Background. Considering the current importance of recognizing the potential of traditional agroecosystems, including homegardens in the sustainable development of many rural and urban communities, strategists and scientists around the world are showing increasing interest in their study. Objective. Analyze the scientific literature relevant to the scope and constraints of homegardens (HGs), and to identify gaps and research perspectives, especially for indigenous communities in Mexico. Methodology. A total of 335 studies published in the last decades (1986-2020) were collected from different databases using predefined keywords. All publications were organized and stored in the Zotero (2018) program. The trends of all the publications were analyzed using NVivo 12 Plus software. Results. The number of publications increased from the year 2000. About 70% of the publications analyzed were research articles in english. Of the total studies examined 239 (71.35%) were conducted in different parts of the world, of which 30% from Asia and the remaining 96 (28.65%) from Mexico, primarily in tropics. Most of these studies focused on ecological (62.98%), economic (20.29%), cultural (13.43%), social (7.46%) and multifunctional features (12.23%) of HGs. The same pattern was identified in the case of Mexico, with studies of 10.74%, 5.07%, 5.67%, 0.597%, and 3.58% focused on ecological, economic, cultural, social and the multifunctionality features of HGs respectively. Implications. The analysis of the scope and limitations of HGs contributes to identifying the need to carry out transdisciplinary research that reflects their whole dynamics as agroecosystems, in which, in addition to the ecological environment, there are various cultural aspects considered important in the indigenous communities of Mexico. Conclusions. The publications emphasized the importance of homegardens to provide multiple ecosystem functions and services to enhance human well-being. However, future research should reevaluate HGs based on a holistic multi-functional agriculture approach to promote them as one of the strategies conducive to improve family well-being. Also, it is suggested to evaluate the degree of sustainability of HGs based on its resilience and adaptation capacity to confront current challenges.

(1) Background: Coffee agroforestry systems (CAFS) in Veracruz, Mexico, are being displaced by avocado monocultures due to their high economic value. This change can generate alterations in the type of organic residues produced and soil biological activity (SBA) which is sensitive to climatic variations, changes in floristic composition, and agronomic management. It can be evaluated through soil respiration and macrofauna, both related to soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics. The objective was to: (1) Analyze the variation of SBA as well as the C and N dynamics in modified coffee agroforestry systems; (2) Methods: Three CAFS (renewed, intensive pruning, and with the introduction of avocados) and an avocado plantation were compared. The evaluations were conducted during the period 2017–2019. Soil parameters (respiration, macrofauna, C and N contents) and C content of plant biomass were measured in plots of 25 × 25 m² from three soil depths in triplicate. Spearman’s test and a principal component analysis were performed to determine the structural dependence on C and N dynamics; (3) Results: The introduction of avocado showed the lowest soil respiration values (with 193 g CO₂ ha⁻¹ h⁻¹ at 0–10 cm depth), this system did not display soil macrofauna and increased soil organic carbon content. The soil C/N ratio was sensitive to the introduction of avocado. Correlation between soil respiration and litter-related parameters was positive, but it was negatively correlated with soil organic matter and total soil nitrogen, explaining 67.7% of the variation; (4) Conclusions: Modification of CAFS generated variations in the SBA and soil C and N contents.

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo conocer la abundancia y diversidad de Hongos de Micorriza Arbuscular (HMA) asociados con cacao Theobroma cacao L. en tres diferentes agroecosistemas (AGR), ubicados en el distrito de Irazola, provincia de Padre Abad, región Ucayali, en la Amazonía peruana. Los AGR incluyeron: 1) Cacao en monocultivo (AGR-1), 2) Cacao asociado con Inga edulis – guaba (AGR-2), y 3) cacao con cobertura de kudzu (Pueraria phaseoloides) (AGR-3). Se realizaron cuatro evaluaciones del número de esporas de HMA durante el período de julio a octubre del 2013. La abundancia fue mayor en el AGR-3, con 1 100 a 780 esporas por 100 gr de suelo, seguido por los AGR-2 y AGR-1; sin embargo, se encontró mayor diversidad en el AGR-2 identificándose 29 especies, seguido por los AGR-1 y AGR-3. Las especies de HMA identificadas pertenecían a los géneros Acaulospora, Ambispora, Archeospora, Cetraspora, Clareideoglomus, Diversispora, Fuscutata, Glomus, Kuklospora, Pacispora, Paraglomus y Sclerocystis. Se concluye que el número de esporas esta relacionado con la densidad de la cobertura, mientras la diversidad de especies HMA parece estar asociada con la diversidad de especies de plantas, siempre ycuando ninguna especie vegetal domine la cobertura.

Background. Current research advances related to carbon and nitrogen dynamic and the environmental problems, that impact on the socioeconomic functions of agroforestry systems, and the importance of their floristic diversity, have not yet been analyzed in an integrated way for coffee agroforestry systems in Mexico. Objective. It consisted to identify the areas in need of research on carbon and nitrogen dynamic in coffee agroforestry systems in Mexico. Methodology. Publications were compiled until 2018, on the potential of agroforestry systems to keep carbon and nitrogen reserves, which influence in the carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as socioeconomic importance, productive diversification, and the problems faced by small producers with their ability to adapt to climatic variations. This information was organized and subjected to a cluster analysis with the NVivo12 program, which allowed evaluating the frequency of research for each topic and the relationship between them. Results. 43% of publications are related to carbon storage and 13% on nitrogen dynamic in agroforestry systems, while 37 and 35% evidenced their environmental importance and ability to adapt to climatic variations, respectively. The socioeconomic characteristics show that there is a productive diversity, a floristic composition in multi-strata and traditional management, which affects on carbon and nitrogen dynamic, since the quality of organic matter depends on the diversity of the floristic composition of the system and the type of management applied by the producer. Implications. At present this analysis contributes to detect the advances of investigations on carbon and nitrogen dynamic to generate integrated research according to the Mexican national reality. Conclusions. Researchs should focus on: (1) the productive diversification and carbon and nitrogen dynamic; (2) effect of socioeconomic variations on carbon and nitrogen dynamic; (3) degree of sensitivity of carbon and nitrogen dynamic to climatic variations; (4) identification of adaptive capacities, that allows carbon and nitrogen dynamic to be maintained.

Avocado cultivation is displacing traditional coffee production in Veracruz, Mexico. This change modifies the floristic composition and agronomic management (AM), both of which are affected by socioeconomic factors and generate variation in edaphic conditions. The objective of this research was to identify the socioeconomic variables that modify the characteristics of the AM of avocado and coffee systems and have repercussions on the carbon and nitrogen pools. Four case studies were analyzed: a renovated coffee polyculture (SRC), severely cleaned coffee polyculture (IPC), avocado–coffee system (ACS), and conventional avocado orchard (CAO). A socioeconomic analysis was carried out with a 30-year economic projection and 56 variables. Three plots were installed where vegetal biomass carbon (VBC) was evaluated; soil samples were taken in theses plots at three depths (in triplicate) to determine soil organic carbon (SOC) and total soil nitrogen (TSN) in each case. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. Four economic variables explain 50.9% of the variation in agronomic management and five social variables 50.2%, in both cases where the component is considered. In all systems, the variation in VBC is explained by the agronomic management, while the reported SOC presents an inverse relationship with AM. The ACS presents the higher values in total C in the system, and SOC and TSN pools, while the CAO shows negative impacts concerning soil organic matter quality. The ACS is sensitive to investment, market diversity, education, and external organic residue addition, explaining the variations in AM and the TSN pools.

La presión por el cambio a monocultivos de aguacate en los sistemas tradicionales de café en el estado de Veracruz puede generar consecuencias, puesto que este cultivo busca maximizar la rentabilidad financiera sin considerar la sostenibilidad de empleo, gestión, adaptar e implementar tecnologías ambientalmente amigables, capacidad de inversión y servicios ecosistémicos. El objetivo fue analizar y priorizar distintos sistemas de producción asociados al cultivo de café y aguacate, mediante dos escenarios: financiero (EF) y multicriterio (EMC). En EF se incluyeron medidas monetarias, con las que se calculó la relación beneficio costo (RBC); en el EMC, además de RBC se incorporaron los criterios de necesidad de inversión, empleo, gestión, carbono y nitrógeno en biomasa vegetal, biomasa y diversidad de macrofauna edáfica, analizados con el método PROMETHEE; a través, del cual se generó un ordenamiento de priorización. Los análisis se realizaron en cinco sistemas: aguacate monocultivo (SAM), aguacate café (SAC), cafetal renovado (SCR); cafetal con limpiezas severas (SCL) y cafetal abandonado (SCA), con información del ciclo 2018-2019. En EF el SAM resultó con la RBC muy por encima de los demás (2.43). El EMC priorizo a los SCR, SAM y SAC en las tres primeras posiciones de la clasificación. Los análisis fundamentan la amenaza de los SAM para desplazar a los cafetales, por lo que se mantiene el reto de diseñar y poner en práctica políticas públicas que valoren las variables sociales y ambientales, y consolidar así SAC en una mejor posición que permitan mantener el cultivo de café.