Zinc intake deficiency is a public health problem and increasing the nutrient’s content in the edible parts of plants can help mitigate it. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the edaphic and foliar application of zinc sulphate on the nutrient content, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity of cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata L. Walpers). A sample of 100 grains was taken, and the length, width, thickness, weight, ash content, fat, humidity, fibers, carbohydrates, protein, energy, macro- and micro- nutrients, total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity were determined. The 0.250 g edaphic-12.5 mM foliar dose produced grains of a greater weight and size. All of the edaphic and foliar doses increased the grain zinc content, and the highest value was found with the 0.125 g edaphic-50.0 mM foliar dose. The total phenols increased with 12.5 g of edaphic zinc, while phenols, flavonoids, and the antioxidant capacity increased with 50.0 mM foliar zinc. The edaphic and foliar application of zinc sulphate increased the grain weight and size, zinc content, total phenols, and antioxidant capacity. Therefore, edaphic and foliar zinc biofortification enriches this nutrient in cowpea grains, and could reduce micronutrient malnutrition in the urban and rural communities of Mexico.

Resumen. Salivazo o mosca pinta aplica a varias especies de insectos de la familia Cercopidae, que constituyen una importante plaga de la caña de azúcar (Saccharum sp.) en el trópico mexicano, las cuales suelen completar su ciclo de vida en otras plantas que se desarrollan como arvenses. El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar las especies de mosca pinta y de arvenses hospederas de éstas, confinando 127 ninfas, de las que se colectaron 76 adultos, 51 de Aeneolamia contigua Walker, y 25 de Prosapia simulans Walker, localizadas en 13 especies de plantas arvenses. La mayor abundancia de especies de mosca pinta se encontró en Paspalum fasciculatum, Rottboellia cochinchinensis, y Pennisetum purpureum. Aeneolamia contigua se reporta por primera vez en Panicum laxum, Pennisetum setaceum y Urochloa fusca, y Prosapia simulans en U. fusca y Synedrella nodiflora, esta última es el primer registro de una planta que no es Poaceae. Spittlebug apply to more than one species of insects of the Cercopidae family, an important pest of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) plantations in the Mexican tropics, which typically complete their life cycle in other plants that grow like weeds. The aim of this research was to identify both spittlebugs and their host weed species by confining 127 nymphs on exclusions of wire and mesh; 76 adult spittlebugs were captured, 51 Aeneolamia contigua Walker and 25 Prosapia simulans Walker, in 13 species of weeds. The most abundant species was found in Paspalum fasciculatum, Rottboellia cochinchinensis, and Pennisetum purpureum. Aeneolamia contigua is reported for the first time in Panicum laxum, Pennisetum setaceum, and Urochloa fusca and Prosapia simulans in U. fusca and Synedrella nodiflora.

The pepper (Capsicum spp.) is one of the most important vegetables in Mexico. The aim of this study was to collect wild peppers and characterize in situ their morphological diversity. From January to November 2015, field trips were made to 54 locations in 15 municipalities in the state of Tabasco, Mexico; 131 collections were obtained in which a total of 23 plant, flower and fruit variables were evaluated. With the mean values of the variables, principal component (PC) and cluster analyses were performed. The first three PCs explained 65.2% of total morphological variability, with the variables fruit length, fruit shape, fruit width, leaf width, leaf length, plant height and branch density providing a greater explanation for the diversity. Cluster analysis grouped the 131 collections into two groups, one formed by the morphotypes 'Amashito', 'Garbanzo' and 'Ojo de cangrejo', with characteristics of C. annuum var. Glabriusculum, and the second group with the morphotype 'Pico de paloma' with characteristics of the species C. frutescens L. It is concluded that the wild peppers of the State of Tabasco have morphological diversity, which must be preserved as a genetic resource of interest.

The Neotropical cornstalk borer, Diatraea lineolata (Walker), is a pest of economic importance in maize, Zea mays L., in Mexico. The objective was to evaluate natural parasitism by Apanteles diatraeae Muesebeck on D. lineolata larvae during four ‘Mejen’ maize-growing seasons at Tabasco, Mexico. Parasitism by the braconid A. diatraeae on D. lineolata larvae was relatively low, from 0.29 to 2.8%. Of a total of 15 parasitized larvae, 46.6% were 3rd instar, 26.7% 4th instar, and 26.7% 5th-instar larvae. A. diatraeae is a gregarious endoparasitoid, with an average of 57.1 wasps emerging per parasitized larva and a sex ratio of 1:0.44 (female:male). The braconid should be studied in greater detail to know more about its interrelationship with its host during phenological stages of the crop, before physiological maturity of maize plants.