Phytopathogenic fungi are responsible for diseases in commercially important crops and cause major supply problems in the global food chain. Plants were able to protect themselves from disease before humans played an active role in protecting plants. They are known to synthesize a variety of secondary metabolites (SMs), such as terpenes, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds, which can be extracted using conventional and unconventional techniques to formulate biofungicides; plant extracts have antifungal activity and various mechanisms of action against these organisms. In addition, they are considered non-phytotoxic and potentially effective in disease control. They are a sustainable and economically viable alternative for use in agriculture, which is why biofungicides are increasingly recognized as an attractive option to solve the problems caused by synthetic fungicides. Currently, organic farming continues to grow, highlighting the importance of developing environmentally friendly alternatives for crop production. This review provides a compilation of the literature on biosynthesis, mechanisms of action of secondary metabolites against phytopathogens, extraction techniques and formulation of biofungicides, biological activity of plant extracts on phytopathogenic fungi, regulation, advantages, disadvantages and an overview of the current use of biofungicides in agriculture.

En México, el tomate ocupa el segundo lugar en producción entre las hortalizas, sin embargo, el elevado costo de las semillas ha generado limitaciones para los pequeños agricultores, por ello la reproducción por esquejes surge como una alternativa. En este contexto, se exploran enraizantes naturales como alternativas ecológicas a los enraizantes sintéticos; Por ello esta investigación se centró en evaluar el impacto de enraizantes a base de sábila y lenteja en la producción de jitomate, buscando mejorar el desarrollo radicular y a su vez obtener plántulas vigorosas para un trasplante exitoso. Los resultados muestran que los enraizantes naturales, especialmente el tratamiento El15% y Es15%, tuvieron efectos significativos en variables agronómicas como el número de prendimientos, la longitud de la raíz y la altura de la planta. Estos hallazgos respaldan la viabilidad de utilizar enraizantes naturales a base de sábila y lenteja como una alternativa económica y ecológica para mejorar la propagación y desarrollo de plantas de jitomate

Lilium species produce some of the most commercially valuable ornamental flowers in the world, characterized by their attractiveness and high demand in cut flower markets. However, it is necessary to strengthen the competitiveness of this sector in the global market. Due to strong competition from international producers and an increasingly demanding market regarding quality, shelf life, and sustainability, alternatives are being sought to counteract the use of conventional agrochemicals. The use of nanoparticles has emerged as a promising strategy in ornamental horticulture due to their ability to enhance plant growth, improve stress tolerance, and stimulate physiological processes, ultimately contributing to higher quality and productivity. The hypothesis of this research is that the foliar application of selenium and titanium dioxide nanoparticles during the vegetative growth and flowering stages significantly enhances the growth, development, and flowering of Lilium plants when compared with untreated plants. Therefore, the physiological effects of SeNPs and TiO₂NPs applied via foliar application in two concentrations (SeNPsD1, SeNPsD2, TiNPsD1, and TiNPsD2) were evaluated against absolute control. The treatments were applied in two phenological stages (vegetative and reproductive development), and their effects on vegetative and reproductive variables in Lilium plants were evaluated from 120 to 270 days after sowing. The surface of seeds obtained from SeNPsD1-treated plants was further analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results demonstrate that the application of SeNPs generated variable effects depending on the phenological stage. In the vegetative stage (46 DAS), SeNPsD2 increased the number of leaves by 118%, while SeNPsD1 increased the fresh weight of leaves by 110%. Regarding ovaries, the application of SeNPsD2 resulted in a 276% increase in fresh weight and a 230% increase in dry weight, while SeNPsD1 achieved an increase of 164% in fresh weight. Furthermore, at this stage, SeNPsD2 promoted a 223% increase in the number of bulbils, a 240% increase in fresh weight, and a 199% increase in dry weight. In the reproductive stage (69 DAS), SeNPsD1 increased the leaf fresh weight by 1% and yielded a 107% increase in the number of ovaries, in addition to 307% and 328% increases in their fresh and dry weights, respectively. In the same stage, SeNPsD2 increased the fresh ovary weight by 153%, compared with the control. Finally, capsule formation was observed only under the SeNPsD1 treatment. Meanwhile, TiO₂NPs had an effect on the number of buds and the number of open buds: the number of buds increased by 115% with TiNPsD1 (69 DAS) and the number of open buds increased by 104% (46 DAS) with TiNPsD1; in the reproductive stage, the number increased by 115% with TiNPsD1 compared with the control. In the seed capsules of plants treated with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPsD1), although no surface selenium was detected via EDS, elements that had possibly been physiologically redistributed were identified, including iron (Fe), silicon (Si), and aluminum (Al). These findings confirm the hypothesis of this research, demonstrating that the foliar application of SeNPs and TiO₂NPs to Lilium plants during the vegetative and reproductive stages significantly improves their vegetative growth, reproductive development, and floral quality under controlled conditions. This work presents the first comparative evidence regarding the effects of SeNPs and TiO₂NPs on the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of Lilium Sunny Oriental, providing unprecedented information for the use of nanotechnology in ornamental horticulture. The findings confirm the potential use of nanoparticles as agents to optimize the productivity and commercial quality of ornamental flowers in highly competitive markets.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a tomato residue biostimulant on the growth and development of rasidsh (Raphanus sativus L) by comparing foliar and irrigation applications with a chemical treatment and a control. Theoretical Framework: The use of natural biostimulants from plant residues is a sustainable alternative to improve agricultural yields. Tomato residues contain phenolic compounds and flavonoids that promote the production of this crop. Method: The biostimulant was applied in three concentrations (25, 50 and 75 mL) by irrigation and foliar spraying. Aagronomic parameters such as plant height, leaf number, chlorophyll content and root biomass were evaluated. Results and Discussion: The 50 mL treatment applied by irrigation showed the greatest increases in growth and biomass, even outperforming the chemical treatment. The effectiveness of the biostimulant is attributed to its hight content of antioxidant compounds an its antioxidant capacity. Research Implications: These results suggest that tomato waste can be reused as agricultural biostimulants to promote more sustainable production. Originality/Value: This study demonstrates the potential of plant waste as an environmentally friendly agricultural input.

Low temperature is one of the major environmental challenges for most crops, especially those of tropical and semitropical origin. The present work aimed to study low-temperature tolerance in tomato plants when these were previously inoculated with a Trichoderma asperellum strain. Here, it was demonstrated that tomato plants inoculated with the bioinoculant exhibited an alleviation of the injuries caused by low temperatures, with a 2.2-fold increase in plant survival. The increase in chilling tolerance was accompanied by a strong reduction in oxidative stress, but also by enhancements in proline and soluble sugar accumulation of at least 1.7-fold. Additionally, leaf stoma features were also measured, and it was found that both the bioinoculant and low temperatures increased leaf stomatal densities by 32% and 29%, respectively, and raised the stomatal index, while reducing stomatal area by 25–30%, suggesting that leaf traits may also contribute to alleviating the damage caused by low temperatures in tomato plants. The results of the present study demonstrate that T. asperellum provokes physiological and biochemical changes in tomato plants that together enhance tolerance to low temperature, leading us to propose the use of T. asperellum as an agroecological strategy to combat crop damage under low temperatures.

Mole sauce is one of the traditional Mexican foods; it is a complex mixture of ingredients of diverse origins that directly influence its nutritional value. The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant properties and nutritional components in five varieties of mole from Hidalgo in Mexico namely verde (V), ranchero (R), almendrado (A), casero (C), and pipian (P). Proximal chemical analysis and determination of the color index and the content of total starch, dietary fiber, mineral content (Ca, Na, K, and Mg), total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity by ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and DPPH (2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl) were carried out. All the five varieties of mole reported less than 25% moisture content while fat content varied from 42.9% to 58.25%. The color index ranged from a deep orange to a deep red color. A fair percentage of dietary fiber was found in all mole varieties with a low amount of starch as well. The presence of mostly insoluble dietary fiber, high phenolic content (36.13–79.49 mg GAE/100 g), and high antioxidant activity could be considered important strengths to boost the consumption of these traditional preparations. This research will contribute to a better scientific knowledge of traditional Mexican sauces as functional foods or nutraceuticals that could be used to avoid health disorders.