Background: In some regions of Mexico, edible wild plants have been displaced or eliminated from the traditional food systems, mainly by changes in land use, booming monoculture, herbicide use, and by changes among the new generations in the traditional foods and diets of indigenous populations. In the Totonacapan region of Puebla, the gradual change from the traditional acahual plantation to coffee-type agroecosystems has provoked the displacement of old-growth forests and the eradication of wild plants since 1970. One of the wild species which has been used in traditional medicine and food recipes by the Totonac culture isSmilax aristolochiifolia(SMILACACEAE), known as “kgentsililh”. This species forms part of traditional Totonac recipes, in which the tender stems are still used in local medicine to treat menstrual pain, deal with dysentery, and prevent hair loss. According to the Maxent® Program, there are still potential areas with habitats suitable to promote its conservation in the Poblano Totonacapan.Methods: We conducted 260 interviews with people in 13 locations in the northern Sierra of the State of Puebla. Variables taken into account in the interview related to the consumption frequency of the species, its abundance and distribution perception, reasons or arguments given by the Totonac indigenous population about the decreased presence of specimens ofS. aristolochiifolia, its dates of collection, and the cutting prices of kgentsililh at the community level and in local markets. The relative abundance ofS. aristolochiifoliawas determined through 22 samples in 2ts of 600 m². Later, its potential distribution in the state of Puebla was estimated using the Maxent® Program Ver. 3.3.3.Results: Of the 260 Totonac families interviewed, 31% had stopped consuming kgentsililh. The residents reported that in the last 50 years the populations of this plant had diminished in the northern Sierra of the State of Puebla, mainly due to changes in land use, herbicide application, over-collection, and urban growth. In traditional medicine, the stem sap ofS. aristolochiifoliais currently employed to help treat baldness, and the “tuberous root” or plant rhizome is used to prepare a tea infusion to treat dysentery. The cost of plant guides varies from 10.00 to 40.00 Mexican pesos for one bunch (around 0.5 to 2.00 US dollars), and every bundle consists of between 7 to 10 cuttings from 0.4 to 0.5 m long. From our 22 quadrats of sampling and collection ofS. aristolochiifolia, we were able to recognize a total of 32 specimens. There is a considerable abundance of kgentsililh in acahual plantations and old-growth forests (evergreen lowland and mid-elevation perennial forest) concerning the coffee-type plantations and milpas. According to our analysis using the Maxent Program®, eight physical and climatic variables have a direct relationship to the potential distribution of the species.Conclusions: Smilax aristolochiifoliais still a plant of socioeconomic importance, mainly because of its food value and its use in traditional medicine by indigenous families in Poblano Totonacapan. It is evident that the villagers perceive that in the last 50 years the species has decreased its population mainly due to land-use change, the application of herbicides to the different family production units, and climate change. At the moment, there is no knowledge about the methods of propagation of the species, and therefore there is no intention on the part of the population to conserve the species. However, it would be of great importance to generate a biocultural conservation strategy and take advantage of the results obtained from the potential geographic distribution area, since according to the Maxent® Program, there are still potential areas with habitat suitable to promote conservation in Poblano Totonacapan.

El enfoque biocultural representa una alternativa para el conocimientointegral de la agrobiodiversidad porque considera la interrelación entre la diversidad cultural humana y la biológica. Al respecto, se realizó un estudio de caso en el cual se determinó la riqueza y composición racial de los maíces (Zea mays L.) que conservan los pueblos originarios y campesinos del estado de Puebla. Se realizó un análisis tipo minería de datos en el que se conjuntaron dos bases de datos, lade maíces nativos de la CONABIO 2017 y la de lenguas nativas del INPI 2008. Se encontró una mayor diversidad racial y diferente composición de maíces en los pueblos originarios que en la de campesinos. Se determinó la existencia de 21 razas de maíz en los pueblos originarios y 15 en los campesinos. La presencia de razas de maíz en los pueblos analizados se agrupó en dos conglomerados. El primero fue conformado por un grupo de maíces distintivos de los pueblos originarios y el siguiente por uno distintivo de los pueblos campesinos. De los siete pueblos originarios del estado de Puebla, los Nahuas, Mixtecos, Totonacos, Otomíes e Ngiguas cuentan con razas de maíz identificadas y registradas. Se desconoce que maíces existen en los pueblos Tepehua y Mazateco debido a la ausencia de colectas y registros. La alta riqueza y composición única de maíces de los pueblos originarios es innegable, sin embargo, los pueblos campesinos enriquecen este patrimonio biocultural.

Background. Sustainability assessments in agroecosystems generally focus on comparing a conventional production system with an alternative one, thereby yielding limited information about the agroecosystem's evolutionary sustainability. Objective. To evaluate the development process of the Persian lime (Citrus latifolia) agroecosystem in terms of economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Methodology. The Framework for the Evaluation of Natural Resource Management Systems Incorporating Sustainability Indicators (MESMIS) was applied to assess the sustainability of the lime agroecosystem at the community level in Insurgentes Socialistas, Papantla, Veracruz. Results. Economic sustainability improved through a significant increase in the mean annual lime yield (from 11.8 to 14.4 t ha⁻¹) and in the benefit–cost ratio per hectare (from 2.8 to 3.0). About the social sustainability, all producers in both periods implemented changes or modifications in their orchards. The area under citrus cultivation expanded markedly (from 175.4 to 740.5 ha). However, in terms of economic sustainability, the average number of complementary crops supporting household income decreased significantly (from 3.1 to 2.0). Likewise, in the social dimension, self-management declined by 27.5% in the proportion of individuals who belong to an organization. Regarding environmental issues, the mean number of associated crops in orchards decreased (from 2.6 to 0.8), while the mean number of pests and diseases increased significantly (from 6.2 to 7.6). Implications. Indicators deviating from the optimal level of sustainability might compromise the long-term sustainability of lime agroecosystems. Conclusions. Over time, economic indicators of the Persian lime agroecosystem from the community of Insurgentes Socialistas in Papantla, Veracruz improved, whereas certain social and environmental indicators weakened.

Objective: To determine the socioeconomic profile of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews) producers, their practices, interests, and points of view regarding vanilla wilt disease in the Dimas López community, Olintla, Puebla, Mexico. Design/Methodology/Approach: A descriptive probabilistic study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with key vanilla producers (n=24). Data analysis was based on descriptive statistics. Results: All producers were men, 70.8% were between 44 and 68 years old, 95.8% of them spoke Totonac as their native language, and 92% of them were farmers. Acahual was the predominant production system (84%). The maximum planting area was 0.25 ha. The species used as vanilla tutors were piñón (Jatropha curcas), pichoco (Erythrina sp.), and cocuitle (Gliricidia sepium). More than half of producers (62.5%) have found symptoms of wilting in their crops. Producers applied ash, calcium hydroxide, and sodium bicarbonate as a disease management practice. Producers are mainly interested in phytosanitation (58.3%), pollination (29.1%), plant nutrition (8.2%), and curing vanilla (4.1%). Study Limitations/Implications: The results of this research are only applicable to the study area. Findings/Conclusions: The Totonac vanilla producers in Dimas López are 44-82-years old. They use the acahual production system. Ash and lime are the main products used for the management of vanilla wilt. The main interest of vanilla producers is phytosanitation.