This study aimed to evaluate different L. corniculatus L. ecotypes under water-deficit conditions to identify changes in relative water content and photosynthetic pigments as indicators of physiological responses during different years’ seasons. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with three replicates. Ten treatments were performed as a factorial of 2 × 5, where the first variation factor was the soil water content—no water deficit (NDW) with 100% field capacity (FC), and water deficit (DW) corresponding to 85.4% of the FC—and the second variation factor comprised four ecotypes and one variety of L. corniculatus. A significant effect was identified on the concentration of photosynthetic pigments, mainly total chlorophyll, with chlorophyll a in the 255301 ecotype with records of 187.8, 167.5, and 194.6 mg g⁻¹ FW in WD, corresponding to an increase of 86.0%, 172.6%, and 16.6%, respectively, in relation the lower values obtained in the ecotype 202700 under NWD. In carotenoids, higher concentrations were observed in the 255301 and 202700 ecotypes and the Estanzuela Ganador variety under WD in most seasonal periods, except summer; a similar response was found in the 202700 ecotype and the Estanzuela Ganador variety during the winter season, also in WD. The results showed that the first two principal components accounted for 71.8% of the total variation, with PC1 representing chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll, and PC2 representing carotenoids, temperature, relative chlorophyll index, and relative water content. The observations were grouped based on soil moisture content, with the optimal moisture group exhibiting higher chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations. The findings suggest that soil moisture content significantly affects the performance of L. corniculatus ecotypes, and the plant shows seasonal variations in response to water-deficit conditions. This research contributes to understanding the physiological responses of L. corniculatus and its potential as a water-efficient forage crop for promoting sustainable agriculture and enhancing food security.

Background: Water deficit and salinity are common conditions in arid agro-ecosystems. Hypothesis: Salinty increases the hydric stress effect on the yield and gel quality of Aloe vera. Study species and data description: In A. vera plants the variables meassured were: plant height, leaf length, width, and thickness, fresh biomass, the relative content of water, total solids, gel percentage, and harvest index. Study site and dates: The study was conducted from spring to summer 2020 in Bermejillo, Durango, Mexico. Methods: A split-block experimental design with four replications was used. The large plots were two soil moisture contents: field capacity (18.5 ± 2.5 %) and permanent wilting point (12.5 ± 2.5 %). The small plot was the salinity, with levels: 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mM of NaCl. Results:Water deficit and salinity reduced the width and thickness of leaves and, consequently, the fresh biomass and gel percentage were reduced, but gel quality increased. Conclusions: Water deficit and salinity, mainly the latter, reduced plant growth and leaves, and therefore, the yield of fresh biomass and gel. Although gel yield was reduced, its quality was enhanced, in terms of high total solids content.

The aim of this study was to explore some physiological and productivity responses of two chili pepper morphotypes (Capsicum annum L.) exposed to different soil moisture contents. A randomized block design in a split-plot arrangement with four replicates was used. The large plots (32 m long and 3.2 m width) were 25% ± 2 as the optimum soil moisture content (OSMC), and 20% ± 2 as the suboptimum soil moisture content (SSMC); the small plots (16 m long and 3.2 m width) were two chili pepper morphotypes: Jalapeño and Chilaca, respectively. Jalapeño plants showed more stability in relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic activity (µmol CO₂/m²/s), and a relatively low transpiration (mmol H₂O/m²/s) and stomatal conductance (µmol H₂O/m²/s); therefore, it had a higher number of flowers per plant and number of fruits per plant, consequently recording a high fruit production of 3.94 and 2.99 kg/m² in OSMC and SSMC, respectively. In contrast, the Chilaca chili showed low stability in water relative content (WRC), photosynthesis, and transpiration, going from OSMC to SSMC, as well as showed a lower yield in SSMC; however, all of that was compensated by its size and weight of the fruit per plant, with a yield of 4.95 kg/m² in OSMC. Therefore, the Jalapeño chili pepper could be an option when the irrigation water is limited, and the Chilaca chili pepper when this resource is not limited.

The aim was to conduct a residual analysis of the main cationic elements, heavy metals and arsenic in irrigated maize fodder production. Four soil and maize plant samplings were conducted in eight sites in April, May, June and July, 2014. Ca, Na, As, and Pb concentrations were higher in the soil. The As concentration was higher in June and July. La Purísima had a higher As concentration, while Bermejillo, La Galicia and La Rosita had a higher Ca concentration. K, Ca, Pb and Zn had higher concentrations in the maize plant, with Ca, Na and K having highervalues in July and Mg, Pb and Zn being higher in May and July. The content of Ca, Mg, Na and K did not dier among regions; arsenic was higher in Leon Guzmán and La Rosita.

Este estudio se realizó con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de diferentes fuentes y dosis de retenedores de humedad edáfica, en el establecimiento de pasto buffel (Cenchrus ciliaris L) en un sistema de microcuencas captadoras de agua de lluvia. Se evaluaron cuatro dosis de hidrogel: 0, 5, 10 y 15 kg ha-1 y dos dosis de vermicoposta: 0 y 40 t ha-1. El efecto de la dosis de hidrogel fue independiente del efecto de la dosis de vermicomposta, respecto a la retención de humedad en el suelo y el crecimiento y desarrollo de la planta. A los 241 días después de la siembra (dds), el contenido de humedad edáfica fue mayor (P£0.05) cuando se aplicaron 5, 10, y 15 kg ha-1, con valores de 25, 23.2 y 23.4 %, respectivamente, sin diferencia estadística entre dosis, pero sí con el testigo (17.5 %). A los 346 dds, se observó un efecto similar, el cual se pierde a los 372 dds; en tanto que la emergencia de plántulas fue significativamente mayor (47.7 %) cuando se aplicaron 15 kg ha-1 de hidrogel, respecto al testigo (29 %) (P£0.05). La altura de planta y el peso de materia seca, así como la actividad fotosintética, fueron significativamente mayores al testigo, cuando se aplicó el hidrogel en cualquiera de las dosis. Finalmente, la aplicación de 40 t ha-1 de vermicomposta, incrementó significativamente el contenido de humedad en el suelo y produjo una mayor cantidad de materia seca de pasto buffel.