Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Organic manures and microbial biofertilizers have been positioned as agroecological alternatives with potential to improve soil fertility and food production sustainability, whose use reduces dependence on external inputs and contributes to environmental health. The objective of the present work is to evaluate the effect of mountain microorganisms (MM) and Bokashi (B) organic manure on soil fertility, growth and yield of corn crop in tornamil sowing (Nov 2023-June 2024) in the community of Campo Los Toros, Chenalhó, Chiapas. Four treatments were evaluated: T1 (control), T2 (MM), T3 (Bokashi) and T4 (MM+Bokashi) with a randomized block design with five replications. The MM treatment consisted of a consortium of bacteria, fungi and  actinomycetes  prepared with the reproduction and  activation  techniquesand applied diluted to 50% with water by spraying soil near the plant stem, with a dose of 3 L 120 m-2, every 15 days until 120 days after planting. Bokashi was made with organic materials available in the community and applied at planting with a dose of 500 g mata-1. The corn growth in height, stem diameter and number of leaves during the vegetative period did not show significant differences among treatments (P ≥ 0.05). The microbial C-biomass content was 172.8% higher with MM than the control (P ≤ 0.05). Available phosphorus (Olsen) and mycorrhizal colonization percentage were 153.0 and 126.7% higher with MM+B treatment than the control. Grain yield was 82.4% higher with Bokashi than in the other treatments. Therefore, Bokashi proved to be a promising agricultural practice with potential to increase corn grain yield.

Pitaya cultivation has gained global popularity due to its high profitability, exotic appearance, and nutritional properties. However, limited information exists on nutrient management and nitrogen forms that promote vegetative growth. The objective of the present research is to evaluate the ef fect of nitrogen (nitrate, ammonium, and combined) form in the nutrient solution on the vegetative development and nutritional status of three pitahaya species (Selenicereus undatus, Selenicereus sp., and Selenicereus ocamponis). The study was conducted in a greenhouse in Santa Cruz Tacache de Mina, Oaxaca, Mexico. A completely randomized design was proposed with three pitahaya species, five NH4+/NO3- ratios, and four replicates per treatment. Growth characteristics and nutrimental content in plant stems were evaluated by using analysis of variance, Tukey’s honest significant dif ference mean separation test, and factorial analyses by species and NH4+/NO3- ratio. Non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were also considered when necessary. The results highlighted that in Selenicereus sp., rib diameter of the cutting and shoot increased with the 0/100 ratio; plant height, number of shoots, fresh and dry aerial matter, and root length were promoted with the 100/0 ratio. Nutritional concentration was favored in Selenicereus undatus with the 50/50 ratio, Selenicereus sp. with 100/0 ratio, and Selenicereus ocamponis with 75/25 ratio. Selenicereus sp. developed favorably in the greenhouse with ammonium nitrogen form. In conclusion, nitrogen form combinations increase, in general, three pitahaya species vegetative development.

Sustainable technologies such as biochar are required to improve soil health, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, increase soil organic carbon and productivity. Globally, there is abundant research on biochar, however it is scarce in Mexico, hence, it is necessary to identify international scientific trends for local application. The aim of our study was to analyze the temporal evolution and current trends in scientific research on biochar, especially its development, application and contributions to sustainability at a global level through a bibliometric approach from 2007 to 2022. A Scopus search was conducted on biochar development, application and sustainability, filtering by document type, subject area and stage of publication. A total of 1932 documents were analyzed using bibliometric indicators with bibliometrix and VOSviewer. An exponential increase in biochar research since 2007 was found. China and the United States stand out as the most productive countries. The journals with the highest number of articles were Agronomy and Biomass and Bioenergy. The af filiations with the most publications were Nanjing Agricultural University and Northwest A&F University in China. Recent research trends include topics such as carbon sequestration, methane, nitrous oxide and heavy metals. The keyword network analysis identified three thematic groups: characteristics and benefits of biochar in soil, sequestration of greenhouse gases and aspects of biochar production. Field research is needed to evaluate the positive and possible negative ef fects of biochar in order to determine its applicability in agriculture, taking into account economic, environmental and social aspects.

Drought during the flowering period may cause severe reductions in yield and its components, as well as in growth or dry weithg accumulation in common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The objective of the present work is to determine the foliar application ef fect on a commercial biostimulant based on Ascophyllum nodosum extract on yield and its components, as well as plant growth through accumulated dry weight in the Azufrado Higuera bean variety under irrigation and drought conditions in a greenhouse. A randomized complete block design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement was used (two moisture levels: irrigation and drought; and two A. nodosum (with and without)) applicaton levels with four replicates. The variables evaluated were seed yield per plant (SYP), total biomass (TBM), number of normal pods  per  plant  (NP),  normal  seeds  per plant (NSP),  leaf dry weight (LDW), stem dryweight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), and root length (RL); SY and NP were 35 and 29% higher under irrigation than under drought. The A. nodosum application only af fected root growth, showing no ef fect on the plant aerial part. Under both irrigation and drought conditions with A. nodosum application, RDW was higher, while RL was similar under these conditions.

In line with the green economy concept, food using natural products is gaining importance worldwide. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the ef fect of Natrum muriaticum (NaM) and Silicea Terra (SiT) as salt stress (NaCl) mitigators on Capsicum annuum L. germination and initial seedling growth of two chili varieties. The experiment was performed under controlled conditions, using a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of (2A × 3B × 5C), where factor A is the two varieties (Santa Fe and Jalapeño M); factor B is the three levels of NaCl (0, 50 and 100 mM) and factor C is the centesimal dynamizations (CH) of the highly diluted bioactive compounds (HDBC) Natrum muriaticum (NaM): NaM-7CH, NaM-13CH and Silicea terra (SiT): SiT-7CH, SiT-13CH. Distilled water (DW) was used as a control treatment for a total of 30 treatments with four replicates each. The response variables were the germination percentage (GP), germination rate (GR), and, af ter 14 days, the height of the seedlings (HS), radicle length (RL), fresh and dry radicle biomass, and aerial part. Analysis of variance and multiple comparisons of means were performed (Tukey HSD P ≤ 0.05). The results show that NaM-7CH and SiT-7CH applications significantly increased GP, RL, and radicle and aerial fresh and dry biomass parts. The highest response was recorded in RL with NaM-7CH treatment, 57.8% in Jalapeño M variety, and 86.3% in Santa Fe variety with respect to the control treatment seedlings without HDBC (DW). In general, a NaM anti-stress ef fect was observed, demonstrating its ef fectiveness and great potential in sustainable organic agriculture as a low-cost alternative to mitigate the negative ef fects of abiotic stress.

In the metropolitan area of Puebla and Tlaxcala, waste discharge into the Alto Balsas sub basin constitutes an environmental issue that has increased throughout recent years due to the expansion of urban settlements, causing health issues derived from consumption and irrigation water use. The objective was to evaluate heavy metal contamination in soils and surface water used for agricultural production and to conduct a spatial analysis of heavy metals locating the potential sources of contamination. The study was carried out in three representative areas of the  sub-basin,  collecting  water  and  soil  samples. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and enrichment factor (EF) were obtained, and the spatial distribution analysis for heavy metals was made by interpolation using the IDW method. The results showed median concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, and Ni above the U.S. EPA recommendations for irrigation water-use. Cr values exceed the maximum levels for agricultural soil-use. The Igeo showed strong to moderate contamination in concentrations of Cd, Co, and Zn elements, while Cr, Cu, and Ni resulted in moderate contamination. The EF showed significant enrichment for elements such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, and Zn, proving that the contamination is related to anthropogenic sources. From the spatial distribution, it is possible to identify the contamination sources of heavy metals, associating the causes with the increasing urban areas and the industrial growth in the Alto Balsas region, which, due to the lack of regulation for waste discharges contributes to the accumulation of heavy metals, generating pollution in agricultural soils.

Nanotechnology involves manipulating materials at the atomic or molecular scale, particularly those smaller than 100 nm, which display unique properties due to quantum ef fects and a high surface area-to-volume ratio. In agriculture, nanoparticles (NPs) enhance fertilizer and pesticide ef ficiency, improve crop yield, and enable early detection and treatment of plant diseases. This study evaluated the ef fect of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HANPs) as a foliar fertilizer on sunflower (Helianthus annuus) crop quality, alongside vermicompost, chemical fertilizer, and biofertilizer applied to soil. The HANPs ranged from 10 to 45 nm, with 53.1% between 15 and 25 nm, predominantly rod-shaped. Agronomic variables (plant height, stem and disc diameter) and phytochemical properties of sunflower oil (total phenolic compounds, flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity) were analyzed under three HANP doses: 2000, 4000, and 6000 mg L-1. Results showed that vermicompost and chemical fertilizer had no significant dif ferences in plant height, whereas biofertilizer (299.6 and 258.6 cm) dif fered significantly from the control. Phytochemical analyses yielded 17.9-35.4 mg GAE mL-1 of phenolic compounds, 29.8-60.7 mg QE mL-1 of flavonoids, and 18024.60-25159.52 μM TE mL-1 of antioxidant activity across treatments. The aim was to assess HANPs’ influence on sunflower development and the antioxidant profile of its oil. Among the doses tested, 4000 mg L-1 proved optimal for enhancing total phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as antioxidant capacity, indicating its potential for improving the nutritional and functional quality of sunflower oil.

Bean seeds are of significant global importance due to their high nutritional value. Mineral fertilizers are commonly used to enhance crop productivity; however, their excessive application can be detrimental to the environment. An alternative is the use of sargassum extracts, which both reduce the demand for mineral fertilizers and help mitigate the environmental and economic problems caused by massive sargassum accumulations on coastal areas. This study evaluated the ef ficacy of combining organic fertilization based on sargassum extract (S) with mineral fertilizer (M) at dif ferent doses in pinto bean cultivation. The experiment was conducted over two cropping cycles using three concentration levels of Sargassum (S1, S2, S3), three of mineral fertilizer (M1, M2, M3), their combinations (S/M), and an unfertilized control (C-), in a randomized experimental design. Application of either M or S fertilizers increased yield compared with the control. The S2/M2 and S3/M2 combinations increased seed weight by 5% and 10%, respectively, relative to M3 alone, while S1/M2 and S2/M1 produced seed weights comparable to M3. In contrast, S3/M1 resulted in a 7% reduction in seed weight compared with M3. Neither the DPPH radical scavenging activity nor the anthocyanin content of the seeds was af fected by fertilizer treatments. These findings indicate that the combined use of sargassum extract and mineral fertilizer is a promising strategy to reduce mineral fertilizer inputs without compromising yield, while also valorizing sargassum—a low-cost material that poses environmental challenges but contains beneficial compounds for plants.

Agroforestry systems (AFS) are sustainable production alternatives that ef ficiently store more carbon than crop monoculture. However, the simplification of AFS, in terms of canopy structure and species diversity, af fects their carbon sequestration capacity. This work aimed to assess the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of cof fee agroforestry systems with distinctive shade gradients at 0-30 and 30-100 cm depths in dif ferent regions of the world. A literature review on SOC storage in cof fee agroforestry systems at the global level was carried out. The cof fee production systems were classified into three groups according to the shade gradient: traditional system (TS) with dense shade, specialized system (SS) with medium shade, and full-sun system (FSS) with no shade trees. TS stored 95 Mg SOC ha-1 at 0-30 cm depth, followed by SS with 83 Mg ha-1, and FSS with 69 Mg ha-1. At 30-100 cm, TS stored 224 Mg ha-1, SS 186 Mg ha-1, and in FSS 126 Mg ha-1. The cof fee AFS in the tropical region has an average of 76 Mg SOC ha-1 at 0-30 cm depth and 170 Mg ha-1 at 30-100 cm. The AFS in the temperate region stored an average of 74 Mg ha-1 at 0-30 cm and 115 Mg ha-1 at 30-100 cm. The global median SOC stock of cof fee AFS was 253 Mg SOC ha-1 to one-meter depth. Our study highlighted that the density of shade trees in cof fee AFS significantly af fects SOC storage, especially in the subsoil. Reinforcing the importance of cof fee AFS for storing SOC and mitigating climate change, this review highlights the need to study SOC at deeper soil profiles to fully understand the variation in soil carbon sequestration capacity of the diverse cof fee agroforestry systems around the world.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for plant development; its study in soil is fundamental to optimize phosphate fertilizer management based on the specific soil characteristics and production systems. The present study aims to determine the maximum P adsorption capacity in Vertisol and evaluate the behavior of two phosphate fertilizers. Using Langmuir isotherm, the maximum P adsorption capacity in soil was 1080 mg kg–¹ with calcium triple superphosphate (SFT) and 1030 mg kg–¹ with phosphoric acid (H3PO4). Of the P applied as SFT, 30% was present as P-Ca and 28% as soluble P, while with H3PO4 these percentages were 40 and 31%, respectively. The two P sources showed dif ferentiated behavior when applied to soil. The P derived from H3PO4 was released quickly, reaching concentrations more than double of those obtained from SFT; however, at 24 hours post-application, regardless of the source or dose, 94% of the applied P was adsorbed, indicating the high adsorption capacity of the Vertisol soil. H3PO4 showed a greater initial availability of P, which could be advantageous in intensive production systems. In contrast, SFT shows a more gradual release, making it a viable option for base fertilization. Phosphorus adsorption capacity and availability in soil determine the selection of the most suitable phosphate fertilizer according to the production system.