The low availability of micronutrients in the soil leads to a deficit of these micronutrients in crops, causing malnutrition in the population. Approximately 3,000 million people in the world have health problems caused by inadequate Zn intake. Agronomic biofortification is a way to produce crops rich in micronutrients and mitigate malnutrition problems. Nano biofortification with zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs-ZnO) is a good strategy to mitigate and increase the nutritional content of the edible part of the plant. The aim was to determine the effect of foliar spraying with NPs-ZnO on yield and biosynthesis of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds and their bioaccumulation. In this study, the effect of foliar fertilization with NPs-ZnO: 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L-1, on yield, the content of bioactive compounds and their bioaccumulation in grapevine berries was evaluated. The distribution of the treatments was under a completely randomized design, each treatment consisted of 10 plants, each representing one experimental unit. The treatments were applied by foliar sprays at fruit formation, in veraison and 15 days before harvest. Foliar spraying with NPs-ZnO positively modifies yield, the content of bioactive compounds, and their bioaccumulation. Doses of 50-75 mg L-1 of NPs-ZnO increased crop yield, and oenological parameters. In addition, all doses evaluated modified enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, and improving Zn concentration in grapevine berries. Foliar spraying of NPs-ZnO is an alternative to improve grape quality and yield, in addition to enriching its nutritional and antioxidant content.

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of Chitosan-Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) in the seed of Salicornia bigelovii under field conditions in Sonora, Mexico. During two vegetative cycles (2018/2019–2019/2020), cuttings of S. bigelovii were treated with 100 and 50% Chitosan from shrimp exoskeletons and indole butyric acid at 0.937 and 1.25 g·kg⁻¹ and placed in basins under conditions of the Sonora desert, Mexico. Variables were measured: seed production, physicochemical analysis and lipid profile of the seed. The results affected significant increases (p < 0.05) in the evaluated variables, highlighting the treatment based on Chitosan 100%—IBA 0.937 g·kg⁻¹. The results based on chitosan and IBA in cuttings, are a biostimulant in the morpho-physiology, yield production, and lipid content of S. bigelovii. Large-scale studies as a production system should be considered in further studies.

Dasylirion cedrosanum is a native species of the Chihuahuan Desert that is economically important for alcohol production, which has caused its looting and deforestation. In the micropropagation technique, the Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium is the most widely used, this basal medium increases costs at the commercial level. The objective of this work was to compare the MS medium with an organic basal medium made from a vermicompost extract (EV) in the multiplication and rooting stages of D. cedrosanum. Seeds were established in MS medium for germination. Then, the seedlings obtained were used as secondary explants for the multiplication stage. In the multiplication stage, seven treatments were evaluated under a completely randomized design with 10 replications. A control (MS medium) and six EV concentrations (30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5 mL L-1) were compared. Our results showed the highest sprout formation in the control treatment (8.25 sprouts per explant). Whereas in the EV base treatments, the 25 ml L‑1 concentration exhibited the highest number of sprouts (3 sprouts per explant). It is worth noting that no significant differences were found between the control and the 25 ml L-1 concentration treatments in terms of the number of variables and leaf length. In the rooting stage, there was no significant difference between treatments in the root number. The MS medium and 10 ml L-1 of EV was not statistically different according to root length (6.53 and 5.99 cm, respectively), the 10 ml L-1 concentration of EV surpassed the MS in root width (1.13 mm). The EV based medium at a concentration of 10 ml L-1 can be used to completely to replace the MS medium in the rooting stage of D. cedrosanum.

Potassium is known as a quality element due to its key role in sugar transport, metabolite biosynthesis, and enzyme activation. This study aimed to determine the optimal dose of potassium nanoparticles (K NPs) in melon plants and evaluate their impact on yield, nutraceutical quality, and K content in the fruits. A field experiment was conducted with melon cv Cruiser, applying four foliar doses of K NPs (100, 200, 300, and 400 mg L⁻¹) and a control treatment (distilled water). The results indicated that foliar application of K NPs significantly affected the nutraceutical quality and K content in melon fruits without impacting crop yield. Melon fruits from plants treated with the intermediate dose (200 mg L⁻¹) showed the highest levels of total soluble solids and firmness. The low dose (100 mg L⁻¹) increased the biosynthesis of flavonoids, total phenols, and antioxidant capacity, while higher doses (300 and 400 mg L⁻¹) reduced bioactive compounds, although they increased the potassium content in the fruits. Foliar application of K NPs is a viable strategy that, when integrated with agronomic practices, can improve the nutraceutical quality of melons without compromising crop yield. However, it is essential to determine the appropriate doses, as low and intermediate doses enhance the fruit's biophysical and nutraceutical quality, while higher doses may have adverse effects on bioactive compounds.

Maize is an important cereal in terms of human and animal nutrition worldwide. In our study, the bacterial microbiome composition of the soil rhizosphere was compared among three maize (Zea mays L.) races: forage (C1), dual-purpose (C2) and grain (C3). Additionally, the impact of the bacterial microbiome of the soil rhizosphere over yield was determined. Our study was conducted in plots located in the El Retiro Experimental Field at Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro (UAAAN). Soil sampling was carried out in June 13, 2021, 51 days af ter sowing. DNA was extracted from three samples of each maize race. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and massive next-generation sequencing was performed with Illumina. The bioinformatic analysis was conducted in QIIME using the bacterial taxonomic reference of EzBioCloud. The phylum Proteobacteria, the class Phycisphaerae, the orders Shingomonadales, Micrococcales and Phycisphaerales, the families Moroxellaceae, Micrococcaceae, Chitinophagaceae, Shingobacteriaceae and Enterobacteriaceae, as well as the genera Acinetobacter, Shingobacterium and Cryseobacterium, were the bacterial taxa that dif fered in relative abundance among the three races (P < 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis test and an average dissimilarity > 0.10 in the SIMPER analysis). Among the taxa identified, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) such as Acinetobacter and Sphingobacterium were detected. The race C2 showed the best yields of grain weight (15.56 Mg ha-1) and forage dry weight (10.61 Mg ha-1). Thus, we conclude that C2 represents a good option to preserve the seed and that further research should be developed for this race under dif ferent conditions.

Foliar application of metal nanoparticles represents a promising strategy for enhancing both yield and nutritional quality in horticultural crops. This study focused on the foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) across a range of concentrations (0, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 mg L-1) and assessed their impact on the yield and nutraceutical profile of melon fruits. Our findings revealed specific effects at different concentration levels: lower concentrations (150 mg L) improved yield and biophysical quality; intermediate concentrations (250 mg L) enhanced enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants; while higher concentrations (300–350 mg L) resulted in reduced yield and enzymatic activity, accompanied by elevated Zn concentration in melon pulp. The utilization of ZnO NPs presents a viable avenue for enhancing both the biophysical quality and antioxidant content of melon fruits. However, it is crucial to note that their effects are dose-dependent, capable of inducing either beneficial or inhibitory outcomes. Consequently, further comprehensive investigations are warranted to elucidate optimal application dosages and maximize the potential benefits of ZnO NPs in horticultural production.