de Sett, Stimulate and X-cyte en arándano”. Chile. • MIP Agro. “Eficacia in vivo de Ospobot contra Botrytis cinerea en arándano”. Chile.

Actualmente el control de Xac se basa en el manejo agronómico más el uso de cobre. Sin embargo, al igual que lo observado en otras bacterias como Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (en cerezo y otros vegetales) y X. a. pv. juglandis (en nogal), la pérdida de susceptibilidad a productos cúpricos es muy frecuente, obligando a aumentar dosis, con daño al ecosistema y exacerbando la selección de aislados bacterianos resistentes a este metal. Cabe destacar que ya se ha descrito cepas nacionales de Xac resistentes a cobre. Por lo tanto, para la producción del avellano es necesario fortalecer el Manejo Integrado Fitosanitario, que se basa en la eficiencia del diagnóstico, y en el desarrollo de nuevas herramientas de control. El proyecto implementará una estrategia de detección de la bacteria a través de LAMP en campo. Esta técnica es rápida, específica, sensible y se puede realizar en el huerto. Sumado, a la detección de genes asociados a resistencia a cobre. Adicionalmente, se implementará el uso de bacteriófagos como control biológico complementario al manejo tradicional. A través de la detección temprana con LAMP y el uso de bacteriófagos, se quiere promover una estrategia de control preventivo para evitar los problemas ya observados en otros cultivos como el nogal y el cerezo, donde la resistencia al cobre de las bacterias se ha transformado en un problema creciente, y con escasas soluciones viables que se sostengan en el tiempo. Los resultados que se obtendrán gracias al desarrollo de este proyecto, favorecerán una mayor calidad fitosanitaria del avellano en el país y una más alta y sostenida rentabilidad del cultivo a beneficio de viveristas y productores. Formulamos dos hipótesis: 1. La técnica LAMP permite la identificación específica de Xac y de cepas potencialmente resistentes a cobre, directamente en material vegetal en campo. 2. El uso de mezclas de bacteriófagos permite el control preventivo del tizón bacteriano del avellano europeo causado por Xac. El objetivo general de la propuesta es el paragua que permitirá validar o menos las hipótesis: Desarrollar la técnica LAMP para la detección en campo de Xac en avellano europeo y una estrategia de control biológico del Tizón Bacteriano por medio de una mezcla de bacteriófagos. Actualmente, no se cuenta con la técnica LAMP para la detección de Xac y menos para pesquisar resistencia a cobre de los aislados. Tampoco un desarrollo de estrategias de control de Xac basada en bacteriófagos, por lo que las perspectivas científicas y económicas de esta propuesta son relevantes.

TERCER CONCURSO DE PROYECTOS DE INNOVACIÓN PEDAGÓGICA (PIP) PARA ASIGNATURAS DE FORMACIÓN GENERAL/INTEGRAL.

We investigate how rain-mediated mechanical processes influence the spread of pathogens under field conditions. While it is well established that water is a primary vector for bacterial movement between plants, few studies have examined the detailed hydrodynamic mechanisms involved, particularly in the context of leaf morphology, surface roughness, and microbial adhesion. This gap restricts our ability to develop predictive models and preventive strategies for managing rain-borne plant diseases. The project's general objective is to elucidate the coupling between raindrop impact dynamics and bacterial dispersal patterns on cherry leaves under realistic rainfall conditions. Specifically, it aims to (i) characterize the mechanical interaction between raindrops and cherry leaves using high-speed imaging and physical analysis to observe the dispersal patterns of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss). (ii) evaluate the spatial dispersal of Pss inoculated artificially onto cherry leaves at different concentrations under controlled temperature and rainfall conditions, and (iii) develop an integrative predictive model based on physical variables of rain-leaf interaction and experimentally measured environmental conditions to estimate the dispersal and severity of Pss attack. Methodologically, our study combines high-speed photography, controlled laboratory rain simulations, and microbiological assays. We will perform experiments in a custom-designed rainfall simulator allowing precise control of droplet size, velocity, and impact angle. Bacterial suspensions of Pseudomonas syringae—a pathogen commonly associated with cherry canker—will be applied to leaves under standardized conditions. The dynamics of droplet impact, splash formation, and secondary droplet ejection will be recorded at high temporal resolution to quantify mechanical energy transfer and spatial distribution of splashed particles. Parallel microbiological analyses will determine bacterial survival rates, concentration profiles, and the extent of leaf-to-leaf contamination. We will integrate these results into a predictive model linking rainfall characteristics to potential bacterial dispersal distances and infection probabilities. We aim to enhance our understanding of the biophysical coupling between rainfall and pathogen mobility, establish a set of empirical relationships for disease spread modeling, and provide practical recommendations for orchard management under varying climatic scenarios. By bridging the gap between plant pathology and fluid mechanics, this project will provide a mechanistic foundation for reducing rain-mediated bacterial diseases in high-value fruit crops, contributing to the sustainability and resilience of O'Higgins agriculture.

Sistema Articulado de Investigación en Cambio Climático y Sustentabilidad de Zonas Costeras de Chile CUECH/RISUE RED21992

Promover una alianza nacional e internacional con el fin de fortalecer la red de colaboración en el sistema suelo–planta para la generación sustentable e inocua de alimentos, mediante la aplicación de estrategias biotecnológicas y académicas, con foco en el cambio climático y prevención de contaminantes emergentes, como las micotoxinas.

Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles that range in size from 0.1 μm to 5 mm. They have received widespread attention in the global environmental science community due to their potential effects on living organisms, ecosystem pollution, low recycling rate, and interaction with organic and inorganic contaminants. Although much research has been focused on MPs in aquatic ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems have been largely overlooked. Consequently, there is still scarce knowledge on the sources and occurrence of MPs in soils. After being deposited in soil, MPs undergo an aging process that involves the breakdown of their polymeric chains, which promotes the interaction between MPs and organic and inorganic contaminants. This process further increases the toxicity of MPs when they sorb pollutants from the environment, which can be transported to water bodies and living organisms. However, research regarding the aging of MPs and their toxicity is needed since previous studies do not consider realistic soil conditions. Additionally, interactions between MPs and pollutants have been primarily studied for conventional MPs, with scarce research on such topics for degradable MPs, especially concerning interactions with metal(loid)s. In general, the interaction of degradable MPs with other contaminants and their further toxicity have been overlooked. MPs have been shown to negatively affect some physical, chemical, and biological soil properties. However, results varied between studies, which have been associated with the type and shape of MPs, soil aggregate structure, porosity, water and oxygen availability, among others. More research is needed to confirm such relationships in soils. Previous studies have been mainly performed in Europe and Asia, with scarce research in Latin America. In Chile, only one study has been conducted on MPs in soils at field conditions, with other two studies regarding the effect of MPs and metals on soil biochemical properties under controlled environments. Therefore, considerable efforts should be taken to study MPs in Chilean soils. Thus, this study aims to address these gaps by considering some realistic approaches that are missing from current research on MPs. Specifically, this research will: 1) assess MPs in soils from different land uses and examine their association with soil properties; 2) evaluate degradable MPs; 3) study the ageing and adsorption capability of different MPs to metal(loid)s in soils; and 4) investigate the interactive effect of MPs and metal(loid)s under realistic conditions (including a real dose of MPs and metal(loid)s, temperature fluctuations, and soils from different land use types). By taking these steps, this study will provide novel insights into the occurrence of MPs in Chilean soils and shed light on the dynamics of soil microbial communities in the presence of MPs and metal(loid)s. Based on the above, the proposed research aims to evaluate the effect of different types of MPs and their interaction with metal(loid)s on the soil community structure and functionality from different land use types under realistic conditions. The hypothesis is that MPs will negatively affect soil microbiome structure and functionality due to changes in soil physicochemical properties, which will be moderated by changes in the type, doses, ageing of MPs and their interactions with metal(loid)s in soil from different land type uses. This proposal will be conducted in the O’Higgins Region (VI) of Chile. Firstly, in Phase 1, six localities from different land use types will be selected: an urban wetland, agricultural field, and sclerophyll forest. Soil samples will be taken to quantify and characterize the types of MPs in soil. Secondly, in Phase 2, the evaluation of different types of aging of MPs (conventional and degradable) on chemical characteristics of such particles will be performed, which is based on the ability of MPs as carriers of metal(loid)s. With information and soils obtained from Phase 1, a realistic experimental approach will be performed in the Phase 3. These include the evaluation of aged MPs (degradable and non-degradable) on soil physicochemical and biochemical properties, and the study of degradable and non-degradable aged MPs with metal(loid)s on the functionality, structure, and co-occurrence patterns of soil microbial communities. These phases are designed to be performed over three years. This is the first study focused on the evaluation the effect of MPs and metal(loid)s on microbial communities of soils from different land use types in Chile.

Proyecto de colaboración internacional entre España, Chile, Argentina y Ecuador. El proyecto aborda la recuperación de suelos degradados a través del uso de enmiendas orgánicas.