The development of mining activities near agricultural areas constitutes a potential risk that may negatively affect soils and crops due to contamination processes. The objective of this research was to monitor the presence of heavy metals in the soil and foliar tissue of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in agricultural areas adjacent to the mining center in the Arequipa region, Peru. The presence and impact of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, and Pb) and complementary elements were evaluated in alfalfa crops, grown in agricultural areas adjacent to the Cerro Verde mining unit, in the districts of Mollebaya, Socabaya, and Yarabamba, with Chiguata considered as the control area. Data were analyzed using a completely randomized design, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Fisher’s test. The total heavy metal content in the soil was higher in Mollebaya (335.52 mg·kg⁻¹) than in Chiguata (37.08 mg·kg⁻¹), showing an inverse relationship with the distance from the mining center. In the soil, Cu and Cr concentrations exceeded national and international standards. Regarding foliar tissue, the highest total heavy metal content was recorded in Mollebaya (16.20 mg·kg⁻¹), followed by Yarabamba and Socabaya. Foliar concentrations of the studied elements remained within ranges considered indicative of low accumulation. Overall, the edaphic results indicate relevant environmental risks associated with anthropogenic and atmospheric origin.
The municipality of Andes is recognized as the largest coffee producer in the southeastern region of Antioquia. Conventional agriculture predominates in this area, limiting soil productivity, altering the interconnected properties in the edaphic matrix, and posing a threat to biodiversity. This study evaluated the composition and functional diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in coffee systems under conventional management and in transition to agroecological production. The research was conducted in San Gregorio, La Soledad, La Clara, and Egipto. Using a stratified random sampling approach, the study focused on counting soil spores and determining the percentage of intraradical colonization mycorrhizal structures. Simultaneously, the physicochemical characteristics of the soil were analyzed for each management type. Statistical analysis included multivariate methods, such as principal component analysis, canonical biplot, and discriminant correlation, as well as descriptive and univariate analysis. The results show that the composition and functional diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi are greater in management systems under Transition I (rationalization of synthetic supplies) and Transition II (use of organic inputs), than in conventional systems (use of chemical inputs). In conclusion, soil fertility, considering both arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and physicochemical properties, is higher in agroecological transition systems than in conventional coffee plantation systems in the evaluated area.
Mexico is one of the main tomato-producing countries and relies heavily on synthetic chemical fertilizers, whose negative effects within and beyond production systems have already been described. In this context, organic agriculture offers an alternative to reduce chemical fertilizer use. The objective of the present study was to evaluate two management systems, organic and conventional, in terms of plant morphophysiological parameters, yield, and the antioxidant profile of fruits of the ‘Big Río’ variety of Solanum lycopersicum L. The study was carried out under greenhouse conditions. The treatments (organic and conventional fertilization) were distributed in a completely randomized design with fifty replications, and correlation matrices were established between plant morphological variables and fruit quality and color parameters. Organic fertilization significantly (p ≤ 0.001) favored plant morphological development, except for plant height (p ≥ 0.05). In addition, the total number of flowers and fruits increased by 89.7 % and 94.95 %, respectively, in organically fertilized plants, whereas fruit quality improved in terms of acidity, ascorbic acid content, and lycopene content by 20.8 %, 22.8 %, and 64.72 %, respectively, under the organic production system. Organic management in tomato production enhances the fruit's nutraceutical and functional characteristics while favorably influencing plant morphology, except for plant height.
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) harbors diverse microbiomes and engages in numerous microbial interactions. Promising efforts have focused on selecting microorganisms from the sorghum rhizosphere or roots of sorghum to promote plant growth, control pathogens, suppress weeds, and alleviate abiotic stresses. However, these selection strategies tend to focus on individual organisms rather than being guided by an integrated understanding of the host-microbe-soil interface. The judicious use of microbiomes in sorghum production systems could strengthen sorghum’s potential as a climate-smart crop while contributing to agricultural sustainability. This review describes the structure and diversity of sorghum belowground microbiomes and highlights advanced approaches used to study them. It also examines their spatiotemporal dynamics and responses and presents practical applications of newly identified beneficial members of these microbiomes. Key interactions underscore the potential of the microbiome to mitigate drought stress, Striga infestation, and Fusarium infection, the latter serving as a model of soilborne pathogens. By providing a comprehensive coverage of sorghum belowground microbiomes, this review helps define future research questions aimed at enhancing sorghum climate resilience. Overall, sorghum recruits microorganisms that facilitate its growth through a process influenced by numerous factors, suggesting that the belowground microbiome can be modulated to promote beneficial interactions—a key foundation of sustainable agriculture. It can therefore be concluded that gaining deeper insights into sorghum-associated microbiomes could improve plant growth, enhance the development of resilient genotypes under severe stresses, and help optimize sorghum yields.
Yellow rust, caused by Hemileia vastatrix, is the most significant disease affecting Coffea arabica worldwide, as it causes defoliation and reduces bean yield. In Mexico, this disease has resulted in production losses ranging from 40 % to 50 %. Given this issue, the objective of this study was to evaluate and select strains of the mycoparasites Akanthomyces uredinophilum, Simplicillium lanosoniveum, and Trichoderma spp. based on their mycoparasitic capacity against H. vastatrix under both in vivo and in vitro conditions. Two experiments were conducted in which H. vastatrix urediniospores were inoculated with the strains of the three genera evaluated. In the in vivo assays, measured the percentage of pustule colonization was determined, whereas in the in vitro assays, mycoparasitic activity resulting from the interaction between the biocontrol agents and the phytopathogen's urediniospores was quantified through microscopic observations. The in vivo evaluations showed that strains of A. uredinophilum, S. lanosoniveum, and Trichoderma spp. achieved mycoparasitism percentages ranging from 80 % to 93 %. In the in vitro assays, the A. uredinophilum strains CH-CNRB 581 and CH-CNRB 615, and the S. lanosoniveum strain CH-CNRB 373, exhibited the highest mycoparasitic activity, with values ranging from 79.7 % to 88 %. These results expand current knowledge of the diversity of mycoparasites associated with H. vastatrix and identify promising strains for the development of biological control strategies and their subsequent validation under field conditions for the protection of C. arabica crops.
