Thursday, April 30, 2009
Perú Sábado 18 Abril 2009 / Peru Saturday April 18th 2009
Primer día de expedición. Destino Rio Luria.
Alquilamos una furgoneta que en principio fue mas pequeña de lo que esperábamos, por lo que tuvimos que reducir las dos enormes cajas de supplies de muestreo a una sola y acoplar entre los pies las cajas de corcho que llevábamos para recogida de muestras. Aunque salimos temprano, el tráfico en Lima es intenso, todo el mundo va rápido buscando huecos entre carriles...de locura; por suerte, alquilamos la furgoneta con conductor, que se llama Carlos y nos va a acompañar a lo largo de todos estos días de viaje. Una vez llegamos a la zona del Rio Luria, todos estábamos pendientes de lo que había en el monte, buecando tomates desde la furgoneta que, hay que decirlo, incluso por esos carriles marchaba rapidito. Roger iba en la delantera y es capaz de reconocer no solo si es una planta de tomate lo que parece haber a unos metros de distancia, sino la especie de Solanum, bien habrochaites, pennellii o peruvianum entre otras, por el tamaño e intensidad de color de la flor desde lo lejos. Nuestra primera parada fue en Sisicaya, en una zona pedregosa y seca donde encontramos una gran población de S.pennellii en floración pero sin fruto alguno. Probamos allí el Vacai o Guaba en un árbol cercano que había en el camino; son como unas vainas grandes similares a las algarrobas (según lo que yo conozco) pero que en su interior contienen unas grandes semillas negras rodeadas de los que sería el fruto, mucilaginoso, blanco y dulce. La segunda parada fue casi forzosa pues nos topamos de frente con un autobus que venía en direccciòn contraria y con un coche en medio que no pretendía moverse y a la mínima se encaró casi con nuestro chofer discutiendo quién debía retroceder; tras unos momentos de tensión todos bajamos d la furgoneta y, como no hay mal que por bien no venga, descubrimos hasta 3 especies diferentes de tomates silvestres en esa zona: pimpinelifollium, pennellii y cornemullierae. Etiquetamos algunas plantas para recogida de material: pollen, pistilos y hojas para posterior extracción de DNA y RNA entre otras cosas.
El tiempo pasó rñapido entre una cosa y otra, y con la emoción de la aventura, los kilómetros por aquellos carriles y la gran distancia hasta los pueblos mas cercanos, no encontramos donde almorzar; un par de paquetes de patatas y de frutos secos nos surtieron hasta la hora de la cena.
Esa noche, después de la cena empezamos las reuniones de grupo referente al proyecto, algo cansados pero satisfechos por el éxito del primer día de expedición.
Wednesday 29 April
Breakfast at Pativilca
Head up river toward Ocros to look for the 3-species sympatric site supposedly at (S10 39.31, W77 26.566). Road is extremely bumpy. Area has very intense agriculture…mostly sugar cane, some avacado, other minor crops. One farmer said they eradicated the tomatoes. Could not locate the original Ocros site.
Car stop at (S10 36.088, W77 50.439). Nice river, nice mountains…no tomatoes. Looked along fields and along the river but did not find any tomatoes at all.
Resume driving to Trujillo on PanAm
Lunch stop at pre-Inca ruin (S10 39.273, W77 50.439).
Stay at Hotel Los Conquitstadors in Trujillo
Tuesday 28 April
Left at ~11:00am driving north on PanAm Hiway, heading toward Pativilca, a site where S. peruv./pimpi./pennell are said to occur sympatrically.
Stop for lunch at Huacho…most Haciendas in this area have high walls and gun towers for protection.
Stay at beachfront hotel (Casa Blanca, S10 45.683, W77 45.811). Many surfers on the beach at sunset.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Perú Viernes 17 Abril 2009 / Perú Friday April 17th 2009
He de decir que el café en el desayuno era excelente; para una malagueña como yo, el sabor de un buen café y el volver a sentir el calor y el sol quemando en esta época del año es realmente agradable.
First day in Lima. We arrived the previous night and slept in CIP (Potato Research Center), where most of the studies are focus on potato native species from Peru; many decoration details are related to potatoes (see dinning-room table in the picture). Merideth (the contact researcher in this institute) gave us a tour through the greenhouses and crop field in the center. In the following pictures we can see some of our group members in the gardens center, next to a huge jazmin plant, unmistakable perfume. We had the opportunity to taste the first exotic fruit of this trip: Lucuma; it tastes like a sweet potato but the texture is soft without requirements to cooking it.
I have to say that the taste of the peruvian coffee in the morning was excellent. For a malagueña person like me, the possibility to drink such a good coffee and the opportunity to feel the hot weather and the sun burning the skin is really nice.
En busca del Tomate Silvestre
En busca del Tomate Silvestre / Chasing the Wild Tomato
Al igual que otras expediciones realizadas anteriormente por el grupo de Charles Rick desde 1948 hasta 1995, un grupo de biólogos de bata y de bota se embarca en la aventura del estudio de las autopolinizaciones y polinizaciones cruzadas entre especies de tomate silvestres originales de tierras peruanas. Nuestro proyecto estudia cuales son las barreras de reproducción interespecíficas en tomate, y para ello trabajamos con especies silvestres y cultivadas con distinto comportamiento en cuanto a la reproducción: autocompatibles y autoincompatibles. Perú es cuna de una gran variedad de tomates silvestres tales como S. habrochaites, S. pimpinellifolium, S. pennellii entres otras. Dependiendo del área geográfica de la población, el sistema de unión puede cambiar y por ello vamos a muestrear desde Cajamarca (Norte) pasando por Lima (Centro) y bajando hasta el Sur (Área de Pisco).
Aquí estamos, de derecha a izquierda: Paul, Steve, Esther, Phillip, Pat, Reynaldo, Bruce, Roger y Gloria (una servidora).
¡COMIENZA LA AVENTURA!
In the same way that previous field studies carried out by Charles Rick group from 1948 to 1995, a group of plant biologist repeat the experience studing the self and cross pollinations in wild tomato species from Peru. Our project is interested in reproductive barriers in tomato focus on wild and domesticated species self-compatible and self-incompatible. Perú conserved a huge amount of wild tomato species such as S. habrochaites, S. pimpinellifolium, S. pennellii. Depending of the geographic origen of the population, the matching system can be different and that is why we are going to sampling from North (Cajamarca), Center (Lima) and South (Pisco) areas in Peru
Here we are, from right to left: Paul, Steve, Esther, Phillip, Pat, Reynaldo, Bruce, Roger & Gloria (myself).
ADVENTURE IS COMING!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday 26 April
Leave hotel2 (S13 49.666, W 76 14.697) near Paracas Natl Park ~8:30
Head north on PanAm hiway….will be going up Rio Pisco
At S13 33.834, W75 31.882, turn up Rio Chiris, Alt 1262m
Arrive at Ticrapo (S13 22.913, W75 25.963, Alt 2,249m = 7,425ft Ticra2), stop in town square, walked up small stream past some construction and making of adobe bricks…did not find any tomatoes
Ate lunch at square
Found peruvianum growing up a small ravine above the town
Ticra3 S13 22.923, W75 25.784 Alt 2,328m = 7,680ft
Growing in very hard rocky soil, 3 plants hanging on a relatively recent slide…NW facing slope
Found putative SC S. habrochaities
Ticra4 S13 22.992, W75 25.697 Alt 2,306m
Across the ravine from Ticra 3,follow the irrigation ditch upstream to another natural ravine/stream bed…plants occur on both sides of ravine…at least 3 plants located
2:05pm temp 83 F
COLLECTION 8039-1,2,3 ALSO 8040?
HAB5
COLLECTED STYLES FOR RNA…got samples off at least two plants
Dog was sleeping under van in Ticrapo....did not want to get out
Friday 24 April
HAB4
COLLECTION 8037
S12 35.236, W 75 57373 ALT 1926m
Very wet rich soil, lots of organic matter. HAB4 site is north of the road on the side away from the river. Just a few meters downstream from waterfall. Maybe 20 km from Yauyos/
COLLECTED STYLES FOR RNA
BEE3
Bees collected from this site
Had lunch at Yauyos
S12 27.556 W75 55.199 Alt 2,915m
BEE4
Collected two very large bees. Photos (poor) of largest species on habrochaities (no movie) this site is along the wall around the graveyard at the edge of town. Most plants are on the south side of the grave yard. Soil is very rocky. More plants are seen around the river on the downstream side of town, just as you enter or leave town.
Thursday 23 April
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Hwy 18 to Canta, traveling up the Rio Chillion
3km past Yaso car stop
S11 34.718, W 76 44.102 Alt 5,375 = 1,600m Temp 80 F
HABPIMP1
S11 34.306, W76 43.640 Alt 5356ft= 1600m
COLLECTED STYLES FOR RNA HAB1
SAMPLED ~15 PLANTS BUT NUMBER IS HARD TO JUDGE BECAUSE OF SPRAWLING GROWTH
COLLECTION 8030…PIMP
Soil is very rich and moist…lots of organic
BEE1 movie at a site just below the road….there is a small irrigation ditch just north of the road. Habrochaites and pimpi grow on the slope, around the orchard (banana and ??quince??) and in the weeds next to the field. The movie was made on habrochaities growing next to the orchard (S11 34.332, W 76 43.631), which is ~20m from the road and ~10m from the irrigation ditch.
PIMP1 site is about 6m NW of the bee1 site (S 11 34.330, W76 43.631) ripe fruit collected here
PIMP2 a few meters toward the field (north) (S11 34.328, W76 43.633)
Also found N. glauca or N glutinosa at this site
Arrived at Canta 1:23pm Alt 9,474ft=2,870m
S11 28.025, W76 37.473
Ate lunch bought yarn and hats for Mel and Tom
HAB2
COLLECTION 8032
S11 30.133, W76 39.386
Alt 8029m = 2,400m
Good rich soil, moist
Collection from about 3m from the road on the NE side
HAB3
S11 30.467, W76 40.297 Alt 7085ft = 2150m
Soil is rocky but still plenty of organic matter
Hillside over looking farm (north of the road)
COLLECTED STYLES FOR RNA ~6 PLANTS
Sunday 19 April 2009
Taking Hwy 20 up the Rio Rimac
PERU2
Stop ~1km past Surco, next to Rio Rimac
S 11 52.462, W 76 25.647
Rocky soil ~10m from river some organic material in soil 7-10 plants
??are these ‘peruvianum’ or coreneomeulleri?
Car stop at S 11 52.641, W76 25.686
Cascading Peruvianum S11 52.641, W 76 25.747
Bridge stop
S 11 51.616, W76 24.947
Numerous peruvianum
Matucana – lunch
S11 50.703, W 76 23.199 Alt 7373ft=2,200m
Unknown species
Waypoint 015 S11 48.216, W76 20.391
Saturday Apr 18 2009
Site 1 East of Sisicaya S. pennellii
S 12 01.118, W 76 38.229
89 F, Steep Rocky slope, scree-like granite rocks, mostly fist-size and larger
no organic matter in soil, plants appear to grow right in the rocks with little or no soil
what soil there is in sandy
goats present, most plants are chewed
plants grow singly or in clumps of up to 5-10
collected pistils into, RNA later, collected from 11 plants, 2-8 pistils/plant
First S. pimpinellifolium
S 12 02.810, W 76 34.426
Growing on roadside…about 0.5m from traffic, in rocky-sandy soil
This plant is above the core-penn-pimp site and ~100m west of the trail down to this site
S. corneomulleri -S. pennellii-S. pimpinellifolium
Trail down from the road to the main site is at S 12 02.815, W76 34.304
There was on S.corne right on the road (~1m from traffic) at the trail head (S 12 02.815, W76 34.304) ONLY one S.penn plant was found.
Site where S. corne-S.penn growing intertwined S 12 02.817, W 76 34.323 right next to the trail on the side toward the road, S. pimp grows 10-15 feet to the right on the other side of the trail (toward the river)
Collected pistils into RNA-later: S.corn…from 5 plants, S.penn 1 plant, few pistils
S. corneomulleri 2
Along the road, Antioquia espiritos santos
Near the Rio Lurin, bridge ~10m east of road
Very weedy site
S 12 05.386, W 76 29.966, Alt 5253 ft
Plant is growing in sandy soil near large rock
Temp 89 F
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Pisco, Peru
Roger with some huge Solanum habrochaites fruit.
Solanum pennelii
Steve and Philip collecting a huge bee.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
t-minus, packing and email flurries
As many will attest, Pat is always emailing.Here are two tool boxes that will hopefully get all our supplies safe and sound to Lima. While we were buying these a guy told Pat that they were what he used for his tools he took to Antarctica. If they work there they should work anywhere.The guts
Thursday, April 9, 2009
One week to go
The first bit of business after the late arrival into Lima is to meet with our Peruvian counterparts from the Center International de la Papa (CIP), Merideth Bonierbale and David Tay. Merideth is in charge of the Germplasm Enhancement and Crop Improvement Division at CIP which is primarily involved with developing improved tuber germplasm and fostering their use with small scale growers. A student from Merideth's group, Phillip Kear, has been working at The University of Missouri with Bruce McClure since the fall of last year. David Tay is the lead on another division at CIP, The Genetic Resource Characterization and Conservation. He and Merideth have been very helpful on-the-ground contact for Pat and Roger, especially with getting us contacts for housing, transportation and permitting.
This trip will be the fifth meeting of the minds for the IRB Tomato group, as it were, and a fairly stated pen ultimate one at that. We hope to accomplish a hefty amount of field work on some key population of wild tomatoes, as well as extend our research to a broader scientific group with a Symposium on Reproductive Barriers in the Solanaceae. Our stay in Lima happens to also coincide with a cytogenetics meeting. Fortuitous for Steve, who will be in attendance, since this is not only his expertise but passion.
For those interested this weblog will be advertised on some external links besides IRB Tomato. The Sol Genomics Network, Solanaceae Source, and the Tomato Genetics Resource Center have all been kind enough to acknowledge our efforts and we encourage those of you to learn more about them and the amazing resources they provide for work like ours to be possible. We thank them.
Blog Archive
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2009
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April
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- Perú Sábado 18 Abril 2009 / Peru Saturday April 18...
- Wednesday 29 April
- Tuesday 28 April
- Perú Viernes 17 Abril 2009 / Perú Friday April 17t...
- En busca del Tomate Silvestre
- Sunday 26 April
- Friday 24 April
- Thursday 23 April
- Tuesday 21 April 2009
- Sunday 19 April 2009
- Saturday Apr 18 2009
- Pisco, Peru
- t-minus, packing and email flurries
- One week to go
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April
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