Trichoderma is a genus of cosmopolitan fungi with more than 375 species described today. Despite its global significance in agriculture, ecosystems, and industry, few studies have focused on studying the diversity and distribution of this genus in Mexico. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to understand the diversity and distribution of Trichoderma species in Mexico, both in ecosystems and agroecosystems. For this systematic review, we used the PRISMA methodology. We reviewed forty-one scientific articles, two book chapters, and the GBIF database. We recorded a total of 1082 isolates, revealing the presence of 57 species of the genus Trichoderma in 29 states of Mexico. We found that species from the genus Trichoderma were reported in 20 agroecosystems and 6 ecosystems. T. harzianum was the predominant species in both agricultural and undisturbed soil. Tabasco and Veracruz were the states with the highest species diversity, with 20 and 14 species reported, respectively. Chiapas had the highest diversity indices (Menhinick had 3.20, Simpson had 0.89, and Margalef had 4.16). The coffee crop was the agroecosystem with the highest diversity, with 12 species reported. In the undisturbed ecosystems, tropical rainforests featured 12 different species. This study highlights the distribution of the genus Trichoderma as a cosmopolitan genus. We argue for the importance of the species that comprise the genus and its applications for social benefits.

Haloarchaea produce metabolites of biotechnological importance and grow in hypersaline environments such as coastal lagoons, marine solar salterns, natural brines, and salt lakes. Haloarchaeal compounds from hypersaline environments in Mexico have been scarcely studied. This research aimed to identify a haloarchaea isolate and evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties of the culture’s biomass pigments (BPs) and supernatant pigments (SPs). One extremely halophilic archaeal strain designated AS8 was isolated from brine samples of the Bahía de Lobos coastal lagoon, Sonora, and identified as Halomicrobium mukohataei based on analyses of the 16S rRNA gene. The SPs showed the best free radical scavenging activity on DPPH and ABTS assays, with 74 and 67% inhibition values, respectively. The extracts also showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with inhibition halos between 7 to 17 mm. Cytotoxic activity of extracts using nauplii of Artemia salina showed CL₅₀ 850 µg/mL to SPs and > 1000 µg/mL to BPs. This work represents the first isolation study of H. mukohataei from Bahía de Lobos lagoon. Likewise, H. mukohataei is an alternative source of natural pigments with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties, which have potential in biomedical applications and the development of new drugs.

The rhizosphere microbiota of arid plants plays a crucial role in adaptation to environmental stress. However, few studies have characterized microorganisms associated with Agave species and their contribution to resilience against salinity and drought. This study aimed to isolate and characterize halotolerant bacteria from the rhizosphere of Agave potatorum Zucc from two different sites and evaluate their in vitro Na⁺ sequestration, desiccation resistance, and phytohormone production. These traits were compared with those of halotolerant bacteria isolated from a highly saline soil at a third site. Bacteria were obtained through serial dilutions and cultured on R2A plates supplemented with varying NaCl concentrations. The most efficient Na⁺-sequestering isolates underwent an 18-day desiccation assay, and their production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA₃) was quantified. Among the 48 halotolerant isolates obtained, 7 (SM1, SM10, SPM5, SM7, SM19, VZ9, and SPM1) exhibited the highest Na⁺ sequestration efficiency. Among these isolates, SM1 exhibited the highest in vitro Na⁺ sequestration capacity (10.74 μg L⁻¹, p < 0.05). SM1 and SPM1 demonstrated the greatest desiccation resistance, at 88.39% and 83.05%, respectively. Additionally, SM7 produced the highest levels of IAA (13.69 μg mL⁻¹, p < 0.05), while SM1 exhibited the highest GA₃ production (1285.38 μg mL⁻¹, p < 0.05). Based on these characteristics, isolates SPM1 and SM1 exhibited the highest efficiency in tolerating drought and salinity stress. However, isolate SPM1 may colonize the rhizosphere of A. potatorum more effectively, likely due to its adaptation as a native isolate to the edaphic and environmental conditions in which this agave thrives. Molecular identification confirmed that the isolates belong to the genera Kosakonia, Priestia, Streptomyces, Bacillus, Stutzerimonas, Pseudomonas, and Exiguobacterium. This study highlights the diversity of halotolerant bacteria in the rhizosphere of A. potatorum and their potential as bioinoculants for enhancing soil fertility and restoring degraded soils.

The chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) from leaves and bark of two morphotypes, white (WM) and black (BM) of Salmea scandens obtained by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were analyzed by GC-MS. The major components of the bark EOs were aliphatic hydrocarbons (38.0% in WM, 48.6% in BM) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (27.6% in WM, 11.3% in BM); in leaves EOs major components were oxygenated sesquiterpenes (43.9% in WM, 45.7% in BM) and oxygenated aliphatics (13.7% in WM, 1.1% in BM) stood out. Nine components have been reported to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potential. The agglomerative hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis confirmed the variability of the EOs. These results suggest that WM may have a better therapeutic effect for treating infectious and inflammatory processes in traditional medicine.

Background: Laelia furfuracea is an orchid with anticoagulant properties; however, it is unknown which coagulation factors are inhibited and whether the plant has antiplatelet activity. Questions: Does the hydroethanolic extract of leaves of L. furfuracea inhibit coagulation factor activity and platelet aggregation? Studied species: Laelia furfuracea. Study site and dates: Plant material was collected in April 2023 in Santo Domingo Yanhuitlán, Oaxaca, Mexico. Methods: The anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects of the extracts of L. furfuracea were evaluated in samples from patients with thrombosis through coagulometric assays and light transmission aggregometry. Results: The extract of L. furfuracea inhibited the activity of factors II, V, VIII, and XI in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest extract concentration, 14.0 mg/mL, inhibited about 60 % of factors II and V activity, but ˃ 95 % of factors VIII and XI. Moreover, at a 1.0 mg/mL concentration, the extract inhibited platelet aggregation induced by ADP, thrombin, and epinephrine in 85, 97, and 83 %, respectively. Conclusions: It was demonstrated that the orchid extract inhibits both the activity of factors II, V, VIII, XI, and thrombin-, ADP-, and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation. Polyphenols stand out among the possible bioactive compounds of the orchid with anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet activity.

Los hongos levaduriformes del género Candida son el principal responsable de infecciones intrahospitalarias ocasionadas por hongos. Por tanto, el objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la actividad antifúngica in vitro de extractos de A. cepa, A. fistulosum y A. ampeloprasum frente a C. albicans y C. kruzei. La actividad antifúngica se determinó mediante difusión en pozo, concentración mínima inhibitoria (CMI) y fungicida (CMF), a los extractos activos se les realizó un análisis fitoquímico. Se encontró que los extractos de bulbos de A. cepa (T2), hojas de A. ampeloprasum (T7), hojas de A. cepa (T9) y bulbos de A. ampeloprasum (T16) inhibieron el crecimiento de ambas cepas, obteniendo halos de inhibición en un rango de 6.3-19.4 mm. La CMI de los tratamientos T2 y T16 vario en un rango de 31.2-62.5 μg/mL para C. albicans y 31.2-125 μg/mL para C. Kruzei. El tratamiento T16 obtuvo una CMF de 125 μg/mL para C. albicans y 62.5 μg/mL para C. Kruzei, inhibiendo más del 90% de su crecimiento. El análisis fitoquímico revelo la presencia de saponinas, fenoles, flavonoides, terpenoides y alcaloides. Concluyendo que los extractos de hojas y bulbos de A. cepa y A. ampeloprasum poseen actividad fungistática y fungicida contra C. albicans y C. kruzei.