Molecular docking has emerged as a pivotal computational approach in agri-food research, offering a rapid and targeted means to discover bioactive molecules for crop protection and food safety. Its ability to predict and visualize interactions between natural or synthetic compounds and specific biological targets provides valuable opportunities to address urgent agricultural challenges, including climate change and the rise in resistant crop pathogens. By enabling the in silico screening of diverse chemical entities, this technique facilitates the identification of molecules with antimicrobial and antifungal properties, specifically designed to interact with critical enzymatic pathways in plant pathogens. Recent advancements, such as the integration of molecular dynamics simulations and artificial intelligence-enhanced scoring functions, have significantly improved docking accuracy by addressing limitations like protein flexibility and solvent effects. These technological improvements have accelerated the discovery of eco-friendly biopesticides and multifunctional nutraceutical agents. Promising developments include nanoparticle-based delivery systems that enhance the stability and efficacy of bioactive molecules. Despite its potential, molecular docking still faces challenges related to incomplete protein structures, variability in scoring algorithms, and limited experimental validation in agricultural contexts. This work highlights these limitations while outlining current trends and future prospects to guide its effective application in agri-food biotechnology.

Environmental factors influence positively or negatively for the establishment of natural pine s regeneration, which may be linked to forest fires. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the environmental variables that influence the establishment of natural pines regeneration in impacted areas under three fire severity conditions (no fire, moderate fire and extreme fire) in pine - oak forests (Pinus lumholtzii BL Rob. & Fernald, Pinus devoniana Lindl., Pinus oocarpa Scheide, Quercus castanea Née, Quercus magnoliifolia Née) in the state of Jalisco (Mexico). For this purpose, different parameters of natural regeneration were evaluated: trees, live and dead fuels in circular sites of ~400 m2. Correlation analyses were performed with the data obtained to identify the most significant variables, and to use them in the stepwise regression analyses to identify predictor variables useful for the definition of the model for the estimation of natural pine regeneration in areas affected by fire. The analyzes showed that the "stepwise" process presents the best model with an R2 of 0.6837 and an AIC of 568.58, selecting the following variables: dry weight of herbs, height of shrubs, crown diameter of shrubs and grasses, 10 hour fuels and exposure. Subsequently, considering the mean square of the error as the main criterion, a comparison was made of the models resulting from the combination of these variables, with the best model excluding the dry weight of herbs. It is concluded that the establishment of the natural regeneration of pine is associated with certain variables of ground cover, understory and relief.

The world is currently confronted with a complex task involving the sustainable balance of food production and long-term consumption. One way to face this challenge is through agroforestry systems (ASF). At the national level, there is relevant information on the subject; however, few studies have attempted to analyze trends in agroforestry scientific development over time. In this sense, it was proposed that the number of ASF publications related to food security and natural resource conservation increase on an annual basis. The objective of the present study was to perform a quantitative analysis of agroforestry research published between 1990 and 2022 from Web of Science in Mexico with a bibliometric approach. There were 204 publications related to agroforestry systems, recording an increase of 86 % in the last decade. Among the scientific journals analyzed, Agroforestry Systems and Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine registered the highest number of publications and citations. The most frequent terms mentioned in publications over 32 years were the relationship between the effects of ASF on crops, traditional management, local knowledge, and the conservation of natural resources. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) is the institution with the highest number of research works on the subject, mainly by scientists Alejandro Casas Fernandez and Isabel Moreno Calles, both individually and collaboratively. In conclusion, the number of publications on ASF increased during the time period studied, primarily in the area of food security.

Plant pruning is the selective removal of specific plant parts to enhance growth, shape, and health. In this work, the effects of pruning were evaluated regarding the physiological parameters, maturity, quality, and harvest indices and the nutritional quality features of twelve chayote [Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw] (Cucurbitaceae) varieties. GC-FID approaches were utilized to determine CO₂ assimilation rates. The results demonstrated that pruning upregulated the leaf temperature and conductance but decreased transpiration and CO₂ assimilation rates within the evaluated period (06:30 a.m.–16:23 p.m.). It was noted that the implementation of pruning also impacted samples with enhanced photosynthetically active radiation activity, with a positive correlation with CO₂ assimilation. The macro- and micronutrient content was higher in samples with an epidermis, especially for S. edule var. albus spinosum. Nevertheless, the analyzed samples presented low (5–10 mL CO₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹), medium (10–15 mL CO₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹), and high levels (15–20 mL CO₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹) of respiratory intensity and weight loss (7–17%)—effects attributed to botanical differences between the studied chayote varieties. This work demonstrates, for the first time, the effects of pruning in chayote orchards and expands the knowledge regarding the implementation of effective approaches to produce plants with culinary, cultural, and medicinal implications. Further approaches are required to determine the effects of pruning on chayote after harvest.

Contrasting light environments in rainforests generates changes in the characteristics of the leaves and in the herbivore community. In the present study, we carried out a reciprocal transplant experiment under natural conditions to determine the plasticity of leaf characteristics of plant species that grow in contrasting light environments in a Neotropical forest. We further explored the relationship between these traits and insect herbivory. We found that six woody species differ markedly in the phenotypic plasticity of leaf features. The specific leaf area, chlorophyll content, carbon content, nitrogen content, and leaf thickness of the most light-demanding species were highest in gaps, but their carbon/nitrogen ratios were higher under closed canopies. The herbivores were more abundant in gaps (5.9%–14.8%) than under closed canopy habitats (3.4%–6.1%) and seemingly associated to the plasticity of the leaf traits. We observed 47% more herbivores in gaps than under closed canopies. Our results suggest that the phenotypic plasticity of leaf traits depends on the identity of the plant species and its wood density, while herbivory seems to be affected by plant defence, low nutritional quality, or herbivore tolerance.

Chayote [ Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.] is a vegetable with increasing export potential, cultivated in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, India, China, Japan, and more recently, in several European countries. The fruit is primarily consumed at its horticultural maturity stage. This species displays high morphological variability in terms of shape, size, color, and ripening indices. Despite its growing international trade relevance, current regulatory standards such as CODEX STAN 216–1999 and NMX-FF-047-1996 do not include nine commercially important varieties. To support the development and updating of standardization and metrology parameters, a comprehensive evaluation was conducted. This included morphometric traits, nutritional composition, health indicators, fruit color, shape, size, weight, firmness, presence of spines, germination behavior, physical defects, total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid content, proximate analysis, and flavor profile. All fruits were obtained from a uniform agroclimatic origin using statistically representative sampling. The results revealed significant quantitative differences among varieties, supporting the need to revise and expand existing quality standards. Standardized maximum, average, and minimum values were established for key parameters including fruit type (A, B, C, D), size grade, commercial category (Extra, I, II, III), caliber-weight classification (B, M, S, VS), color metrics (L*, Chroma, Hue), mineral content (with and without epidermis), minimum biochemical thresholds, flavor (neutral, sweet, bitter), germination capacity, harvest index, and defect typology. This study provides the technical foundation to update current norms and to regulate the quality of Sechium edule fruits, particularly for varieties not currently recognized in international standards, thereby enhancing their access to global markets.