Antagonistic Activity of Chilean Strains of Pseudomonas protegens Against Fungi Causing Crown and Root Rot of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Seed treatments with antagonistic bacteria could reduce the severity of crown and root rot diseases in wheat crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential antagonistic activity of a bacterial consortium of three Chilean strains of Pseudomonas protegens against the wheat crown and root rot pathogens Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, Rhizoctonia cerealis, and Fusarium culmorum. Two field experiments were carried out on artificially infested soil during two consecutive seasons (2016-2017 and 2017-2018) in an Andisol soil of southern Chile. Control treatments (not inoculated with fungi) were also included. Each treatment included a seed treatment of spring wheat cv. Pantera-INIA with and without the bacterial consortium. Both phytosanitary damage (incidence and severity) and agronomic components were evaluated. Bacterial populations with the phlD+ gene in the wheat plant rhizosphere during anthesis state (Z6) were also quantified. In both seasons, infection severity decreased by an average of 16.8% in seeds treated with P. protegens consortium, while yield components such as spikes m-1 and number of grains per spike increased. The use of antagonistic bacteria resulted in a total yield increase only during the first experimental season (P < 0.05). In general, accumulated rainfall influenced the antagonistic effect of the consortium of P. protegens strains, accounting for the differences observed between the two seasons. The results suggest that this P. protegens consortium applied on seeds can promote plant growth and protect wheat crops against crown and root rot pathogens in Southern Chile under field conditions.

Seguro de accidentes laborales para el sector informal de la economía: una propuesta para resolver el problema / Work accidents insurance for the informal sector of economy: a proposal for resolving the problem

En este documento se propone un seguro de accidentes laborales para trabajadores informales, cuyo objetivo es dar cobertura a las necesidades financieras originadas por la contingencia de un accidente laboral y la incapacidad para trabajar derivada del mismo. Este seguro sería de afiliación voluntaria, con financiamiento compartido entre los beneficiarios y algún órgano auspiciador; los beneficiarios pagarían una prima en dos partes, una fija y otra que depende del ingreso declarado; cubriría las prestaciones de salud y subsidio derivado de accidentes laborales; los beneficios estarían afectos a copagos y constaría de una institución promotora dedicada a la administración y organización de la provisión de beneficios. El seguro propuesto, en sus inicios, permitirá cubrir sólo un aspecto dentro de la seguridad social, pero se considera que es una primera etapa en el camino hacia una protección social más global para el sector informal.