Microbial metallophores are low-molecular-weight chelating agents produced by microorganisms to acquire essential metal ions. Their biosynthesis, transport, and regulation involve complex processes, specialized enzymatic machinery, and intricate regulatory networks. This review examines the multifaceted roles of metallophores in microbial ecology and their potential applications in sustainable agriculture, emphasizing their key role in trace metal acquisition, nutrient cycling, and plant–microbe interactions. Furthermore, it explores the potential applications of metallophores in agriculture, bioremediation, and biotechnology, connecting their potential to the development of novel strategies for sustainable agriculture.

Los brotes de enfermedades en cultivos de zarzamora (Rubus subgénero Eubatus) en Los Reyes, Michoacán, México, ocasionan pérdidas en la producción. Las condiciones edafoclimáticas, prácticas agrícolas inadecuadas y el cambio climático han favorecido la pudrición de la raíz (Fusarium spp.), dejando de cultivarlas con pérdidas equivalentes a los 2 540 millones de pesos anuales (125 millones de dólares). El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar numéricamente la viabilidad térmica para cultivar tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) hidropónico en invernadero como alternativa agrícola. Se usaron bases de datos climatológicas y dinámica de fluidos computacional (CFD) para alimentar modelos numéricos y analizar el ambiente de dos invernaderos cenitales típicos de Mexico. Los modelos numéricos se evaluaron mediante un análisis ANOVA de un factor con p  0.5. Resultados muestran que la temperatura en el invernadero se mantiene entre el umbral máximo y mínimo para el cultivo de tomate (de 10 a 30 °C). Para acumular 1 398.5 grados días calor (GDC) recomendados por ciclo, en esa región resulta factible almacenar calor para cultivar tres ciclos cortos de tomate. Se identifican periodos críticos debido a las altas temperaturas en los meses de marzo a junio, durante los cuales se requiere ventilación natural con ventanas frontales, cenitales y laterales, para mejorar la tasa de renovación de aire cuando existe un cambio en la dirección del viento predominante.

Cinnamon is a tree introduced to the lowlands of Mexico in the mid-16th century, but it spread to other places at the beginning of the 20th century due to its important commercial value as an aromatic spice. In the state of Veracruz, symptoms of dieback have been observed in 12-year-old cinnamon plantations cultivated in an agroforestry system, causing concern among producers. For this reason, the present investigation was carried out to determine the causal agent of these symptoms observed in cinnamon trees. Fifty symptomatic plants were recovered from established plantations. One hundred cinnamon root fragments showing dieback were selected and separated; isolates were made from tissue showing crown and root rot on clarified juice V-8 agar medium. After eight days, the growth of whitish coralloid mycelium with characteristics similar to the Phytophthora oomycete was consistently observed. Subsequently, the identity corresponding to P. cinnamomi was confirmed by morphological, taxonomic studies and Bayesian inference of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer. The pathogenicity test was performed on 20 6-month-old cinnamon plants grown in pots by inoculating 2.5 × 10⁴/mL of zoospores around the roots. Control plants were inoculated with sterile distilled water and kept in a greenhouse under conditions controlled. After five weeks, symptoms of root rot were observed in the inoculated plants; however, the control group plants remained healthy. The results showed that P. cinnamomi subclade 7c was responsible for the symptoms observed in lowland cinnamon plantations in Mexico. Our findings suggest that this phytopathogen is a new threat for cinnamon growers; likewise, it is recommended that growers implement management strategies to avoid its introduction into nurseries or new plantations that could be susceptible to this pathogen.

La canela (Cinnamomum sp.) es una especie con algunas limitantes sanitarias pero significativas, siendo Phytophthora cinnamomi y Fusarium sp. las de mayor importancia que afectan la raíz. Su control con fungicidas sintéticos ha favorecido el desarrollo de resistencia debido a su mal manejo, por lo que su control con aceites esenciales es una alternativa viable. El objetivo fue determinar el potencial antifúngico de los aceites esenciales de tomillo y clavo para el control de P. cinnamomi y Fusarium sp. aislados de Cinnamomum verum. Se evaluaron concentraciones de 60, 120 y 300 µL L-1 para los dos aceites esenciales. Los datos registrados sobre la tasa de crecimiento radial micelial de los patógenos después de la incubación de Fusarium sp. a 25 ± 1 °C y 28 ± 1 °C tuvo diferencia significativa en las concentraciones ensayadas. P. cinnamomi, no creció radialmente con la concentración de 300 µL L‑1, mientras que con 120 µL L-1 la tasa de crecimiento fue de 0.06 mm por día. En tanto, con Fusarium sp. se inhibe por completo el crecimiento micelial con las dosis de 120 y 300 µL L-1 de aceites esenciales. Con el aceite de tomillo se observó una tendencia similar en las concentraciones 120 y 300 µL L-1 con mayor efecto de inhibición de los dos patógenos. La dosis de 300 µL L-1 de los dos aceites esenciales son capaces de inhibir en su totalidad (P ≤ 0.05) el crecimiento de ambos patógenos. En una concentración máxima de 280 esporas de ambos patógenos; se observó que, el número de esporas se reduce hasta 73 esporas con 300 µL L-1 de aceite de tomillo. Por tanto, pueden ser una alternativa preventiva en el control de enfermedades de la raíz en canela.

The spatial variability of soil physicochemical properties significantly influences irrigation efficiency, nutrient availability, and the long-term sustainability of irrigated agriculture in semi-arid regions. This study aimed to quantify and model the spatial distribution of soil properties in a semi-arid irrigation district in central Mexico (Irrigation District 001 “Pabellón de Arteaga”, Aguascalientes), providing spatially explicit information for differential irrigation and fertilization management. Ninety-seven crop and four natural sampling sites were established under a stratified random design at two soil depths (0–30 and 30–60 cm). Geostatistical and machine learning models (Ordinary Kriging, OK; Generalized Additive Models, GAM; and Random Forest, RF) were applied to predict spatial patterns, and their performance was evaluated using statistical metrics. The findings reveal high spatial and vertical variability, with most properties (such as organic matter, total nitrogen, and texture) showing significant stratification with depth. In contrast, others (pH and electrical conductivity, EC) remained remarkably homogeneous vertically. Correlation patterns were identified, highlighting the negative influence of alkaline pH (≈8.0) on the availability of micronutrients (Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺) and the positive association between EC and soluble cations (Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺). Moran’s Index confirmed significant spatial autocorrelation for most properties, reducing the effective sample size by 30–70%. The comparative evaluation of predictive models demonstrated the superiority of RF over OK and GAMs for predicting chemical properties, thanks to its ability to capture nonlinear relationships and complex interactions. However, the overall predictive performance was moderate, reflecting the multifactorial complexity of the edaphic system. This study lays the foundation for the development of an accessible, low-cost Decision Support System by providing a robust methodological framework for spatial soil characterization and contributing to more sustainable, resilient agriculture, where decision-making is based on quantitative data and predictive models.