During the rainy and winter season, the presence of insects inside households tends to rise as pests seek shelter. In response, the repeated use of commercial insecticides can represent not only a continuous expense, but also a potential toxicity risk for young children and pets if handled improperly.
On August 17, 2026, the 15th edition of Microideas de Laboratorio took place—a flagship educational initiative of the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) directed by prominent research professors Marynes Montiel, Ph.D., and Juan Manuel Cevallos, Ph.D. The competition aims to foster classroom-based research, analytical rigor, and the translation of microbiological solutions to real-world challenges.
On August 12, 2026, students from the Invertebrate Zoology course at the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) conducted a technical visit to the facilities of the National Center for Aquaculture and Marine Research (CENAIM). The visit was organized by Ana Tirapé, Ph.D., and teaching technician Michelle Vela, Biologist, during an intensive session held from 09:30 to 14:30.
On August 1, 2026, the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) celebrated the start of academic activities with the 16 students of the second cohort of the Master’s in Plant Health, a postgraduate program designed to strengthen technical and scientific capacities in crop protection, integrated pest management (IPM), and agricultural biosecurity across the country.
As part of its community outreach and scientific career guidance initiatives, the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS-ESPOL) hosted a delegation of students from Unidad Educativa LEMAS, who engaged in experiential workshops led by the faculty's specialized technical staff.
With the objective of aligning university science with the territorial demands of Ecuadorian agriculture, the Soil and Plant Nutrition Laboratory at Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral hosted an inter-institutional technical forum titled "Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue: Investing in Applied Cocoa Research."
As part of the practical activities designed to complement classroom learning, students from the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) participated in a technical field visit to an organic banana plantation currently being established in the Santa Elena Peninsula. The tour was guided and supervised by professor José Rivas, Ph.D., who accompanied the future professionals throughout the day of observation and hands-on learning in the field.
Technified irrigation and chemical water conditioning are decisive factors in boosting nutrient uptake in high-value, non-traditional export crops. Within this framework, the oral defense was held for the postgraduate thesis titled: “Effect of irrigation water acidification using 3 types of acid on pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus) crop yield, Manabí Province, Ecuador,” presented by Alex Muñoz.
Water resource optimization in agricultural areas represents an essential pillar for agricultural resilience and the sustainability of Ecuador's rural sector. Grounded in this focus, the oral defense was held for the postgraduate thesis project titled: "Spatial modeling and analysis of crop water requirements for efficient irrigation management in Bolívar canton, Manabí", presented by Yaser Galarza.
The recent ban on chlorpyrifos issued by Ecuador's Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control (Agrocalidad)—which barred the importation of formulated products, raw materials, and mixtures containing this compound following its listing under the Stockholm Convention—has sparked widespread debate among authorities, export associations, and the agrochemical industry regarding the timeframe needed to clear inventories from the domestic market.
