Abstract:

This article focuses on the main developments in element speciation analysis by capillary electrophoresis (CE) since the 1990s. A brief description of the main techniques employed in CE analysis has been reviewed with emphasis in the chemical species derived from inorganic forms and organic compounds bound to metal and non-metal elements. Analysis of the most important elemental species existing in the environment and biological fluids has been discussed employing the many different separation techniques available in CE analysis. Special attention has been paid to simple analytical methods but multiple element analysis of chemical species has also been considered. The great advances of modern CE equipments coupled to atomic absorption, inductively plasma emission and mass spectrometry as detection systems make possible to compete with HPLC for this purpose. Analysis of arsenic, chromium, iron, mercury, lead and tin species in their inorganic and organic forms has been discussed in more detail for their relevance in environmental chemistry.

Author affiliation: Muse, Jorge. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica; Argentina

Author affiliation: Tripodi, Valeria Paula. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Lucangioli, Silvia Edith. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Abstract:

Bordos were essential for the long-term sustainability of agriculture in the high altitude desert of Antofagasta de la Sierra in Northwest Argentina during the Late (AD 850 – 1480) and Inca Period (AD 1480 – 1532). Bordos were lineal humps of soil that stimulated the pedogenesis of the predominantly sandy soils of the area. Furthermore, they served as boundaries delimiting irrigation and cultivation fields. Therefore, bordos alongside other technologies were an efficient means by which viable farming was possible in an otherwise marginal agricultural zone. Besides explaining the role of bordos in the context of Northwestern Argentine agriculture this article describes the irrigation systems in place at Antofagasta de la Sierra throughout this period and compares it to the present state of affairs. Our results demonstrate that these late Prehispanic bordos and irrigation networks were well set out and organized such that use of water and soil was efficient, proportional and fair. The Inca do not seem to have disrupted these systems or local autonomy over them. In contrast, modern water and soil is characterized by a household-level decentralized management system. This situation leads to serious conflicts over water use allocations, wastage and flawed irrigation resulting in rising ground salinization.

Author affiliation: Salminci, Pedro Miguel. Secretaría de Cultura de la Nación. Dirección Nacional de Cultura y Museos. Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Pensamiento Latinoamericano; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Tchilinguirian, Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. University of Cambridge. Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology; Reino Unido

Author affiliation: Lane, Kevin John. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. University of Cambridge. Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology; Reino Unido

Abstract:

El establecimiento de relaciones entre taxones es un paso esencial en el proceso de catalogación y evaluación del material conservado en un Banco de Germoplasma. Existen distintos métodos de evaluación en función del tipo de caracteres estudiados. Cuando el registro de caracteres se repite en el tiempo y en distintos ambientes, se debe separar la variabilidad intrínsecamente genética entre los taxones de aquella que se debe al ambiente, y más aún, de la posible variabilidad debida a la interacción genotipo*ambiente para el posterior establecimiento de relaciones puramente filogenéticas. En el presente trabajo se estudia comparativamente la factibilidad de aplicación de dos estrategias de análisis estadístico para dar solución a este problema. La primera corresponde al análisis tradicional donde se realiza un Análisis de Componentes Principales sobre los caracteres promedios a lo largo de los diferentes ambientes; y la segunda son métodos más complejos en los cuales cada dato es originado por tres modos: individuos, variables y condiciones ambientales, tales como el Análisis Factorial Múltiple y el Análisis de Procrustes Generalizado. Si bien las configuraciones resultantes fueron todas equivalentes, los métodos de tres vías permiten la interpretación de la interacción genotipo*ambiente.

The establishment of relationships among taxa is an essential step in the process of cataloging and evaluation of material conserved in a germplasm bank. There are several evaluation methods according to the types of the characters in the study. When the registration of the characters should be repeated in diverse environments and times, it is necessary to separate the genetic variability of the taxa from the variability due to the environment, and from the possible genotype*environment interaction variability. Consequently, pure phylogenetic relationships may be established. In this work, the feasibility of application of two strategies of statistical analysis to give solution to this problem is studied comparatively. The first one is a traditional Principal Component Analysis applied on the average characters. The second one is a set of more complex methods where each datum is originated by three ways: individuals, variables and environmental conditions, as the Multiple Factorial Analysis and the Generalized Procrustes Analysis. While the resulting configurations were all equivalent, three-way methods allow the interpretation of genotype*environment.

Author affiliation: Zuliani, Paola. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Economía y Administración. Departamento de Estadística

Author affiliation: Lavalle, Andrea. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Economía y Administración. Departamento de Estadística

Author affiliation: Bramardi, Sergio J..

Author affiliation: Defacio, Raquel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (Argentina). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino

Abstract:

Minerals affect the nutritional, rheological, and safety features of food products. Soybeans represent a good source of minerals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the environment on the variability of mineral elements in Argentinean soybeans in field experiments. Climatic variables (maximum, mean, and minimum air temperature; solar radiation; precipitation; and potential evapotranspiration) were recorded daily during the seed filling period; soil properties were also reported. Minerals in soybeans were determined by inductively coupled plasma?mass spectrometry. Selenium was determined by hydride generation coupled to an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Molybdenum and selenium were significantly increased (over 100%) in soybeans grown at higher soil pH with high available molybdenum. Air temperature was the climatic variable that best predicted changes in the soybean seed mineral composition. Optimum weather conditions (OWC) were defined by thresholds of the climatic variables by regression trees for desirable mineral composition. Maximum and minimum daily air temperatures during the seed filling period (30.1 and 17.1°C, respectively) were the OWC for maximizing calcium, magnesium, and manganese contents. A maximum daily air temperature over 28.0°C resulted in higher iron and cobalt levels (p < 0.001). Maximum zinc content was observed when solar radiation exceeded 18.1 MJ m−2 during seed filling (p < 0.001). Results from this study showed variation in the mineral composition of soybeans. Environmental features during the seed filling period should be considered when desired mineral composition is expected in soybean according to the end uses.

Author affiliation: Marioli Nobile, Carla Georgina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino. Provincia de Tucuman. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Exp.agroindustr. "obispo Colombres"(p). Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; Argentina

Author affiliation: Balzarini, Monica Graciela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Cs.agropecuarias. Departamento de Desarrollo Rural; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Aguate, Fernando Matías. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Cs.agropecuarias. Departamento de Desarrollo Rural; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Grosso, Nelson. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina

Author affiliation: Soldini, Diego. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juarez; Argentina

Author affiliation: Huawei, Zeng. Grand Forks USDA Human Nutrition Research Center; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Wen-Hsing, Chen. Dep. of Food Science. Nutrition and Health Promotion; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Martinez, Maria Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi; Argentina

Abstract:

Fatty acids, tocopherols, and phenolic compounds biogenesis from two major Spanish olive cultivars (Arbequina and Manzanilla) were analyzed for the function of the thermal regime during the fruit ontogeny in a non-Mediterranean environment. Bilinear models characterized the dynamics of fatty acid biogenesis. Regressions between the accumulated thermal time (TT) and the levels of both oleic and linoleic acids showed different responses to temperature of each olive cultivar. After reaching similar absolute maximum oleic acid contents at similar TT, the levels of this fatty acid decreased markedly in cv. Arbequina and its final concentration was 10 % lower than that found in cv. Manzanilla. In both cultivars, concentrations of all tocopherol isoforms were negatively associated with the TT accumulated over the entire oil accumulation period. Dynamics of phenolic compounds biogenesis showed no clear tendencies with TT. Nevertheless, and whatever the stage of fruit development, secoiridoids were the major phenolic components. Results suggest greater sensitivity of fatty acid metabolism to temperature in cv. Arbequina. This fact points out the necessity of appropriate evaluation of the ambient thermal characteristics before introducing this cultivar into new growing environments.

Author affiliation: Bodoira, Romina Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina

Author affiliation: Torres, Mariela Analía. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Mendoza - San Juan. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Juan; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Pierantozzi, Pierluigi. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Mendoza - San Juan. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Juan; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina

Author affiliation: Aguate, Fernando Matías. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Taticchi, Agnese. Università di Perugia; Italia

Author affiliation: Servili, Maurizio. Università di Perugia; Italia

Author affiliation: Maestri, Damian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina

Abstract:

Fiorino, F. (2013). Empresas turísticas de ciudades fronterizas. Estrategias de reconversión y diferenciación (Tesis de Maestría). Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina.

El entorno o contexto en que se encuentra inserta una empresa en general, y una turística en particular, cambia, algunas veces en forma lenta, previsible. Otras veces, sin embargo, dichos cambios no pueden preverse, son bruscos, y dejan a toda organización sin posibilidades de dar una respuesta inmediata. Lo ocurrido en el país en general a raíz de la crisis del año 2001 y las consecuencias que esto trajo aparejado, y en el entorno en que se encuentra inserta la localidad fronteriza de Santo Tomé en particular, plantean la necesidad de conocer cómo han reaccionado las empresas del rubro alojamiento, es decir, qué estrategias han empleado para hacer frente a la crisis Ante las transformaciones en el entorno las empresas pueden reaccionar de diferente manera: indiferencia, resistencia y adaptación, generando así un comportamiento adaptativo (sobreviven y se adaptan a las nuevas condiciones) o un comportamiento proactivo (convierten debilidades en fortalezas y tratan de reducir las amenazas para transformarlas en oportunidades). Dentro de este contexto se encuentran inmersas las empresas, obligando a los directivos a revisar o desarrollar estrategias competitivas para lograr un posicionamiento en el mercado. La ventaja competitiva es una de las fuentes de mayor rentabilidad de las empresas. La liberación de mercados y la apertura de las fronteras, entre otros factores, determinan una mayor competitividad entre las empresas en todos los sectores, lo que hace necesario diferenciarse de los competidores. Por consiguiente, será de vital importancia para la empresa establecer una ventaja competitiva, realizar las acciones necesarias, definiendo las políticas adecuadas, para obtener una clara diferenciación. Estamos frente a un nuevo consumidor turístico, más experimentado y exigente. Debido a ello es importante que las empresas del sector adopten a la calidad del servicio como filosofía de trabajo. Esto, a largo plazo, redundará en beneficios: ventaja competitiva y mejor y sólido posicionamiento. Adoptar un sistema de gestión de calidad es parte de las decisiones estratégicas de la empresa, pudiendo redundar en enormes beneficios, como ser el logro de ventaja competitiva. Un SGC es un método, una forma de trabajo, que, mediante los requisitos especificados, asegura la conformidad de los servicios y productos.

Abstract:

In this study we investigated the spatial distribution of the plankton community, bacterio-, phyto-, and zooplankton, in relation with environmental conditions along the intertidal coast of the Río de la Plata estuary, Argentina. Plankton was analyzed in terms of species composition, abundance, biomass (carbon content), and size-structure. We aim to evaluate the potential effects of anthropogenic impacts (e.g., nutrient enrichment) and physicochemical gradients alongshore (e.g., salinity, turbidity) on the composition and functioning of the plankton. We asked whether the natural structuring of the plankton by salinity and turbidity, known to be true of estuaries, is modified by eutrophication along the studied shoreline. We found that the density and biomass of bacteria and phytoplankton were strikingly enhanced by high eutrophication levels along the intertidal southwest coast of the Río de la Plata estuary. We also found that the highest zooplankton density in the most polluted area but the biomass showed a different distribution pattern. Nevertheless, when zooplankton was analyzed by means of its size fraction, we accordingly found that the microzooplankton biomass was positively associated with smaller-size phytoplankton groups and the most polluted study sites. Copepods were the major taxonomic groups that best represented the mesozooplankton biomass. We therefore expected that its distribution was modulated by the presence of its food items (i.e., large cells) which, in turn, were more abundant in the middle-outer zone. In contrast, we found that the highest biomass of copepods occurred at the innermost site of the estuary and we found no significant association with other planktonic groups. Overall, this study highlights the noteworthy impacts of human activities modifying the functioning of this coastal ecosystem. The differences found in the taxonomic composition and size structure of the planktonic community assemblage between the most polluted and less polluted sites constitutes excellent baseline for considering plankton as ecological an indicator of water quality.

Author affiliation: Garcia, Maximiliano Darío. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio de Zoología de Invertebrados I; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina

Author affiliation: Bonel, Nicolás. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio de Zoología de Invertebrados I; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Abstract:

Correlative studies in olive using data from different locations or years suggest that temperature can modulate crop oil yield and oil composition. However, there are no published studies of manipulative experiments that demonstrate a direct role for temperature as a regulator of oil yield and oil quality in olive. The objectives of this study were to: i) elucidate the effect of temperature during the fruit oil accumulation phase on fruit dry weight, oil concentration and fatty acid composition; and ii) identify the developmental window within the oil accumulation phase exhibiting the greatest sensitivity to temperature and that with the highest fruit capacity to recover from the temperature treatments. Two branch-level experiments were conducted in a commercial orchard at Los Molinos (La Rioja, Argentina) using var. ‘Arauco’. Both experiments were conducted during the oil accumulation phase by enclosing fruiting branches in transparent plastic chambers with individualized temperature control. The first experiment; known as the four month long experiment, employed four temperature treatments that were applied for a single period of four months: a control at ambient temperature, two heating levels (5 °C and 10 °C warmer than the control), and a cooling level (5 °C cooler than the control). The second experiment consisted of four separate successive one month long treatment periods, in each of which two temperature treatments were applied: control and heating (ca. 7 °C higher than control). In the four month long experiment, fruit dry weight was not affected by average temperatures in the 16–25 °C range, but it was reduced with further increases in temperature. Oil concentration decreased linearly at 1.1% °C−1 across the whole range (16–32 °C) of average seasonal temperatures explored, while oleic acid concentration decreased 0.7% °C−1 over the same range. In the one month long experiment, 30 days of temperatures ca. 7 °C above ambient had a permanent negative effect on oil concentration at final harvest, particularly when the exposure to high temperature took place at the beginning of oil accumulation. By contrast, oleic acid concentration at the end of the treatment interval fell with increasing temperature but it could recover after treatment was removed in all periods except the first one. These results show that high temperatures during the oil accumulation phase may negatively affect olive oil yield and quality in warm regions, particularly if the high-temperature event occurs early in the phase. Additionally, the response of oleic acid concentration (%) to temperature under our experimental conditions was found to be opposite to that of many annual oil-seed crops.

Author affiliation: García Inza, Georgina Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Transferencia Tecnológica de Anillaco; Argentina

Author affiliation: Castro, Diego Nicolas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Transferencia Tecnológica de Anillaco; Argentina

Author affiliation: Hall, Antonio Juan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas A la Agricultura; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia; Argentina

Author affiliation: Rousseaux, Maria Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Transferencia Tecnológica de Anillaco; Argentina

Abstract:

The Global Horizon Scanning Project (GHSP) is an innovative initiative that aims to identify important global environmental quality research needs. Here we report 20 key research questions from Latin America (LA). Members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) LA and other scientists from LA were asked to submit research questions that would represent priority needs to address in the region. One hundred questions were received, then partitioned among categories, examined, and some rearranged during a workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Twenty priority research questions were subsequently identified. These research questions included developing, improving, and harmonizing across LA countries methods for 1) identifying contaminants and degradation products in complex matrices (including biota); 2) advancing prediction of contaminant risks and effects in ecosystems, addressing lab‐to‐field extrapolation challenges, and understanding complexities of multiple stressors (including chemicals and climate change); and 3) improving management and regulatory tools toward achieving sustainable development. Whereas environmental contaminants frequently identified in these key questions were pesticides, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors or modulators, plastics, and nanomaterials, commonly identified environmental challenges were related to agriculture, urban effluents, solid wastes, pulp and paper mills, and natural extraction activities. Several interesting research topics included assessing and preventing pollution impacts on conservation protected areas, integrating environment and health assessments, and developing strategies for identification, substitution, and design of less hazardous chemicals (e.g., green chemistry). Finally, a recurrent research need included developing an understanding of differential sensitivity of regional species and ecosystems to environmental contaminants and other stressors. Addressing these critical questions will support development of long‐term strategic research efforts to advance more sustainable environmental quality and protect public health and the environment in LA

Inst. de Recursos Biológicos

Author affiliation: Furley, Tatiana Heid. Aplysia Environmental Consulting; Brasil

Author affiliation: Brodeur, Celine Marie Julie. INTA. Instituto de Recursos Bilológicos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.

Author affiliation: Asis, Helena C. Silva de. Federal University of Parana. Pharmacology Department; Brasil

Author affiliation: Carriquiriborde, Pedro. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata; Argentina

Author affiliation: Chagas, Katia R. Aplysia Environmental Consulting; Brasil

Author affiliation: Corrales, Jone. Baylor University. Department of Environmental Science; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Denadai, Marina. Federal University of São Carlos. Department of Chemistry; Brasil

Author affiliation: Fuchs, Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

Author affiliation: Mascarenhas, Renata. Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana; Brasil

Author affiliation: Miglioranza, Karina Silvia Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata; Argentina

Author affiliation: Miguez Carames, Diana Margarita. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Marinas. Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología y Contaminación Ambiental; Argentina. Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay ; Uruguay

Author affiliation: Navas, José María. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA). Department of Environment; España

Author affiliation: Nugegoda, Dayanthi. RMIT University; Australia

Author affiliation: Planes, Estela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial. Centro de Química; Argentina

Author affiliation: Rodriguez-Jorquera, Ignacio Alejandro. Universidad Austral de Chile. Centro de Humedales Río Cruces; Chile

Author affiliation: Orozco-Medina, Martha. University of Guadalajara; México

Author affiliation: Boxall, Alistair B.A. University of York. Environment Department; Gran Bretaña

Author affiliation: Brooks, Bryan W. Baylor University. Department of Environmental Science; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Rudd, Murray A. Emory University. Department of Environmental Sciences; Estados Unidos

Abstract:

Light regulates dormancy termination and the subsequent germination in many weed species. Under field conditions, the light environment of the seeds, which is perceived mainly by photoreceptors of the phytochrome family, provides essential information for cueing germination in the proper environmental situation. The light environment?s spectral composition and irradiance allow weed seeds to sense their position in the soil profile, the presence of a leaf canopy capturing light and other resources and the occurrence of soil cultivation. From an agronomical point of view, the control of germination by light represents a potentially useful step in the life cycle of weeds for developing effective control practices. The goal of this article is to place current knowledge regarding photoreceptors, physiological and molecular bases of seed responses to light and their ecological implications within the context of weed management in agricultural systems. With that final objective, the authors intend to show how a better understanding of the way in which the light environment regulates dormancy termination and the subsequent germination of weed seeds could be used to develop more accurate control practices and to improve weed management strategies.

Author affiliation: Batlla, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina

Author affiliation: Benech-arnold, Roberto Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina