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Halophytic plants grow in high salinity environments and present phytochemicals with antioxidant properties, such as phenolic compounds; due to the uncertain availability of healthy foods, there is a growing interest in their nutritional potential. However, their bioactive compounds with beneficial health effects are limited in their bioaccessibility. The objective of this study was to subject S. edulis and S. esteroa to an in vitro digestion process to evaluate the bioaccessibility and total antioxidant capacity of phenolic compounds during three phases of digestion. We determined phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity by colorimetric methods and phenolic composition by UHPLC-DAD. Total phenols, total flavonoids, and total antioxidant capacity by DPPH and TEAC in the three phases of digestion (oral, gastric, and intestinal) of S. esteroa were higher than in S. edulis, founding 4.84 % higher in total phenol content, and 0.05 % in total flavonoid content; also, and 28.94 and 23.93 % higher in total antioxidant capacity by DPPH and TEAC, respectively in the intestinal digestion phase. The bioaccessibility of S. edulis was higher than in S. esteroa; the intestinal was the phase reflecting more bioaccessible compounds. The bioaccessibility percentages of total phenols and flavonoids were 590.16 and 1012.93 %, and the percentage recovery of total antioxidant capacity by DPPH and TEAC were 181.37 and 139.74 %. We identified phenolic acids ferulic, p-Coumaric, and synaptic (hydroxycinnamic), gallic and protocatechuic (hydroxybenzoic), the flavonoids catechin (flavan-3-oles), myricetin and ruthin (flavonols), naringenin and naringin (flavonones). S. esteroa presented bioactive compounds in higher concentrations than S. edulis due to the stress imposed by its habitat; nevertheless, the determined bioactive compounds of S. edulis showed a higher bioaccessibility because it was managed under local improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security is relevant due to the uncertain availability of healthy food. Accordingly, it is necessary to know the biological potential of new crops as a food source to meet the basic nutritional needs of a growing population. This study aimed to analyze chemical extractions of the cultivated species Suaeda edulis and its wild relative S. esteroa to determine their biological and nutritional value. For analysis, we collected 25 plants of S. edulis in the chinampas-producing area of Xochimilco, Mexico City, and 25 plants of S. esteroa in Balandra beach, Baja California Sur, Mexico. We quantified total phenols, total flavonoids, and the total antioxidant capacity of free and conjugated fractions by Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum trichloride, DPPH, and TEAC spectrophotometric methods. S. esteroa reflected a higher content of total phenols, total flavonoids, and total antioxidant capacity (free and conjugated) than the values of S. edulis. We determined 39.94 and 49.64% higher values of total phenol content in S. esteroa than S. edulis , 36 and 40.33% in total flavonoid content, 32.92 and 40.50% in total antioxidant capacity by DPPH, and 34.45 and 48.91% by TEAC for free and conjugated fractions, respectively. We identified 11 phenolic compounds in both halophytes; among them, the free form ferulic acid, gallic acid, and rutin showed high concentrations in S. edulis , whereas quercetin and ferulic acid were more abundant in S. esteroa. The conjugated fraction showed lower concentrations than the free fraction. In conclusion, we found a high biologically active potential of the halophytes studied; this could boost their consumption, which in turn would offer S. edulis and S. esteroa as new sustainable crops to help address food shortages in regions with water scarcity or soil salinity, as well as to counteract chronic degenerative diseases associated with obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of access to piped water, as well as inadequate quantity and quality of water, are risk factors for acute gastrointestinal infections. In 2022, 4.9% of households in Mexico did not have piped water; 19.3% lacked, at some point, sufficient water for hygiene; and 18.9% perceived that the water was unfit for human consumption. During the same year, at least 1,441,226 people suffered from a gastrointestinal infection. Households without access to piped water and with insufficient water for hygiene were 27% more likely to suffer from a gastrointestinal infection than households with piped water and a sufficient supply for hygiene (odds ratio: 1.27; CI 95%: 1.26–1.28). The latent class analysis shows that 22% of households belong to the high-risk class of suffering gastrointestinal infections associated with a lack of piped water, insufficient quantity, and poor quality of water. These results provide elements for the design of public health programs through the supply of water for consumption and sanitation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the state of Sinaloa, rainfall presents considerable irregularities, and the climate is mainly semiarid, which highlights the importance of studying the sensitivity of various indices of meteorological drought. The goal is to evaluate the sensitivity of four indices of meteorological drought from five weather stations in Sinaloa for the prediction of rainfed maize yield. Using DrinC software and data from the period 1982–2013, the following were calculated: the standardized precipitation index (SPI), agricultural standardized precipitation index (aSPI), reconnaissance drought index (RDI) and effective reconnaissance drought index (eRDI). The observed rainfed maize yield (RMYob) was obtained online, through free access from the database of the Agrifood and Fisheries Information Service of the government of Mexico. Sensitivities between the drought indices and RMYob were estimated using Pearson and Spearman correlations. Predictive models of rainfed maize yield (RMYpr) were calculated using multiple linear and nonlinear regressions. In the models, aSPI and eRDI with reference periods and time steps of one month (January), two months (December–January) and three months (November–January), were the most sensitive. The correlation coefficients between RMYob and RMYpr ranged from 0.423 to 0.706, all being significantly different from zero. This study provides new models for the early calculation of RMYpr. Through appropriate planning of the planting–harvesting cycle of dryland maize, substantial socioeconomic damage can be avoided in one of the most important agricultural regions of Mexico.

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Copyright of Ecosistemas y Recursos Agropecuarios is the property of Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Soil respiration is a critical ecological process and is a hierarchical component of ecosystem respiration that regulates the global carbon cycle. But there is scarce knowledge on respiration dynamics in water-stressed ecosystems and the influence of biocrusts. Soil respiration-values varied from 0.099 to 0.828 µmol s−1 m−2 after extraordinary rains; after this period, recorded values were null or negative at the most (0.000 to −0.055 µmol s−1 m−2). Shrubland soil with and without biocrusts showed the highest net CO2 exchange values and in disturbed soil with and without biocrusts (0.067; 0.059; 0.048, and 0.023 µmol s−1 m−2). The results showed that shrubland soil with BSC absorbed more CO2 than the rest of the experimental variants. Accordingly, the observed low precipitation combined with high temperatures and evapotranspiration could not activate the BSC respiration process. Such an event seemed to occur under specific temperature and moisture conditions, anyhow related to extraordinary rain events to emit CO2 to the atmosphere. Reports of negative soil respiration values in drylands are very scarce, so we discuss the possible processes that could cause this phenomenon for our study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is one of the major factors limiting global crop yield. In Mexico, agriculture is expected to be severely affected by drought. The Capsicum genus has several crop species of agricultural importance. In this work, we analysed the Capsicum chinense plant physiological responses and differentially expressed genes under water stress mainly focused on the responses elicited following recovery through repetitive stress. Plants were cultivated in an experimental block. Each block consisted of plants under water deficit and a control group without deficit. Morphometric and functional parameters, and the expression of genes related to resistance to abiotic stresses were measured. Morphological differences were observed. Plants subjected to water deficit showed impaired growth. Nonetheless, in the physiological parameters, no differences were observed between treatments. We selected abiotic stress-related genes that include heat-shock proteins (HSPs), heat-shock factors (HSFs), transcription factors related to abiotic stress (MYB, ETR1, and WRKY), and those associated with biotic and abiotic stress responses (Jar1 and Lox2). HSF, HSP, MYB72, ETR1, Jar1, WRKYa, and Lox2 genes were involved in the response to water-deficit stress in C. chinense plants. In conclusion, our work may improve our understanding of the morphological, physiological, and molecular mechanisms underlying hydric stress response in C. chinense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]