Cultivation In Mexico Research Articles

Social and economic importance of new bamboo species established in three municipalities of the North Eastern Mountain range of Puebla, Mexico

The study was conducted in three municipalities of Puebia, Mexico. The objectives were to identify the species of bamboo in the North Eastern region of Puebla, know the climatic conditions and agronomic systems where it grows, characterize the socioeconomic situation of the producers, and identify the contribution to the family economy. A review of the history of cultivation in Mexico was carried out at the National Herbarium of Mexico (MEXU). For the collection of information, it was considered that the bamboo system was within the local agricultural system and selection of municipalities was based on the productive relationship of the crop and the introduction of species in the area. Sixty-four surveys were done of bamboo producers through the questionnaire with social, economic, and productive variables related to the bamboo production system. In the Puebla’s North Eastern Mountain range there are two new species of bamboo, Bambusa oldhamii and Guadua angustifolia, both with different characteristics of uses and established in two production systems, the commercial and family system. At present they have a low commercialization of some bamboo derivatives and little use as food. The region is considered one of extreme proverty. The two species have a high potential for environmental adaptation agronomically they are developed as a single crop in backyards and used in various commercial activities. The lack of use of the crop in the region and its rapid natural expansion due to the environmental conditions for its growth, induces the tendency to consider it as an undesirable plant

Enhancing epidemiological knowledge of Botryosphaeriaceae in Mexican vineyards

Grapevine cultivation in Mexico is important, especially in the states of Baja California and Coahuila, which are the main wine production regions in the country. Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) impact productivity and cause substantial economic losses, with Botryosphaeria dieback being one of the most destructive. This disease is caused by fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae, including species of Botryosphaeria, Diplodia, Lasiodiplodia, and Neofusicoccum. To date, Lasiodiplodia spp. are the primary Botryosphaeriaceae fungi reported in Mexico. The present study aimed to enhance the epidemiological knowledge of Botryosphaeriaceae in Mexican vineyards. Samples from grapevine plants exhibiting disease symptoms were collected from the states of Baja California and Coahuila. Of a total of 37 Botryosphaeriaceae isolates, six species were identified: Neofusicoccum parvum, N. australe, N. vitifusiforme, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Diplodia corticola, and D. seriata. Neofusicoccum parvum isolates were the most virulent, but were less virulent than previously reported Lasiodiplodia spp. The optimum growth temperatures for N. parvum and B. dothidea were from 28 to 30°C, but 25°C for D. seriata, N. vitifusiforme, and N. australe isolates. Only D. seriata isolates recovered growth when transferred to room temperature after exposure to 37°C or 40°C. This report is the first identification of B. dothidea and N. parvum as causative agents of Botryosphaeria dieback in the vine-growing regions of Mexico.

PRODUCCIÓN DE JAMAICA (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) EN MÉXICO: RETOS Y PROSPECTIVA ESTRATÉGICA

<p><strong>Background.</strong> Mexico has favorable agroclimatic conditions for the development of roselle, a crop with high world demand; however, it has low yields and domestic consumption relies more than 50% on imports. <strong>Objective. </strong>To describe the national production scenario and identifying the main challenges, as well as the strategic factors to increase potential of this crop in Mexico. <strong>Methodology.</strong> The research was conducted in three phases, using a descriptive, correlational and explanatory approach. Qualitative and quantitative information was collected through documentary review, in-depth interviews and panel of experts. The methods of analysis were descriptive statistics, correlational statistics and structural analysis MICMAC (Matrice d' Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliqués à un Classement). <strong>Results.</strong> It was found that, in 2021, the per capita consumption was 137.58 g. During the period 2009-2019, the national production of roselle showed an increase of 56.2%, which is attributed to intensive growth. The high demand for labor in the harvest, the low prices of imported roselle, and the lack of government and scientific attention, impossibility of development of this crop. <strong>Implications.</strong> This study helps to understand the productive dynamics of roselle cultivation in Mexico as well as provides information and strategies to enhance its development. <strong>Conclusion.</strong> The key factors for the evolution of roselle production in the long term are differentiated public policies, competitiveness (substitutes, quality, prices) and social organization.<strong></strong></p>

Vanilla production in the world and Mexico: Market value and technology

Vanilla and vanillin are essential commodities for the food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and tobacco industries. However, the global production of natural vanillin is insufficient to meet its demand and has been replaced by synthetic or biotechnological substitutes. Consequently, the opportunity to promote this sector is being missed, and the introduction of natural products with higher added value into the market is not encouraged. Therefore, this study sought, first, to conduct a study about the production and value of vanilla cultivation in Mexico and the world, and second, to examine the technology sectors that have developed around the production and processing of vanilla and vanillin. The methodological development includes: a) an export behavior study and a three-year forecast; b) a factor analysis to build a crop production index; c) the identification of conglomerates to define groups according to their behavior; and d) patent and network analyses to show the main technological sectors, countries, and applicants of technologies relevant to our object of study. Results show that vanilla production is dominated by countries such as Madagascar and Indonesia; although Mexico presents positive results in terms of yield, its participation is limited, in spite of having the appellation of origin for this crop. Data on Mexico indicate that technological development is being carried out by foreign companies and is oriented toward the industrial use of vanillin, disregarding agricultural development. The literature and results point to a lack of a public policy in México to promote this sector and insufficient scientific and technological development to achieve sustainable production. Training and market plans for the benefit of small producers should also be facilitated to boost their participation in the international arena.

Large scale sampling of Mexican maize landraces for the presence of transgenes.

The presence and levels of transgenic maize in Mexico and the effect this could have on local landraces or closely related species such as teosinte has been the subject of several previous reports, some showing contrasting results. Cultural, social and political factors all affect maize cultivation in Mexico and although since 1998 there has been a moratorium on the commercial cultivation of transgenic maize, Mexico imports maize, mainly from the USA where transgenic cultivars are widely grown. Additionally extensive migration between rural areas in Mexico and the USA and customs of seed exchange between farmers may also play an unintentional role in the establishment of transgenic seed. A comprehensive study of all Mexican maize landraces throughout the country is not feasible, however this report presents data based on analysis of 3204 maize accessions obtained from the central region of Mexico (where permits have never been authorized for cultivation of transgenic maize) and the northern region (where for a short period authorization for experimental plots was granted). The results of the study confirm that transgenes are present in all the geographical areas sampled and were more common in germplasm obtained in the northern region. However, there was no evidence that regions where field trials had been authorized showed higher levels of transgene presence or that the morphology of seed lots harboring transgenic material was significantly modified in favor of expected transgenic phenotypes.

‘Mejhoul’ cultivation in Mexico and other South-American countries

‘Mejhoul’ cultivation in Mexico and other South-American countries

Implementation of a Fuzzy Logic Controller for the Irrigation of Rose Cultivation in Mexico

The design and implementation of a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) are presented, offering a solution to improve the irrigation of rose crops. The objective is to reduce the water consumption and operative costs, taking advantage of intelligent controllers and environmental characteristics in a specific region. Considering that the main controllable variables that affect the growth of plants are relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T), in this study, these variables are used to create a system whose aim is to provide an adequate amount of water for a rose crop in the State of Mexico. The Mamdani method was used for the FLC design and the membership functions, while the area centroid was considered as the defuzzification strategy. After implementing the FLC proposal using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) in a domestic greenhouse, integrated by an array of [5 × 3] rose plants under natural restrictions, a reduction of 0.2 L per week with respect to the traditional manual irrigation system was found. The proposed design highlights the technological advantages of using a fuzzy logic-controlled irrigation system over traditional methods.

Mango malformation disease caused by Fusarium neocosmosporiellum in Mexico

Mango malformation disease caused by Fusarium spp. is one of the main limiting factors for mango production in Mexico. Fungal isolates obtained from symptomatic tissue from mango trees in Sinaloa, Mexico, were subjected to phylogenetic analysis of the TEF-1α gene, and evaluated for mating type, morphological markers and pathogenicity. Fifteen monosporic Fusarium isolates were identified as Fusarium neocosmosporiellum O’Donnell & Geiser. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the sequence obtained in this study corresponds to F. neocosmosporiellum. All 15 isolates were found to be pathogenic, but no differences were observed in aggressiveness among the isolates, which may be a result of low genetic variability within the fungal population. According to the morphological and molecular results, this study confirmed that the causal agent of mango malformation disease was F. neocosmosporiellum. This is the first report of mango malformation disease caused by this fungus in Mexico. This study provides a basis for the development and implementation of an integrated management system for this disease, confirms a new location of this fungus, and highlights that this pathogen is a potential threat to mango cultivation in Mexico.

Trayectoria del sistema de innovación del cultivo de girasol en México, 1965-2018

The evolution of sunflower cultivation in Mexico within the framework of global agri-food transitions related to fat consumption is explained. The innovation system approach (IS) was used to study an emerging crop in the context of the traditional national food production patterns. The information was collected from publications and statistical data published between 1965-2018 and from semi-structured interviews with key actors. The information collected was ordered chronologically, identifying relevant actors and events that have affected the crop's trajectory and the IS configuration. The results show that the introduction of sunflower responded to the demand for vegetable oil and fats as a viable alternative for farmers and the agri-food industry. However, its development as a commercial crop has been subordinated to the use of other oilseeds from which by-products are obtained, which by adding their value to that of vegetable oil are more attractive to the industry. Nevertheless, the genetic improvement of sunflower has resulted in new genotypes from which oil is obtained with desirable properties for human health. This opens a new possibility of crop expansion.

Ongoing ecological and evolutionary consequences by the presence of transgenes in a wild cotton population

After 25 years of genetically modified cotton cultivation in Mexico, gene flow between transgenic individuals and their wild relatives represents an opportunity for analysing the impacts of the presence of novel genes in ecological and evolutionary processes in natural conditions. We show comprehensive empirical evidence on the physiological, metabolic, and ecological effects of transgene introgression in wild cotton, Gossypium hirsutum. We report that the expression of both the cry and cp4-epsps genes in wild cotton under natural conditions altered extrafloral nectar inducibility and thus, its association with different ant species: the dominance of the defensive species Camponotus planatus in Bt plants, the presence of cp4-epsps without defence role of Monomorium ebeninum ants, and of the invasive species Paratrechina longicornis in wild plants without transgenes. Moreover, we found an increase in herbivore damage to cp4-epsps plants. Our results reveal the influence of transgene expression on native ecological interactions. These findings can be useful in the design of risk assessment methodologies for genetically modified organisms and the in situ conservation of G. hirsutum metapopulations.

Potential expansion of Hass avocado cultivation under climate change scenarios threatens Mexican mountain ecosystems

Analysis of potential areas for crop establishment is necessary for sustainable agricultural planning, conservation of natural ecosystems, and achievement of food security’s current global objective. This study aims to model the current potential distribution of the optimal areas for Hass avocado crop in Mexico, along with the likely impact of climate change on the crops and the surrounding mountain ecosystems in the state of Michoacán, the principal producer. The maximum entropy approach was used to model the current and future potential distribution of the avocado using points of presence of avocado cultivation in Mexico and climatic variables under 10 global climate models (GCMs) and three representative concentration pathways (RCPs) from the IPCC. We estimated a current potential area for the establishment of Hass avocado crops in Mexico of 54 597 km2, associated with the temperate forests of the Transversal Volcanic Belt and the Sierra Madre del Sur. The loss of area for the establishment of avocado crops in Mexico was 31.1% under the most optimistic scenario, RCP 2.6, whereas 43.0% would be lost under the most pessimistic scenario, RCP 8.5. Currently, the potential distribution for the establishment of Hass avocado crops in the state of Michoacán is 22 561 km2. Given optimistic scenarios RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 of climate change by 2050, temperate forests mountain would represent 59 and 72.3%, respectively, of the potential area for establishing avocado in the state. Commercial pressure and climate change can lead to forest mountain ecosystem deforestation to establish new avocado crops and exacerbate water resource scarcity problems, jeopardising the entire production system’s sustainability. Territorial planning should prioritise conservation policies to avoid land-use change and establish strategies to maintain avocado crop sustainability in the long-term under climate change scenarios.

Relationship between chemical fertilization in sorghum and Melanaphis sacchari/sorghi (Hemiptera: Aphididae) populations

The aphid Melanaphis sacchari/sorghi is considered the most important pest of sorghum cultivation in Mexico. It can cause losses in production of up to 100%. This research was conducted at the Universidad Autonoma Chapingo during 2018 and 2019 with the objective of determining the relationship between chemical fertilization in sorghum and M. sacchari/sorghi (Hemiptera: Aphididae) populations. Different levels of nitrogen (125, 250 and 500 kg ha-1), phosphorus (19.5, 39 and 78 kg ha-1) and potassium (210 and 420 kg ha-1) were supplied to sorghum plants planted in polyethylene pots with a capacity of 6 L under greenhouse conditions. The plants were infested with a total of 15 third-instar nymphs within 60 days of crop emergence. A total of 6 samplings were carried out at 7 day intervals, starting at 7 d after the infestation. Quantifications of total soluble proteins, total soluble sugars, reducing sugars, and levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in leaf tissue were also performed. We observed that higher doses of nitrogen and phosphorus increased the aphid population, while increasing the potassium dose considerably decreased the aphid population. We also found a positive correlation between the aphid population and the total soluble protein concentrations, reducing sugars and nitrogen levels, while the correlation was negative with potassium levels in leaves.

Caracterización de especies arbóreas asociadas al cultivo de café

El cultivo de café en México se produce bajo sombra con diversos árboles, incluyendo algunas especies fijadoras de nitrógeno, en sistemas denominados agroforestales. El presente estudio se llevó a cabo en el año 2018 en el municipio de Huatusco, Veracruz y el objetivo fue caracterizar los sistemas agroforestales de Inga vera y Erythrina poeppigiana (una plantación joven y otra adulta) en asociación con café; a través, de la medición de sus características físicas, como edad del arbolado, altura, grosor de plantas de café, porcentaje de sombra y las características químicas del suelo y foliar. Posteriormente, los resultados se compararon con un sistema de café-Juglans pyriformis, para observar las diferencias nutricionales existentes entre plantaciones con leguminosas y no leguminosas. Con estos datos, se propuso el uso de Erythrina poeppigiana como sombreado de café, la cual contribuye a mejorar el microclima y la fertilidad del suelo mediante la fijación biológica de nitrógeno.

Seaweed resources of Mexico: current knowledge and future perspectives

Abstract High diversity of marine macroalgae is reported for Mexican coasts, including numerous endemic species. Seaweed research in Mexico has focused on the northern regions of the Pacific coast (Temperate Pacific and Gulf of California) and on the Mexican Caribbean coast, leaving aside other regions (Tropical Pacific and Gulf of Mexico). Utilization of seaweed resources within the country has been based on artisanal collection of wild populations mainly for polysaccharide extraction, fertilizers, raw material for animal feed and cosmetic products. The main exploitation has occurred along the coasts of Baja California peninsula, based on few species (Gelidium robustum, Macrocystis pyrifera, Chondracanthus canaliculatus and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis). Governmental regulations for management have allowed harvesting to reach approximately 11,500 wet tons per year (2013–2016). Nevertheless, in recent years (2014–2016) the total seaweed import volume has increased (5302 tons per year in average) over the export volume (2156 tons per year in average), suggesting a notably growing demand for seaweed resources in the country and representing an opportunity for investment projects. Several pilot studies on seaweed cultivation in Mexico propose that sustainable aquaculture techniques could complement the harvest in natural populations and ensure a homogeneous production with high quality in the long term.

Potential land microalgae cultivation in Mexico: From food production to biofuels

A geographic information system model was built to identify the areas in Mexico with high potential for microalgae production. The input data was obtained from diverse national and international sources. The model was constructed using multiple criteria for facility siting, including the following land characteristics and resources: land use, topographic slope, temperature, evaporation, solar radiation, vegetation, water and CO2 sources, wastewater treatment plants, rivers and lakes, cities and roads, natural protected areas, historical sites, Ramsar sites, airport locations and geological faults. Various models were constructed by assigning weights according to suitability to the data layers. Suitable areas for microalgae production were identified in up to 26.8% of the country, equivalent to 526,672 km2. Specifically, the states of Jalisco, Oaxaca and Veracruz had the largest areas suitable for microalgae cultivation, with a potential production of around 9 million Tonnes yr−1 of dry biomass, representing the feasibility of microalgae production in the country.

Evaluation of the Impact of Genetically Modified Cotton After 20 Years of Cultivation in Mexico.

For more than 20 years cotton has been the most widely sown genetically modified (GM) crop in Mexico. Its cultivation has fulfilled all requirements and has gone through the different regulatory stages. During the last 20 years, both research-institutions and biotech-companies have generated scientific and technical information regarding GM cotton cultivation in Mexico. In this work, we collected data in order to analyze the environmental and agronomic effects of the use of GM cotton in Mexico. In 1996, the introduction of Bt cotton made it possible to reactivate this crop, which in previous years was greatly reduced due to pest problems, production costs and environmental concerns. Bt cotton is a widely accepted tool for cotton producers and has proven to be efficient for the control of lepidopteran pests. The economic benefits of its use are variable, and depend on factors such as the international cotton-prices and other costs associated with its inputs. So far, the management strategies used to prevent development of insect resistance to GM cotton has been successful, and there are no reports of insect resistance development to Bt cotton in Mexico. In addition, no effects have been observed on non-target organisms. For herbicide tolerant cotton, the prevention of herbicide resistance has also been successful since unlike other countries, the onset of resistance weeds is still slow, apparently due to cultural practices and rotation of different herbicides. Environmental benefits have been achieved with a reduction in chemical insecticide applications and the subsequent decrease in primary pest populations, so that the inclusion of other technologies—e.g., use of non-Bt cotton- can be explored. Nevertheless, control measures need to be implemented during transport of the bolls and fiber to prevent dispersal of volunteer plants and subsequent gene flow to wild relatives distributed outside the GM cotton growing areas. It is still necessary to implement national research programs, so that biotechnology and plant breeding advances can be used in the development of cotton varieties adapted to the Mexican particular environmental conditions and to control insect pests of regional importance.

Diversity of mucoralean fungi in soils of papaya (Carica papaya L.) producing regions in Mexico

Mexico is the fifth largest producer of papaya worldwide and has recently reported problems with mucoralean fungi in this crop. These fungi are considered saprophytes in the soil and are ubiquitous in nature. In this work, they were isolated from soil in regions of intensive papaya cultivation in Mexico. Collections were made in the states of Colima, Oaxaca and Veracruz in Apr 2016. A total of 72 mucorales fungal isolates was obtained and morphologically characterized and then molecular characterization (28S ribosomal region) of 25 representative isolates was carried out. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences confirmed the presence of the species Gilbertella persicaria, Rhizopus oryzae, Rhizopus stolonifer, Mucor circinelloides and Mucor hiemalis, which cause soft rot in papaya fruits, therefore, spores of these fungi found in the orchard soils can be considered as a constant source of contamination that affects healthy fruits. Additionally, Choanephora cucurbitarum, Mucor ellipsoideus, Rhizopus homothallicus, Rhizopus microsporus, Rhizopus schipperae, Lichteimia ramosa, Gongronella butleri, Cunninghamella bertholletiae and Cunninghamella blakesleeana were identified which are considered to have agricultural, biotechnological and medical importance.

A bio-economic approach to analyze the role of alternative seeding-harvesting schedules, water quality, stocking density and duration of cultivation in semi-intensive production of shrimp in Mexico

We used a bio-economic model to analyze the role that alternative seeding-harvesting schedules, temperature, dissolved oxygen, stocking density, and duration of cultivation play in the economic performance of semi-intensive shrimp cultivation in Mexico. The highest production was predicted for the May-August schedule (1130-2300 kg ha-1), while the lowest yields were obtained for the March-June schedule (949-1300 kg ha-1). The highest net revenues were projected for the August-November schedule (US$354-1444 ha-1), while the lowest was projected for the May-August schedule (US$330-923 ha-1). The highest annual net revenues were predicted for the combination of the March-June and August-November schedules (US$1432-2562 ha-1). Sensitivity analysis indicated temperature and dissolved oxygen were the most important factors determining net revenues in March-June schedule. For the May-August and August-November schedules, stocking density was the most important factor. Duration of cultivation was the least sensitive variable. Break-even production analysis confirmed that the combination of the March-June and August-November schedules were more efficient from an economic perspective. We recommend test some ponds with higher stocking density in the March-June and August-November schedules, and in the latter case, seeding in June or July rather than August.

Self-Heating Pasteurization of Substrates for Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms Cultivation in Mexico.

The aim of this study was to evaluate a self-heating pasteurization technique in preparing substrates for mushroom production. Seven species were used: Agrocybe aegerita, Auricularia fuscosuccinea, Pleurotus djamor, P. eryngii, P. ostreatus, Lentinula edodes, and Ganoderma lucidum. They were cultivated on grass, corncob, wood shavings, and a mixture thereof. The self-heating technique allowed for pasteurization of 3 of the substrates (grass, corncob, and the mixture). The preheating chamber comprised a drawer placed under the pasteurization crate. With this chamber, it was possible to increase inlet air temperatures by 4--5°C. The evaluated mushroom species responded in different ways to the pasteurization process. P. ostreatus (control) and P. djamor produced basidiomes when cultivated in all pasteurization substrates. A. aegerita and P. eryngii fruited only on corncob and the mixture, whereas A. fuscosuccinea fruited only on the pasteurized corncob. G. lucidum and L. edodes did not fructify on the pasteurized substrates.

‘Autumn Bliss’ raspberry production using different plant densities in the Mexican central valley

The interest for raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) cultivation in Mexico is increasing and there are several regions with potential for raspberry production. We must generate technological knowledge for these places. One of the systems for raspberry production is the multiannual cropping, where defining cane density becomes important in order to enhance plant yield and fruit quality. This research was done in the Mexican central valley in order to determine the effect of cane density on yield, fruit quality and cane growth of fall bearing red raspberry 'Autumn Bliss'. The main objective was to define the primocane density with the highest yield. Four treatments were analyzed in a two-year row plantation (10, 20, 30 and 40 primocanes m-2). Each treatment had four replications, which were distributed in a randomized complete block design. Primocane density did affect neither the date for onset of harvest, which was observed on May 19, 2008, nor the harvest period, which was 54 d long. Densities of 40 primocanes m-2 had yields near 1.99 kg m-2, which became on an estimate for raspberry yields superior to that from the national average. Fruit quality and size were not affected with the highest cane density from this study. It is concluded that 40 primocanes m-2 are recommended for multiannual plantations in row in the central valley of Mexico.