La Salle University, Colombia

About: La Salle University, Colombia is a education organization based out in Bogotá, Colombia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Foreign language. The organization has 2607 authors who have published 2830 publications receiving 10267 citations. The organization is also known as: Unisalle.

Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

Abstract: This article reflects on the contrast between justice and the social contract in the globalized world of the 21st century, which faces increasing insecurity and the expectations of sustainable development. It exposes the causes for the widespread global distrust that has been growing since the middle of the last century and is affecting the prospects of a safe world headed to sustainable development. It presents the agreement of the post-modern social contract in the Objectives of Sustainable Development (ODS) as the last opportunity to redirect the egalitarian coexistence of humanity, without compromising the next generations, as John Rawls indicates. It also stresses the importance of certainty in the development and security set out in these objectives as an essential characteristic of post-modernity.

The In Vitro Mass-Produced Model Mycorrhizal Fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, Significantly Increases Yields of the Globally Important Food Security Crop Cassava

Abstract: The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is formed between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant roots. The fungi provide the plant with inorganic phosphate (P). The symbiosis can result in increased plant growth. Although most global food crops naturally form this symbiosis, very few studies have shown that their practical application can lead to large-scale increases in food production. Application of AMF to crops in the tropics is potentially effective for improving yields. However, a main problem of using AMF on a large-scale is producing cheap inoculum in a clean sterile carrier and sufficiently concentrated to cheaply transport. Recently, mass-produced in vitro inoculum of the model mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis became available, potentially making its use viable in tropical agriculture. One of the most globally important food plants in the tropics is cassava. We evaluated the effect of in vitro mass-produced R. irregularis inoculum on the yield of cassava crops at two locations in Colombia. A significant effect of R. irregularis inoculation on yield occurred at both sites. At one site, yield increases were observed irrespective of P fertilization. At the other site, inoculation with AMF and 50% of the normally applied P gave the highest yield. Despite that AMF inoculation resulted in greater food production, economic analyses revealed that AMF inoculation did not give greater return on investment than with conventional cultivation. However, the amount of AMF inoculum used was double the recommended dose and was calculated with European, not Colombian, inoculum prices. R. irregularis can also be manipulated genetically in vitro, leading to improved plant growth. We conclude that application of in vitro R. irregularis is currently a way of increasing cassava yields, that there is a strong potential for it to be economically profitable and that there is enormous potential to improve this efficiency further in the future.