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Currently, some species of Sapindaceae are important fruit crops worldwide. The Huaya India (Meliccocus oliviformis, Sapindaceae) is a neglected Neotropical fruit tree consumed locally in the Maya Lowlands of Mexico, where it exists in both wild and domesticated forms. Our objective was to evaluate the genetic diversity of the Huaya India in its possible domestication area and thus generate knowledge that serves as the basis for a commercial management. A total of 450 individuals collected from 15 natural vegetation sites and 15 Maya villages, were characterized using nine microsatellite loci and population genetics approaches were applied. STRUCTURE, Neighbor-Joining and PCoA analyses suggested the existence of three main groups: 1) one composed by 14 natural vegetation sites, 2) one integrated by 10 Maya villages plus one natural vegetation site, 3) one composed by five Maya villages. At the species level, genetic differentiation was high (FST = 0.562) and gene flow was low (Nm = 0.395); between genetic groups, differentiation was low and gene flow was high. Genetic diversity was low at the level species (HE = 0.19) and higher in the group composed for only natural vegetation sites. When we considered only two groups (natural vegetation sites vs Maya villages) to explore a possible bottleneck as a consequence of human management, the natural vegetation sites showed higher, and significant, genetic diversity (HE = 0.231) than the Maya villages (HE = 0.152). This study can serve as a basis to develop management strategies for Huaya India in the Maya Lowlands of Mexico, but without compromising its conservation.

The traditional crop system called milpa, managed mostlyunder temporary in Yucatan, Mexico it has been important at a social,biological and environmental level. The milpa has lasted through time bythe ancestral knowledge transmitted from generations. From the above theobjective was to know the management strategies carried out by the milperosin its agricultural activity and the conservation of the biological diversity. Theresearch was carried out in the mayan community of Xoy, Peto, Yucatanapplying semi-structured surveys to 30% of the ejidataria population thatsows at least corn. The diversity of crops reported in Xoy was 22 nativevarieties: eight of corn, seven of lime bean, four of squash and three ofcommon bean. It was detected that the family is the determinant for theconservation of the diversity of species grown in the milpa with a priority inthe conservation of native seeds among the milperos, El sistema tradicional milpa, manejado mayormente bajo temporal en Yucatán, México; es importante a nivel social, biológico y ambiental. La milpa ha perdurado a través del tiempo por los conocimientos ancestrales transmitidos por generaciones. Por lo anterior, el objetivo fue conocer las estrategias de manejo realizadas por los milperos en su actividad agrícola y la conservación de la diversidad biológica. La investigación se efectuó en la comunidad maya de Xoy, Peto, Yucatán aplicando encuestas semiestructuradas al 30% de la población ejidataria que siembra maíz. La diversidad de cultivos reportada en Xoy fue de 22 variedades nativas: ocho de maíz, siete de frijol lima, cuatro de calabaza y tres de frijol común. Se detectó que la familia es el determinante para la conservación de la diversidad de especies cultivadas en la milpa con una prioridad en la conservación de semillas nativas entre los milperos

The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) is an important crop in several regions of the world, but in Mexico it is little used. The characterization of agricultural varieties has been based on morphological descriptors, including seed shape, color and size, as well as quantitative attributes such as mineral content. The aim of this research was to evaluate the morphological and nutritional characteristics of cowpea genotypes from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Fifteen collections were made from October 2017 to January 2018 and then evaluated for three qualitative morphological variables and 10 quantitative ones. The content of potassium, calcium, manganese, iron and zinc was determined by means of micro X-ray fluorescence. An analysis of variance and principal components were performed. Eighty percent of the collections have an ovoid shape, 73% a smooth to rough texture and 80% are black. In the quantitative morphological variables, 53% of the collections were considered to have small seeds, 40% medium and 7% large. The length, width and thickness of the genotypes were from 6.26 to 9.56, 3.64 to 7.48 and 2.86 to 5.56 mm, respectively, and the PET15 collection was the smallest. For mineral content, the OXC04 collection had the highest concentration of Ca, Mn, Fe and Zn, while the PET07 collection had the highest K content. There are high levels of phenotypic diversity in the collections studied and they are grouped based on their physical characteristics and not on their place of origin., RESUMEN El frijol caupí (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) es un cultivo importante en varias regiones del mundo, pero en México no es muy explotado. La caracterización de variedades agrícolas se ha basado en descriptores morfológicos, en los que se incluyen: forma, color y tamaño de semilla, además de atributos cuantitativos como el contenido mineral. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar las características morfológicas y nutricionales de genotipos de frijol caupí de la Península de Yucatán, México. Se realizaron 15 colectas de octubre 2017 a enero 2018, a las que se evaluaron tres variables morfológicas cualitativas, 10 variables cuantitativas y se determinó el contenido de potasio, calcio, manganeso, hierro y zinc, mediante µ-fluorescencia de rayos-X. A los datos se les realizó un análisis de varianza y de componentes principales. El 80% de las colectas tienen forma ovoide, 73% textura suave a áspera y el 80% son de color negro. En las variables morfológicas cuantitativas, 53% de las colectas se consideran pequeñas, 40% medianas y 7% semillas grandes. La longitud, ancho y espesor de los genotipos fue de 6.26 a 9.56, 3.64 a 7.48 y de 2.86 a 5.56 mm, respectivamente, la colecta PET15 fue la de menor dimensión. Para el contenido mineral, la colecta OXC04 tuvo la mayor concentración de Ca, Mn, Fe y Zn, mientras que la colecta PET07 presentó mayor contenido de K. Hay altos niveles de diversidad fenotípica en las colectas estudiadas y se agrupan con base en sus características físicas y no al lugar de origen.

The Mesoamerican gene pool of wild lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L., Fabaceae) is an important source of genes for genetic improvement of the species. Is widely distributed from northern Mexico to northern Argentina. Reports in Mexico indicate that this gene pool is distributed from Sinaloa to Chiapas on the Pacific Coast and southern Tamaulipas to the Yucatan Peninsula on the Coast of Gulf of Mexico, as well as, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. However, despite the knowledge we have about the distribution of this gene pool, in Mexico there are still collecting gaps and unexplored regions. The objective of this study was to collect wild populations of lima bean in Mexico to know its current distribution and establish management and conservation strategies. To do this, we collected within the natural distribution range of the Mesoamerican gene pool of lima bean in Mexico, with the passport data was designed a geographical distribution map and assessed the conservation status of populations. Results indicated that wild populations of lima bean have a wide geographical distribution localized mainly in tropical deciduous forest and semideciduous and elevations from zero to 2 292 meters. In most wild population collected a low conservation status was observed, in consequence was proposed the development of strategies for in situ and ex situ conservation for wild populations with higher degree of erosion., Resumen: El acervo genético mesoamericano del frijol lima silvestre (Phaseolus lunatus L., Fabaceae) representa una fuente importante de genes para el mejoramiento genético de la especie. Presenta una amplia distribución geográfica que abarca del norte de México al norte de Argentina. En México los reportes muestran que este acervo se distribuye de Sinaloa hasta la región de Chiapas, por la costa del Pacífico y del sur de Tamaulipas hasta la Península de Yucatán por la Costa del Golfo de México, así como también en la región del Istmo de Tehuantepec. Sin embargo, a pesar del conocimiento que se tiene sobre la distribución de este acervo, en México aún existen regiones con vacíos de colecta para P. lunatus. El objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en realizar colectas de poblaciones silvestres del frijol lima en México, para conocer su distribución actual y establecer estrategias de manejo y conservación. Para ello, se realizaron colectas dentro del área de distribución natural del acervo genético mesoamericano del frijol lima en México, se diseño un mapa de distribución geográfica con los datos de pasaporte y se analizó el estado de conservación de las poblaciones. Los resultados demostraron que las poblaciones silvestres del frijol lima, presentan una amplia distribución geográfica localizándose principalmente en zonas de selva tropical caducifolia y subcaducifolia con altitudes de cero a 2 292 metros. Se observó un bajo estado de conservación en la mayoría de las poblaciones silvestres colectadas, en consecuencia, se propuso el desarrollo de estrategias de conservación in situ y ex situ para las poblaciones silvestres con mayor grado de erosión.