The production process of recycled paper generates a significant amount of wastewater. In many cases, the companies do not have a fully adequate effluent treatment system, due to the high cost of ...conventional physical or chemical treatment systems, which leads to contaminated wastewater. Due to this problem, this research aims to evaluate a bioremediation system based on a flotation system with Typha domingensis plants, for the recovery of wastewater generated in the paper recycling process. The effluent treatment system was installed in the vegetation house of the Multidisciplinary Center for Technological Research (CEMIT), San Lorenzo, Paraguay. It consisted of Typhas plants arranged in plastic containers, which were classified in relation to the effluent concentration (100 %; 50 %; 30 %), in three replicates. For the evaluation of efficiency, physicochemical determinations of pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, BOD5, COD, total phosphorus and total nitrogen were carried out at 7-day intervals over a 4-week period. The results obtained indicate significant differences in the percentage of removal of the different pollutant concentrations, where the COD and BOD5 parameters showed removal values of 99 % and 92 %. In the case of Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus the values were around 92 % and 75 %, respectively, demonstrating the efficiency of the plant in the treatment of the effluent. This kind of wastewater treatment system has the potential to decrease the load of effluent pollutants produced in paper recycling. Therefore, this study concluded that the system composed of T. domingensis is an option as a potential phytoremediation system for the treatment of wastewater from paper recycling.
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is a worldwide known species of great importance due to its medicinal properties and pleasant flavor. In Paraguay, it is used as an alternative crop by family-run ...farmers; however, the varieties used in the country are unknown, so no information is available on this crop. The qualitative characterization would collect knowledge serving as a basis for the registration of varieties produced in Paraguay. In addition, such data are useful for future genetic improvement programs considering this crop. The present work was carried out at the Multidisciplinary Center for Technological Research and the experimental farmland of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the National University of Asuncion, during the years 2022 and 2023. The main objective was to carry out a morphological characterization of four Roselle varieties: Ana Delia, Benito, Dogo, and Creole. The design consisted of completely randomized blocks, with four treatments (varieties) and four replications; each experimental unit (block) was composed of 24 plants, distributed in four rows; 12 plants, selected from the central rows, were harvested for the evaluations. Stem color, leaf shape, leaf margin, rib color, petiole color, flower color, calyx color, calyx sepal opening, capsule shape, capsule color, capsule anthocyanin coloration, and pubescence level were evaluated. The results demonstrate qualitative differences between the varieties, which help to compare and classify them for a better variety selection.
Medicinal and aromatic plants are part of the Latin American culture, ethnobotanical knowledge inherited by our ancestors. Medicinal plants play a preventive, palliative or curative role. Whole ...plants or specific parts of plants can be used for medicinal purposes and alternatively, they can be used as raw material in the pharmaceutical industry. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 80% of the world's population regularly uses traditional medicines to meet primary health needs. Given the diversity of medicinal plants and the diversity of the ecological environments in which they grow, the production of these plants tends to be very complex, which is why most of their suppliers use the extractive system instead of producing them on plots and properly prepared fields. Some species are well domesticated and there are very efficient production systems, constituting an important commercial item. In Paraguay, the production and commerce of this item exceed 50.000 tons per year, contributing to the national Gross Domestic Product with an export of more than 3,000,000 US dollars per year. The production and management of medicinal and aromatic plants annually generates tons of waste that are wasted, even constituting a problem for their final disposal. The objective of the research was to describe different alternatives for the use of residues from the production of medicinal and aromatic plants in San Pedro and convert them into commodities, to achieve this, an analysis of production and possible solutions was carried out. Alternatives for the use of waste are described and offered, turning them into usable and marketable commodities.
•Agrobacterium pusense strain CMT1 was isolated from nodules of non-inoculated Roundup Ready (RR) soybean plants (Glycine max L. Merrill), in Paraguay.•The genome of this strain had 338,984,909 bp; ...59.2 %G + C content; 377648 bp N50; 5 L50; 55 contigs; 51 RNAs and 5272 predicted coding DNA sequences.•Based on the highest similarity of the 16S rRNA gene sequence and overall genome-relatedness indices (OGRIs), this strain was taxonomically affiliated with Agrobacterium pusense.•Based on genome mining, strain CMT1 is a promising plant growth-promoting bacterium.
Strain CMT1 was isolated from nodules of non-inoculated Roundup Ready (RR) soybean plants (Glycine max L. Merrill), which were collected in fields in Itauguá, Paraguay. The genome of this strain had 338,984,909 bp; 59.2 % G + C content; 377648 bp N50; 5 L50; 55 contigs; 51 RNAs and 5,272 predicted coding DNA sequences (CDS) distributed in 327 subsystems. Based on overall genome-relatedness indices (OGRIs), this strain was taxonomically affiliated with Agrobacterium pusense. Based on genome mining, strain CMT1 is a promising plant growth-promoting bacterium that could be validated in agricultural fields for increasing soybean yield and quality, diminishing the economic, environmental, and health costs of non-sustainable food production.
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The objective of this research project was to evaluate the implementation of a phytoremediation system for the effluents generated by the National Cancer Institute (INCAN), Central Department, ...Paraguay to contribute to the management of the liquid waste that it generates. The system consisted of a set of three pools, in which were made up of floating Typha domingensis Pers plants, at an approximate density of 10 plants per m2, all the roots formed a filter, which was in direct contact with the effluent. The effluent was of continuous flow; the flows of entry and exit were regulated according to the generation of liquid waste by INCAN. There were 5 measurements made with an interval of 7 days for each measurement, at a point of entry and exit of the effluent, to determine the system. The parameters evaluated were: BOD5, COD, NTK, PT, pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and fecal coliforms. The results showed a considerable reduction of the pollutants generated for all the parameters evaluated, obtaining an efficiency of 67.9 to 92.4% in the evaluated parameters, indicating that it is very feasible to implement this type of systems for phytodepuration of liquid waste.
Genetic breeding of plants has the goal of obtaining the genotypes that produce the characteristics with better adaptation for human needs in certain circumstances. Plant Genetics offered the breeder ...the knowledge to make his work more efficient. Almost all modern varieties come from traditional breeding. Other methods such as the induction of mutations, the use of somaclonal variation alone or in combination with the above, and the transfer of foreign genes by genetic engineering have been used with point results. In 2010, the use of nuclear technology as a tool in the genetic crops breeding, supported by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was incorporated in Paraguay. Faced with a society that consumes products generated by the induction of mutations and irradiated food for its conservation, we pose the challenge of probing how the population perceives the use of nuclear technology; to achieve this goal, we applied a survey at the entrance of supermarkets in Asunción. We are faced with a scenario with an population with practically complete level of schooling, able to understand, to reason and to express an opinion on a specific topic. It is reported mostly on the internet, social networks and television. In terms of nuclear technology, while 91% believe that it is risky, more than half of those who have ever heard of it think it can be beneficial.
La mejora genética de plantas tiene como fin último obtener los genotipos que produzcan los caracteres que mejor se adapten a las necesidades del hombre en unas circunstancias determinadas. La ...Genética Vegetal le ofreció al mejorador los conocimientos para hacer más eficiente su trabajo. La casi totalidad de las variedades modernas provienen del mejoramiento tradicional. Otros métodos tales como la inducción de mutaciones, el aprovechamiento de la variación somaclonal sola o combinada con la anterior y la transferencia de genes foráneos poringeniería genética se han usado con resultados puntuales. En el año 2010, se incorporó en el Paraguay el empleo de la tecnología nuclear como herramienta en el mejoramiento genético de cultivos, apoyado por el Organismo Internacional de Energía Atómica (OIEA). Frente a unasociedad que consume productos generados por inducción de mutaciones y alimentos irradiados para su conservación, nos planteamos el desafío de sondear cómo percibe la población asuncena la utilización de la tecnología nuclear; para lograr dicho objetivo, aplicamos una encuesta en la entrada de supermercados de Asunción. Nos encontramos frente a un escenario con un público con nivel de escolarización prácticamente completo, capaz de entender, razonar y emitir una opinión sobre un tema determinado. Se informa en su mayoría en internet, las redes sociales yla televisión. En términos de tecnología nuclear, si bien el 91% cree que es riesgosa, más de la mitad de los que alguna vez oyó hablar de la misma piensa que puede ser beneficiosa.
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