It is relevant to systematize the global knowledge generated about heliconia due to its economic importance in tropical floriculture and the cut flower market. The objective was to explore the results generated in scientific research related to the cultivation of heliconias as cut flower in terms of its methodological approach, research axes, and spatial distribution in terms of the contributions by country. A bibliographic search was conducted in Scopus, Web of science and SciELO based on the keywords “heliconia” and “tropical flowers”. Thereafter, a content analysis of the documents was conducted with the Nvivo software using a priori categories in terms of methodological approach, research axes, year, countries, and cultivars or varieties. The results indicate that the scientific contributions are mostly under a quantitative approach (98.1%). The investigations mainly address productive aspects (74.5%), post-harvest aspects (16.1%), market (6.7%) while industry-used products (2.5%) are scarcely addressed. The countries that make the most contributions are: Brazil (54.5%), Colombia (15.4%) and Mexico (10.9%). The most important species are: H. psittacorum, H. bihai, H. spathocircinata, H. rostrata and H. wagneriana. These results suggest conducting research to identify problems from the physiological, environmental, productive, and economic processes, as well as considering the strategies of farmers as a priority. This must be approached from paradigms where social actors (farmers), their development and the impacts of their social tasks on the cultivation of heliconias are considered the main axis.

Societal responses to climate change are influenced by culture, but this has not been the focus of understanding and adapting to this phenomenon. This process is critical when examining agriculture, an eminently social activity that has an historic perspective and characteristic manners of production expressed by the culture carrying it out. Therefore, the present study analyzes and compares the theoretical–conceptual approaches used in the role of culture in agricultural adaptation to climate change, given the paradigmatic bias in each. This information is essential for the design and implementation of agricultural adaptation strategies having social and cultural viability.

Water contamination is a consequence of human settlement, agricultural, silvicultural, and industrial activity in a region. The nitrates and nitrites dissolved in groundwater are indirectly consumed by humans, where they cause negative health effects. Among the most commonly observed problems are the dysfunction of the thyroid gland, production of nitrosamines (which commonly cause cancer), and a decrease in the capacity of the blood to transport oxygen, also known as metahemoglobinemia or, "blue baby syndrome". As part of the agreements signed by Mexico during the Conference of the United Nations on the Environment and Development in June, 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Agenda 21 was adopted as a normative document focused on achieving "sustainable development" in all fields. Modern concepts of production attempt to guarantee that human consumer goods are innocuous, and are produced in a manner that promotes environmental sustainability, thus contributing to protection of consumer and ecosystem health.

Agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and aquiculture have caused negative impacts to rivers, ground waters, and coastal lagoon systems as well as to associated systems. The objective of this study was to determine pollutant concentrations in groundwater from surface wells or water wheels in aquatic farms located along the river, and in lagoon systems, located in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, and their possible risks for human health. Concentrations of nitrates, total coliforms (TC), and Vibrio sp. were determined as well as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH. The results showed that some values of physical, chemical and biological parameters in groundwater and different aquatic systems were beyond the levels established by the Mexican official norm. Farm effluents had TC levels higher than 2419 MPN 100 mL -1 and dissolved oxygen was at a minimum value of 1.7 mg L -1 , concentrations beyond the fixed standards. Likewise, the presence of Vibrio sp. was detected in lagoon systems, which is an indicator of water contamination. We conclude that the impact of production activities leads to human health risks.