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México is the worl's fourth most important maize producer; hence, there is a need to maintain soil quality for a sustainable production in the upcoming years. Pumice mining, a superficial operation, modifies large areas in Central Mexico. The main aim was 5 to assess the present state of agricultural soils differing in elapsed-time since pumice mining (0-15 years), in a representative area of the Calimaya region in the State of Mexico. The study sites in 0, 1, 4, 10 and 15 year-old reclaimed soils were compared with adjacent undisturbed site. Our results indicate that soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and microbial quotients were greatly impacted by disturbance. A general trend of recovery towards the undisturbed condition with reclamation age was found after disturbance. Recovery of soil total nitrogen was faster than soil organic carbon. Principal components analysis was applied. The first three components together explain 71.72% of the total variability. First factor reveals strong associations between total nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and pH. The second factor reveals high loading of urease and catalase. The obtained results revealed that the most appropriate indicators to diagnose the quality of the soils were: total nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and soil organic carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of traditional knowledge has been widely used in ethnobotanical studies from the 1970s onward. The aftermath of world-scale Green Revolution projects led to the realization that disparities were not bridged between small- and large-scale agricultural producers and between developed and developing countries. It is within this context that from the 1970s, Mexican ethnobotanical researchers began to integrate ecological, social, and political perspectives to promote alternative modalities of agricultural production. Here, ethnobotanists pushed for the revalorization of traditional agricultural knowledge as the main avenue for a more just and responsible agricultural system. However, in implementing this ideological counterrevolution, ethnobotanists constructed their own signification of the traditional, which shaped how it would be accounted for in the following decades. This paper explores the ways in which early ethnobotanical research in Mexico through the 1970s and 1980s imagined, celebrated, and constructed traditional techniques in agriculture as a counter-response to modern agriculture, and with this, how women were framed as secondary actors in a male-dominated narrative. The argument then proposes that these early works were hierarchical and gendered, which complicates celebratory accounts of the countermovement in Mexican ethnobotany and other fields of knowledge. Therefore, this analysis reflects on how the traditional within ethnobotanical research has been constructed under specific contexts, on how this directly shaped gender constructions, and on the latter's implications to the present day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper analyzes the behavior of drought in the face of the impact of climate change and groundwater quality and its implications for agricultural production in a semi-arid area of northeastern Mexico. The pluviometric information of two stations from 1961 to 2020 was analyzed, and the Standardized Precipitation Index was applied in the spring–summer period (SPI-6). Twenty-five samples from the Ahualulco aquifer were collected and analyzed, to which quality indices for agricultural use were applied. The results show that in the last 20 years there have been mild to moderate droughts, which have considerably affected rainfed farmers. The area under irrigation is affected by salinity conditions as the water goes from medium to high conductivities and low to medium sodicity, which indicates a medium sodicity risk but an excessive salinity risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is one of the most important crops in the world, particularly in Mexico where it was domesticated and is central to traditional cultures. The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda [J.E. Smith]), is a major pest that can greatly reduce production of this crop. Climate change also threatens maize production, as projections estimate an increase of fall armyworm outbreaks. For these reasons, (1) we assessed the changes in the S. frugiperda life cycle along a temperature gradient ranging from 23 °C to 31 °C, and (2) assessed the development of larvae feeding on two Mexican landraces and the responses of each landrace to herbivory under current and predicted climatic conditions; both assessments were conducted under laboratory conditions. Development was faster and each life cycle stage was shorter at higher temperatures. The effect of herbivory differed between the landraces; herbivory was more harmful for White Ranchero than for Yellow. As warmer and drier conditions are expected during this century, sowing appropriate maize landraces that can cope with herbivores under climate change could mitigate potential economic losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationship between trust and household adaptation strategies for a sample of respondents in a Mexican agrarian community. In particular, we analyze how levels of personalized, generalized, and institutionalized trust shape the adaptation strategies of smallholders, and find that households characterized by low levels of generalized and institutionalized trust are less likely to be involved in a diversified livelihood strategy. Instead, they tend to continue with the traditional activity of maize production. In contrast, high levels of personalized trust are associated with a livelihood strategy that focuses on cattle breeding and pasture growing. We argue that trust explains why some people more readily 'catch up' with opportunities created by an expanding market, while others lag behind in poverty. This paper thus seeks to contribute to the debate on the role of trust in economic actions and decision-making processes of smallholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the effects of long-term environmental change (represented by the abundance or scarcity relative to the long-term average level of crop yield/river flow) and short-term environmental shock (represented by the maximum number of consecutive years below the median crop yield/river flow per decade) on population redistribution in Mexico and Ethiopia. Crop production and water resources, which are affected by climate change and influence human survival and activities, were selected as research variables. Two developing countries, namely, Mexico and Ethiopia, were selected as comparison cases. The results showed that short-term environmental shocks had no correlation with population redistribution. Short-term environmental shocks might fail to influence migration decisions or cause only temporary displacements that cannot be detected by demographic statistics. Among the long-term environmental change factors, only crop yield deviation was found to have a significant positive correlation with population redistribution. Based on two different datasets and two different decades, crop yield deviation is positively correlated with population redistribution; the correlation coefficients between crop yield deviation and population redistribution were 0.134 to 0.162 in Mexico and 0.102 to 0.235 in Ethiopia. When urbanization was considered as the control variable, the correlation coefficient between crop yield deviation and population redistribution in Mexico dropped by half, while it was almost the same in Ethiopia. However, Ethiopia's population redistribution was more clearly influenced by the population itself. Crop yield deviation relative to water flow deviation meant changes in livelihoods. Population redistribution is a possible means of adapting to changes in livelihood. Mexico exhibited high resilience to changes in livelihoods caused by long-term environmental change, especially in its densely populated areas. In contrast, Ethiopia was characterized mainly by high population growth and low population migration. People in some areas of Ethiopia were forced to endure hardship of livelihood deterioration or to stay where they were due to the difficulty of obtaining sufficient resources to afford the cost of migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexican agricultural production has been characterised by a lack of dynamism in recent years and is losing ground in terms of GDP. This may reflect the lack of funding from commercial and development banks. This research aims at studying the dynamics of the agriculture sector through econometric analysis using Vector Autoregressive (VAR) and Vector Error Correction (VEC) models in order to examine the short- and long-run relationships among agricultural production, terms of trade (ratio of agricultural prices and general price level), agricultural exports and lending from commercial and development banks. The main empirical findings, contrary to what was expected, is that even though there was a precarious level of funding from the banking sector, credit from commercial banking was higher than that from development banking in the last decades. Further, relative prices were found to have a negative relationship with agricultural exports, showing the importance of the external sector in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfers, in the form of subsidies, are a government intervention aimed at boosting economic development. These are provided through various instruments that affect production and trade. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development classifies these instruments into categories from most to least distorting. In its strategy of deregulating the world market, it encourages the use of the latter in agricultural policy. Nonetheless, the effect of this recommendation on the value of agricultural production has been poorly researched. This work assessed the relationship between the amounts of support in different agricultural policy instruments used and the value of the production of subsidized agricultural products (VpS) in Mexico, Brazil, and Chile during the period 1995-2020, through a multiple linear regression model with the stepwise backward elimination procedure. The results show that the transfer items that were relevant to explain the VpS in Mexico were: storage, marketing and other physical infrastructure, support based on area and number of animals, extension services, safety and inspection of agricultural products and institutional infrastructure (p< 0.05), in Brazil they were: research, market prices and education (p< 0.05) and in Chile they were: research, storage, marketing and other physical infrastructure, and farm restructuring (p< 0.05). It should be noted that all instruments with a significant effect on the VpS are classified as less distortive, except for the market price support present in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart practices are actions that can be implemented without affecting agricultural activities and that can promote these activities, generating direct and indirect benefits in ecosystem services provision and increasing agricultural productivity and private income. The present study evaluated the effect of three climate-smart actions (establishment of isolated trees, recovery of riparian vegetation, and implementation of live fences) on increased functional landscape connectivity and carbon storage. Three scenarios with rates of participation ranging from 5 to 100% were tested in two watersheds with different degrees of conservation and a high priority for national food production in Mexico. The main results suggest climate-smart practices positively impact landscape connectivity and carbon sequestration. However, the improvement in landscape connectivity mainly benefits species of short displacement (50–100 m), and the increase in carbon storage is directly linear to the area implemented in these practices. Also, the effectiveness of the modeled actions depends on the landscape structure, which was implemented with the highest benefits in watersheds with intense agricultural activity. The findings can support decision-makers in selecting the best strategies to increase landscape connectivity and carbon sequestration in productive landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like studies of craft production, research on food production has significant implications for understanding the economic organization of past societies. This paper highlights the tools of maize ( Zea mays) processing and cooking as a constructive avenue to examine aspects of food production at Teotihuacan during the Terminal Formative and Classic Periods (100 BC-AD 650). By analyzing the spatial distribution of comales, metates and manos recovered from the Teotihuacan Mapping Project, this study investigates the notion that edible maize products were produced through specialized labor. Two notable patterns are observed. First, the aggregation of comales along the Street of the Dead during the Miccaotli phase (AD 100-170) suggests that tortilla preparation fueled large public work projects, feeding the workers, their families, and other dependents of the state. Secondly, the spatial aggregation of grinding stones, manos and comales in seven concentrated areas within the Classic Period (AD 170-650) occupation of the city suggest that several apartment compounds, possibly entire barrios, may have specialized in the production of tortillas and other finished maize foods for exchange. Such a pattern may have resulted from the costly labor and materials required for the production of tortillas, favoring economies of scale. Several areas within the city conspicuously possessing low frequencies of maize processing artifacts suggest that some sectors were dependent on specialized labor from outside the household for daily needs. Together, these data suggest that food production was a specialized activity at Teotihuacan and increase our understanding of the economic organization of the ancient metropolis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect pollination increases the yield and quality of many crops and therefore, understanding the role of insect pollinators in crop production is necessary to sustainably increase yields. Avocado Persea americana benefits from insect pollination, however, a better understanding of the role of pollinators and their contribution to the production of this globally important crop is needed. In this study, we carried out a systematic literature review and meta‐analysis of studies investigating the pollination ecology of avocado to answer the following questions: (a) Are there any research gaps in terms of geographic location or scientific focus? (b) What is the effect of insect pollinators on avocado pollination and production? (c) Which pollinators are the most abundant and effective and how does this vary across location? (d) How can insect pollination be improved for higher yields? (e) What are the current evidence gaps and what should be the focus of future research? Research from many regions of the globe has been published, however, results showed that there is limited information from key avocado producing countries such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic. In most studies, insects were shown to contribute greatly to pollination, fruit set and yield. Honeybees Apis mellifera were important pollinators in many regions due to their efficiency and high abundance, however, many wild pollinators also visited avocado flowers and were the most frequent visitors in over 50% of studies. This study also highlighted the effectiveness of stingless bees (Meliponini) and blow flies (Calliphoridae) as avocado pollinators although, for the majority of flower visitors, there is a lack of data on pollinator efficiency. For optimal yields, growers should ensure a sufficient abundance of pollinators in their orchards either through increasing honeybee hive density or, for a more sustainable approach, by managing wild pollinators through practices that protect or promote natural habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arguments for land reform primarily centre on its social and political objectives such as improving distributive equity and reducing the concentration of economic and political power in the hands of large landowners. The main aim of this paper is to use census data on 32 individual Mexican States for the two years 1959 and 1969, to subject a number of contentions concerning the economic effects of land reform to statistical tests. Census data at state level and by tenure sectors were available at ten-year intervals. Earlier census data for 1939 and 1949 are also available but, in this paper, the comparison is confined to the two years 1959 and 1969. Even though the results based on state-wide averages are considerably better than those based on nationwide averages as used by earlier studies, they might be considered to be relatively crude. On the other hand, farm management studies, though providing data at a finer level of disaggregation, tend to cover too small a geographical area and hence would also fail to show the variations the land reform experiences across regions. This study found that in the 1959-69 period the growth rate of output was considerably greater for the land reform sector than for the private sector but this phenomenon was to a large extent the result of a substantial transfer of land from the latter to the former. While crop yield was found to be lower in the land reform sector than in the private sector in both years, both average and marginal returns to expenditure on farm inputs were found to be considerably higher in the former than in the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the sustainability of two agricultural production systems (native and improved maize) using the MESMIS methodology. Design/Methodology/Approach: Understanding the social, economic, and environmental factors that make up the production systems, as well as their management methods, in the municipality of Jilotepec, State of Mexico enables the development of sustainable rural development strategies. The study included 30 production systems and compared the level of sustainability between producers of native and improved maize. In September 2022, information was collected in the field, through participatory workshops, semi-structured interviews, and surveys. Additionally, soil sampling was carried out to analyze soil fertility. Results: The two systems studied have high agricultural production costs and are highly dependent on external inputs, especially those that use improved maize. Most of the systems depend on external economic income. Agriculture is increasingly exposed to drought conditions and changes in rainfall patterns, forcing the population to implement adaptability measures. Owning livestock is an important economic support for production systems. The regional soil is fertile and suitable for growing maize. The perception of happiness among the interviewees is high; they consider their quality of life to be good and therefore do not migrate. Findings/Conclusions: This study is the result of an integrated analysis of several methodologies used in the sustainability indicators measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass residues from agricultural crop and timber production may be a feasible option for energy production due to their social and environmental benefits. This paper presents an assessment of the annual biomass variation of crop and forestry residues, their availability and potential for energy production purposes. The monthly variation in the availability of primary crop residues is also evaluated. This study further shows the spatial distribution of residues and identifies the areas, where larger amounts are available by techniques of geographic information system. It is estimated that 87.94 megatons of dry matter per year (MtDM/yr) of residues are generated from agriculture crops, of which 37.54 MtDM/yr could be available for the production of energy and/or biofuels. Primary and secondary available crop residues contribute to 30.53 Mt DM/yr and 7.01 Mt DM/yr, respectively. Overall, 95.8% of the total available residues come mainly from maize (43.3%), sorghum (25.5%) and sugarcane (18.1%), followed by wheat (6.3%), barley (1.6%) and beans (1.0%). Total energy potential is estimated at 670.3 PJ/yr, of which 542.5 PJ/yr from primary residues and 127.8 PJ/yr from secondary residues. Forestry residues account for about 1.42 Mt DM/yr with an energy potential of 30.72 PJ/yr. Most of the available crop residues are located in 10 municipalities and the forest residues in another 10 different municipalities. Seasonality of agriculture residues indicates that the large availability of residues is mainly found in January, May, June, November, and December. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the expected quantitative changes of the rainfed sugarcane yield in four sugar mills in the state of Veracruz using climate change scenarios for the end of the 21st century and considering that the same climate change could also affect soil fertility. Design/methodology/approach: The data on the cultivated area with the rainfed sugarcane such as topography, principal properties of soil fertility, crop yields for the beginning of the 21st century, current climatic data from the meteorological stations and future ones based on existing climate change scenarios were analyzed. Then, by means of a physiological model of this crop based on biological, climatic and soil characteristics, proposed by IIASA/FAO, the current and future agricultural productivity of sugarcane was calculated. The actual productivity calculated with this model was compared with the observed data. Then, the productivity of this crop for the end of the 21st century was calculated. The comparative impact on the productivity of the expected changes in some climatic components and corresponding expected modification in soil fertility was assessed. Results: The results of calculations indicate that if the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increases by 2 or 2.7 times at the end of the 21st century and the current varieties of sugarcane and their crop management will conserve, the yield of sugarcane will decrease up to 20% depending on the climate change scenario and location of the plot. The main climatic factor influencing the decrease in sugarcane productivity is the expected decrease in precipitation. Limitations on study/implications: Monthly average climatic variables are used for both current and future productivity calculations since there are no estimates of daily data. There are also no predictions on the development of crop management technology as well as on the expected change in pests and diseases for the end of the 21st century. Findings/conclusions: The IISA/FAO physiological model of sugarcane growth based on agroecological principles, considering even limited number of climatic variables, is useful for calculating of sugarcane productivity with correlations greater than 90% for calculated and observed data. This allowed us to estimate the expected impact of climate change in the productivity of rainfed sugarcane in Veracruz State of Mexico at the end of 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of instruments for the administration of water use is a pending issue in both developing and developed countries. UNESCO has published guidance on determining water availability in Latin American and Caribbean countries. We applied this method to the Culiacán River basin, the most significant basin in Mexico for agricultural productivity. We find that surface water availability has been overestimated due to the inclusion of non-physical terms in the water balance equation, miscalculation of natural runoff and the omission of ecological water flow. Thus, unsustainable surface water use is allowed based on a miscalculation of physical water availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mixed crop–livestock farming systems prevail in Mexico – typically rain-fed and smallholder systems based on maize and ruminants and spanning diverse agro-ecologies. Maize grain is the key Mexican staple produced for home consumption and the market. Maize crop residues (stover) are an important by-product, primarily for feed use, often through in situ stubble grazing and/or as ex situ forage. This paper explores maize stover use along the agro-ecological gradient and the potential trade-offs, particularly the widespread use of maize stover as feed against its potential use as mulch (soil cover) to manage soil health within the context of conservation agriculture. The paper builds on three case study areas in Mexico in contrasting agro-ecologies: (semi-)arid, temperate highland and tropical sub-humid. Data were obtained through expert consultation and semi-structured farmer group/community surveys. Although in situ grazing is found in all three study sites, it represented the bulk of stover use in only one site (70% of stover in the sub-humid tropics), with ex situ feed dominating in the other two sites (>80%). Maize stover commercialization is limited and mainly restricted to households with no livestock and often within the local context. Farmers are generally hesitant to adopt conservation agricultural practices that require the retention of stover as mulch, as this competes with their livestock feed needs and purchased feed is expensive. To reduce trade-offs, a portfolio of options could be adapted to these mixed systems, including partial residue retention, cover and feed crops and sustainable intensification. Promising but yet to be explored, are investments in the genetic improvement of maize stover feed quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT One of the most important protected areas of Mexico where payment for environmental services has been introduced is the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) in the state of Michoacán. This paper presents a spatial and chronological portrait of land degradation in the Angangueo sector of the MBBR; land-use changes over about four decades are analysed by assessing data for the years 1971, 1994, 2009 and 2010. A significant landsliding episode occurred in February 2010, when several debris flows affected the area of the Reserve, causing 16 deaths, substantial damage to roads, electricity and the water supply system, and indirect consequences for crop production, cattle farming and tourism. Changes in land cover between 2009 and 2010 were assessed to determine the likely role of deforestation on landsliding as well as to estimate the significance of landslides in land-use change. The former was demonstrated because digital photo interpretation and field observations revealed that the debris flows began in deforested zones. The findings also indicated that 54·57 ha of forest were either degraded or destroyed as a consequence of landslides and winds. In the Angangueo basin, the rate of land-cover change from 1971 to 1994 was 0·96 per cent, from 1994 to 2009 it had decreased to 0·91 per cent, but for the year 2010 had increased to 0·97 per cent, mainly as a result of the landsliding episode of February 2010. The MBBR has experienced a relatively significant amount of land-cover change over the past four decades, although deforestation has not increased as severely as in other areas of Mexico. This suggests that payments for environmental services can reduce the human-induced deforestation; however, mitigation of the impact caused by hazards in forest areas should be sought from a perspective that includes disaster theory and geodiversity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Climate change will affect agricultural production by subsistence farms in crop centers of origin, where landraces are conserved in situ. Various strategies for adaptation to climate change have been proposed. In this paper we examine the prospects of what we call the ‘transgenic adaptation strategy’, i.e. the appeal to use transgenic seeds to adapt to climate change, through the lens of smallholder maize farming in Mexico. Landraces are the bedrock of maize production in Mexico. We consider how maize farmers may respond to climate change and the effects of those responses on crop diversity. In this paper, we argue that the promotion of the transgenic adaptation strategy is problematic for biological and social reasons. Smallholder livelihoods in southern Mexico could suffer a disproportionate negative impact if transgenic technology is privileged as a response to climate change. Agroecological and evolutionary approaches to addressing the effects of climate change on smallholder agriculture provides an alternative adaptive strategy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The great human-environmental diversity of Mexico provides a framework for an initial understanding of the wide disparities between rich and poor. Mexico is still dominated in many regions by agriculture, and during the last 25 years, weather-related disasters have accounted for about 80% of economic losses. This is dramatic, especially considering that this sector produces only ca. 4% of GDP while providing a livelihood to one-quarter of the country’s population. Based on a spatial model, this paper tests the contribution of natural disasters to catalyzing the emigration process in vulnerable regions throughout Mexico. Besides coping and adaptive capacity, we assess the effect of economic losses from disasters in combination with adverse production and trade conditions during the 1990s in triggering out-migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the influence of gender relations and gendered domains on maize and squash varietal selection in a village in Yucatán State, southeast Mexico. Results of the exploratory study indicate that the traditional production spaces of homegardens and agricultural fields are complementary gendered domains of varietal maintenance for both crops although with different cropping patterns, while a ‘new’ space, of land allocated to some families for future residential construction ( terreno) is in the meantime a jointly worked agricultural domain. Women’s labour, knowledge and preferences predominate in post-harvest processes. Fieldwork revealed that neither men nor women are independent decision-makers, planning what to grow, where and in what amounts, but that in most aspects of farming the interests of both are accommodated within the household’s production spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades contract farming as a mechanism that integrates and subordinates agricultural production to export oriented agribusiness has expanded in Third World countries. In Mexico contract farming dominates the production of horticultural crops for processing and export. It is also used for barley and to grow some varieties of wheat for Cargill. The contract farming labour agreement represents an institution that links local and global processes where agribusiness is the key actor that integrates local farmers to national and world markets. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the implications of contract farming for productive relations by examining its impact upon farmers and firms. The study found that despite the disadvantages of contract farming for growers, and the disproportional risks born by producers, they enter into contract farming labour agreements because they lack alternatives for financing, technical assistance and access to markets. The experience of contract farming in Mexico and several Third World countries shows that its growth is related to the implementation of neo-liberal policies that are accompanied by the withdrawal of state support and regulation of agricultural production. In this context, contract farming represents a livelihood strategy for many Mexican growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning in 1995, the Mexican Federal Government started a national program for promoting increase in agricultural productivity in the irrigation districts of Mexico. The program, Alianza para el Campo (Alliance for Agriculture) involves strategies for achieving the objective among which highlight a subprogram called Water Use Efficiency and Chemigation. The new law of rural development also includes actions towards the preservation of natural resources. The National Institute for Forestry Agricultural and Livestock Research of Mexico (INIFAP) is in charge of generate and transferring the research and technology in these programs as part o a national strategy to implement irrigation modules in several different ecological systems from the dry regions of North Mexico to tropical regions in the southwest. This paper describes the status and strategies for promoting irrigation efficiency in irrigation districts of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato mottle mosaic virus (ToMMV) is an emerging seed-transmissible tobamovirus that infects tomato and pepper. Since the first report in 2013 in Mexico, ToMMV has spread worldwide, posing a serious threat to the production of both crops. To prevent the spread of this virus, early and accurate detection of infection is required. In this study, we developed a detection method for ToMMV based on reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). A LAMP primer set was designed to target the genomic region spanning the movement protein and coat protein genes, which is a highly conserved sequence unique to ToMMV. This RT-LAMP detection method achieved 10-fold higher sensitivity than conventional RT-polymerase chain reaction methods and obtained high specificity without false positives for closely related tobamoviruses or healthy tomato plants. This method can detect ToMMV within 30 min of direct sampling of an infected tomato leaf using a toothpick and therefore does not require RNA purification. Given its high sensitivity, specificity, simplicity, and rapidity, the RT-LAMP method developed in this study is expected to be valuable for point-of-care testing in field surveys and for large-scale testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexico is a megadiverse country with large agroclimatic diversity and socioeconomic inequality. These two factors result in strong diversity in diets and agricultural systems within the country. In this paper, we assess the impact of Mexican diets and production systems on the per capita land requirements for food. We estimate it for the extremes: from the very basic diet of the poorest share of the population to the affluent diet of the richest share of the population; and for extensive and intensive systems, with irrigation as the indicator of the intensity of the system. We show that the basic diet produced in rainfed systems requires 1620 m 2 /cap/yr and produced in irrigate systems requires 700 m 2 /cap/yr. The affluent diet produced in rainfed systems requires 2540 m 2 /cap/yr and produced in irrigated systems requires 1230 m 2 /cap/yr. Hence, differences in diets result in a requirement for 80% or 60% more land for an affluent diet; and differences in production systems result in more than twice the amount of land for extensive than for intensive systems. In 2050, it would be possible to feed the entire population with affluent diets only if all the present area of crop land had the productivity of intensive systems. In contrast, it would be possible to feed all people with a basic diet even if all present crop land area had only the productivity of extensive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In areas with long periods of drought, it is essential to implement strategies to manage the available water resource. Tierra Nueva Basin is affected by this situation, consequently the farm production and livestock holdings are affected and the people don't have access to enough water. In this paper, we propose an integrative methodology based on mathematical tools such as hypsometric and morphometric analysis applying geographic information systems. The proposal is strengthened with the aggregation of geological-structural, morphometrical, hypsometrical parameters and climatological information through a precipitation analysis provided by the National Water Commission from 1962 to 2010. According to the available data and the results obtained through the implemented proposal, an acceptable level of reliability is inferred allowing to determine areas structurally suitable for the use of surface water and its uptake. The methodology that we propose facilitates and simplifies the processes of searching and exploring locations suitable for surface water capture in arid and semi-arid zones, identifying in a qualitative and quantitative manner the optimal zone. For the case study, test-and-validation of the methodology the Tierra Nueva Basin in San Luis Potosí, México was selected. Tierra Nueva is a semi-arid site where 'La Muñeca' dam is located. The results obtained in this work confirm the location of the 'La Muñeca' dam as one of the most suitable areas for water collection. The methodology that we propose is a useful tool for the studies of water capturing purposes in arid and semi-arid zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stabilizing farm revenues is a goal of agricultural policies around the world, especially in vulnerable regions with limited access to crop insurance. One potential pathway to revenue stability follows the agricultural "insurance hypothesis", which holds that crop diversification has stabilizing effects on productivity that mitigate risks from environmental stressors and market shocks, thereby producing a form of natural insurance against crop loss. While substantial support for the hypothesis exists, most studies testing the hypothesis have occurred at the farm or landscape levels and have controlled for a limited range of socioeconomic and environmental factors. This study tests the insurance hypothesis by examining the effects of crop species production diversity on revenue stability in low-income regions of southern Mexico. Here, rural farms experience chronic vulnerability to climatic shocks and market forces. Using parametric and non-parametric approaches, three groups of models are used to examine the effects of socio-environmental factors and farm structural and functional characteristics on the crop diversity-revenue stability relationship. Additionally factored in the relationship are the effects of cropping portfolios: statistical groupings of different crop species (n = 304) that characterize distinct farming areas (1340 municipalities). Findings support the insurance hypothesis and underscore the importance of crop diversification in the region. However, findings also show that irrigation plays an even stronger role than crop diversification in stabilizing farm revenues. Furthermore, some crop portfolios negatively impact revenue stability, including some portfolios with high crop diversity. In sum, a better understanding of farm contexts—contributing factors and cropping portfolios—is key to designing policies that help stabilize farm revenues through crop diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To elucidate the benefits that agricultural residues or stubble have in agricultural activities, through a bibliographic and objective review that could help to make the actors of agricultural sector aware of the benefits and their correct implementation in production systems. Design/methodology/approach: A detailed review of scientific articles from the main academic databases and repositories was performed. We took into account aspects such as the use of stubble as plant cover; effects and changes in physical and chemical structure of soil; crop yield and use for livestock feeding. Results: The use of stubble has beneficial effects on agricultural activities. In agriculture, they have positive effects for the proliferation of beneficial organisms and assimilation of nutrients, which are easily absorbed by plants. Consequently, crop yield is maximized both in quantity and quality terms. In livestock sector, the stubble implement provides nutrients such as proteins, ashes and vitamins, which together with conventional diets, reduce production costs and improve meat and milk production. Limitations on study/implications: The repertoire of scientific articles related to stubble is very broad, making it difficult to assimilate the information. In Mexico, particularly, more research is needed to inform farmers of the possible uses of stubble. Findings/conclusions: The use of stubble in agricultural activities generates benefits at ecological and economic levels, which ensure the sustainability and resilience of agroecosystems. Nutritional content of stubble is a function of the species and/or varieties of agricultural species. The lack of knowledge in the management of stubble leads to these being incinerated, releasing particles and toxic and polluting substances for the environment, further favoring the conditions for greenhouse effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop species diversity is a key component of agroecosystem resilience, food system stability, ecosystem services production, and sustainable development. Despite its importance, quantitative understanding of crop species diversity is often lacking. This study assesses changes in crop species production diversity in Mexico from 1980 to 2020 at state, regional, and national levels. Measures of crop species richness and effective diversity (alpha, beta, gamma) were derived from government production data on 304 species, each stratified into rainfed and irrigated components. Time series of these components reveal three main findings: (1) diversity generally increased during the study period, especially among fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs, and ornamental crops; (2) the diversity of irrigated crops was about two times higher than the diversity of rainfed crops, despite comprising a small fraction of the total cultivated area; and (3) the diversity of irrigated crops increased dramatically after implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994—though most increases occurred in dry northern regions where production depended on unsustainable irrigation. In sum, findings show that while crop diversity can contribute to numerous forms of sustainability, not all diversification processes derive from agroecologically-based, sustainable forms of intensification. In Mexico, crop species diversification was associated with a post-1994 boom in produce exports to the United States and the unsustainable use of scarce water resources at home. Such context-specific understanding is crucial for determining whether crop diversification, in all its forms, ultimately leads to sustainable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Trayectorias is the property of Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To describe the agribusiness potential of the castor oil plant in Mexico through the collection and analysis of agricultural, industrial and commercial information that allows decision making for the formulation of future productive projects to generate economic, social and technological impacts. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study is descriptive with a transactional design. The information was collected on national and international agrifood statistical and documentary information platforms. Results: Different attempts have been made in Mexico in commercial and research projects related to the cultivation, production and transformation of castor oil, with results that are not very encouraging due to the lack of knowledge about productive, technological and commercial processes. However, on the other hand, the need for the industrial sector to import oil to produce high-value products is evident. Study Limitations/Implications: Isolated efforts have been made by each of the actors in the castor oil agribusiness, which has prevented the sector’s consolidation. Findings/Conclusions: An intelligent management of agricultural production must be implemented through the establishment of commercial crops with the adoption of basic technological packages applied to each region in particular, with great attention to the availability of planting seed, which should have agronomic potential, use of nutrition and management of pests and diseases, as well as to foresee all the cultural tasks of maintenance of the crop and harvesting modality that guarantee yield in the field and quality raw material. Currently, there is a deficit in the castor oil market in the country, which leads to high business prospects and business opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local seed systems remain the fundamental source of seeds for many crops in developing countries. Climate resilience for small holder farmers continues to depend largely on locally available seeds of traditional crop varieties. High rainfall events can have as significant an impact on crop production as increased temperatures and drought. This article analyzes the dynamics of maize diversity over 3 years in a farming community of Yucatán state, Mexico, where elevated levels of precipitation forced farmers in 2012 to reduce maize diversity in their plots. We study how farmers maintained their agroecosystem resilience through seed networks, examining the drivers influencing maize diversity and seed provisioning in the year preceding and following the 2012 climatic disturbance (2011–2013). We found that, under these challenging circumstances, farmers focused their efforts on their most reliable landraces, disregarding hybrids. We show that farmers were able to recover and restore the diversity usually cultivated in the community in the year following the critical climate event. The maize dynamic assessed in this study demonstrates the importance of community level conservation of crop diversity. Understanding farmer management strategies of agrobiodiversity, especially during a challenging climatic period, is necessary to promote a more tailored response to climate change in traditional farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Tourism Geographies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Zacatecas, agriculture consumes 77% of the underground water; 44% of the aquifers are over extracted. All protected agriculture production systems pump water from the aquifers for irrigation, and 96% of the production units were constructed with government support. They also receive support for inputs and domestic production factors. This paper analyzes the impact of agricultural policy on protected tomato production in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, by examining competitive and efficient technologies and considering alternative sustainable production practices. The Extended Policy Analysis Matrix was applied. The analysis included four technologies under current conditions and two scenarios: a) adoption of sustainable production practices and b) unsustainable practices, at economic and private prices. The sustainable project paid for itself under both private and economic prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does access to off-farm income complement or compete with agricultural production? This article explores the effect of off-farm income on agricultural production activities, using data from the 2003 Mexico National Rural Household Survey. We first discuss the theoretical conditions under which access to off-farm income may influence production in an agricultural household model. Instrumental-variable (IV) estimation methods are then used to test whether agricultural production activities, technologies, and input use differ between households with and without access to off-farm income. We find that off-farm income has a negative effect on agricultural output and the use of family labor on the farm, but a positive impact on the demand for purchased inputs. There is also a slight efficiency gain in households with access to off-farm income. Findings offer insights into how household production evolves as rural households increasingly engage in off-farm income activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting cultivation systems, one of the most widely distributed forms of agriculture in the tropics, provide not only crops of cultural significance, but also medicinal, edible, ritual, fuel, and forage resources, which contribute to the livelihoods, health, and cultural identity of local people. In many regions across the globe, shifting cultivation systems are undergoing important changes, one of the most pervasive being a shortening of the fallow cycle. Although there has been much attention drawn to declines in crop yields in conjunction with reductions in fallow times, little if any research has focused on the dynamics of noncrop plant resources. In this paper, we use a data set of 26 fields of the same age, i.e., ~1.5 yr, but differing in the length and frequency of past fallow cycles, to examine the impact of shorter fallow periods on the availability of noncrop plant resources. The resources examined are collected in shifting cultivation fields by the Yucatec Maya in Quintana Roo, Mexico. These included firewood, which is cut from remnant trees and stumps spared at the time of felling, and 17 forage species that form part of the weed vegetation. Firewood showed an overall decrease in basal area with shorter fallow cycles, which was mostly related to the smaller diameter of the spared stumps and trees in short-fallow milpas. In contrast, forage species showed a mixed response. Species increasing in abundance in short-fallow milpas tended to be short-lived herbs and shrubs often with weedy habits, whereas those declining in abundance were predominantly pioneer trees and animal-dispersed species. Coppicing tree species showed a neutral response to fallow intensity. Within the cultural and ecological context of our study area, we expect that declines in firewood availability will be most significant for livelihoods because of the high reliance on firewood for local fuel needs and the fact that the main alternative source of firewood, forest patches, has also declined in shortfallow areas. Declines in some forage species can likely be compensated for by the use of other species or by adaptive responses such as managing declining species in home gardens. However, the loss of pioneer tree species in short-fallow milpas suggests that the regenerative capacity of the fallows may be reduced with implications for maintaining effective fallow cycles in this shifting cultivation system. Our findings indicate that the dynamics of noncrop plant resources and their implications for local livelihoods require further consideration in the debate over improving the productivity of shifting cultivation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Over the next few decades, a central goal of agricultural research and policy will be to increase average regional crop yields in the face of diminished gains in genetic yield potential, likely climatic changes, decreased resource availability, and stricter environmental standards. Fundamental to the pursuit of effective investment strategies is an ability to quantify tradeoffs associated with potential policy and management changes. However, the data needed to predict regional yield responses to change, namely observations of yields and climatic, soil, and management conditions in farmers’ fields, are often difficult to obtain. In this paper, we investigate the value of data on the spatial distribution of yields for understanding causes of landscape yield variability. Stochastic simulation models, which employ the CERES model to simulate crop yields across a landscape, are used to translate assumed spatial patterns of soil and management conditions into spatial pattern of yields. Monte Carlo simulation is then used to repeat this process for many different realizations of conditions, resulting in a modeled relationship between yield patterns and the relative importance of soil and management yield constraints, both of which can be computed in the controlled simulation environment. The derived relationship then allows one to infer from observed yield patterns the true proportion of yield variability explained by soil and management. This procedure was tested for wheat in the Yaqui Valley, an intensive agricultural region in Sonora, Mexico, where yield patterns have been previously estimated with remote sensing. Comparison of simulated and observed yield patterns indicated that roughly 80% of spatial yield variance in 2001–2002 was attributable to management variations. The ability of simulation models to aid interpretation of landscape patterns is potentially invaluable for understanding yield constraints in many agricultural regions, where direct observations of soil and management variables are infeasible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Mexico, since the revolution of 1910, agricultural development for subsistence and market has been a priority of diverse stakeholder groups, particularly farmers. Within the last ten years, Mexican federal agricultural policy shifted from a paternalistic to an enterprise model. This shift resulted in benefits for a few farmers while placing most producers at risk of economic failure. In addition to the impacts on the household economy, these policies influence land use and land cover. This paper explores the dynamics of chili production and how these dynamics are influenced by household and policy factors in the municipality of Calakmul in Campeche, Mexico. Jalapeño chili is the foremost market crop in Calakmul, until recently a development frontier for Mexico, and now the site of the largest biosphere reserve in that country and a landscape where priorities for forest conservation meet those for agricultural development. An integration of qualitative and quantitative methods enables a more complete understanding of this important and expanding land use in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article explores the relations between agricultural production, international migration, wage labour and processes of differentiation among peasant households. It does so based on the analysis of the ejido Jesús María in the northeast of the state of Guanajuato, Central Mexico. The history of this ejido and how Mexican neoliberal policies led to increased levels of migration and proletarianization since at least the early 1990s is presented. Then, it presents how in this context the production of asparagus for agro‐export developed on the irrigated lands of this ejido, showing that this process went hand in hand with social differentiation and important changes in the distribution of land and water. Then, it presents the results of a household and production survey that shows that most peasant households combine agricultural production with local urban and rural wage labour, migration, remittances and/or other economic activities. Households that can live from agriculture alone have had important capital investments in agricultural production coming from international migration and remittances. Based on these results, it argues that, as rural communities become increasingly dependent on external 'urban/global' capital, the rural/urban divide has become increasingly permeable with important consequences for peasant economies and related social differentiation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mexico there are few studies describing aquatic bodies used for agriculture and the role of irrigation water as a source of inoculum, persistence and dispersal of phytopathogenic parasites, such as oomycetes that inhabit aquatic environments with the capacity to infect a wide range of cultivated hosts. Due to the lack of information on which oomycetes genus and species are present in the water, their identification is of paramount importance in managing alternative management and control of them for agricultural production in the region. In order to determine which oomycetes are isolated in surface waters used for irrigation in the Culiacán Valley, Sinaloa, in the period from September 2018 to January 2019, in different agricultural water networks (reservoir, ponds, rivers and canals), floating traps made with polypropylene bags and two pear fruits that were placed that served as bait. Oomycete isolates were obtained, which were identified based on their morphological characteristics and DNA sequences (with ITS 4/6, COX and NADH initiators), pathogenicity tests were also performed on plants and fruits of the solanacea and cucurbitaceae families. The organisms were isolated and identified: Phytophthora parsiana, P. virginiana, P. lagoariana, P. capsici and P. hydropathica. All Phytophthora species were pathogenic, they had the ability to infect plants and fruits, causing symptoms of wilting and rotting in the inoculated vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is a substantial gap between de jure and de facto land reforms. • We compare Algerian and Mexican land reforms and local land practices. • The comparison reveals striking convergence in processes despite different contexts. • Local processes include decollectivization, individualization, and commoditization. • The land administration can pragmatically adjust to informal local dynamics. One of the key issues raised by land policies is the frequent distance between the legal and administrative frameworks as designed by the central power (i.e., formal institutional change), the effective implementation of these policies, and the actual local land practices grounded in the actors' agency. This paper tackles this issue from a comparative perspective regarding land reforms in Algeria and Mexico, drawing on literature reviews, a sound knowledge by the authors of the two countries' land policies, including in a historical perspective, and on the authors' long-term involvement in first-hand field research. Despite historical, social and political differences, the comparison reveals a strikingly convergent picture that allows a certain degree of generalization either in land reform dynamics or in the local practices that emerged after the reforms were implemented. In both cases, the reforms went through successive stages of expropriation and land redistribution, reorganizational structures through which the land was accessed and used, and a specification of beneficiaries' rights emphasizing their collective, non-tradable dimensions. Comparing the situation in Algeria and Mexico sheds light on two fields of practices that reflect the actors' agency while facing heavy government interventions in the local governance of land: a process of de facto decollectivization of agricultural production, and individualization of land rights, and a process of illegal land commoditization, partly through sales, but mainly, through tenancy arrangements. The comparison also illustrates convergences in the form of inadequate public interventions, as well as pragmatic adjustments in administrative practices in order to accommodate for the informal dynamics of individualization and fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the contemporary scientific contributions of the Postgraduate Course in Tropical Agroecosystems (PTA), both in Master's and PhD Degree, of Colegio de Postgraduados, Veracruz Campus, before the current challenges facing the Mexican agriculture. Design/Methodology/Scope: A search was made in SCOPUS and Web of Science for publications between 2014 and 2019 (N = 92) by PTA researcher scholars. A text analysis was performed by using the Nvivo software in order to identify scientific contributions based on the problem categories suggested by FAO for Mexico. Results: Scientific contributions are more prolific in relation to the increase of agricultural productivity (66%), have lesser presence in sustainable practices (14.9%) and the articulation of public policies (10.6%) and begin to appear in the adaptation and mitigation of climatic risks (8.5%). Limitations/Implications: The findings excluded publications that do not appear in SCOPUS or Web of Science or outside the analyzed period. Findings/Conclusions: The PTA shows social relevance when generating knowledge, with scientific contributions to the current challenges of Mexican agriculture. Nevertheless, they have been oriented mainly to increasing agricultural productivity without attaining the risks of PTA toward transdisciplinary research processes. This suggests a new role of research that addresses disciplinary interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the semi-arid Altiplano of North-Central Mexico, soil erosion is one of the main problems affecting the sustainability of agricultural lands. As a result, yields and incomes are low and soil quality continues to decline. With the objective of developing an agroforestry exploitation system for the sustainable management of soils, a rainfed agroforestry system (SAF) was designed that included sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) of brown rib (bmr) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in rotation, nopal (Opuntia sp.) and leucaena (Leucocephala glauca) as an alternative to improved management of the agricultural production units, and not as another variant of the productive reconversion. The SAF was evaluated in the Experimental Site ‘Sandovales', Aguascalientes, during 2014 and 2015, under restrictive environmental conditions, with 344 and 320 mm of precipitation in the cultivation cycles to prove that it is sustainable, since it favors the conservation and fertility of the soil and the use of rainwater. The average yield of sorghum planted in bed with six rows was 6.33 t ha-1 of MS, that of the bean of the varieties Flor de Junio Dalia, Pinto Saltillo, Pinto Centenario, Flor de Mayo Dolores and Azufrado 2, in four rows was 2.03, 1.80, 1.74, 1.34 and 0.60 t ha-1 grain. It is concluded that it is possible to implement a SAF of sustainable productivity, where sorghum and rainfed beans are included in a crop rotation. The proposed SAF offers technically efficient options for erosion control in rainfed agriculture, with low productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay addresses the three theoretical perspectives that have examined the agri-food heritage in the last 10 years. The objective was to identify and contrast the different positions, as well as to adopt different angles to address the agri-food heritage from rural studies. The forms of social approach that have contributed to the formation of a theoretical corpus on the agri-food heritage, are diverse, maintain contrasting approaches and before the discursive practice of their institutional precepts, generate considerable changes in the forms of appropriation, production, distribution and consumption of agrifood resources. For this reason, it is proposed to develop an interpretative theoretical framework through phenomenology, which accounts for the flows and relationships between discursive dimensions, which impact on the resignification of value, positioning and consumption of emblematic agro-food products by contemporary society. In addition, to contribute to giving voice to a type of emerging discourse, based on local dynamics, which articulate the appropriation of the various patrimonial discourses and the existing negotiations between the local and the global. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rain-fed maize production in Mexico includes approximately 6 million hectares which variation in productivity represents huge challenges to meeting the sustainable intensification goals of the Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture (MasAgro) program. We use the information available from farmers participating in this program to investigate the differences in productivity and the effects of the promoted practices and technologies in seven defined rain-fed maize regions. We do this by applying metafrontier analysis to measure the technical efficiency and the technology gap. The results show a range of technical efficiency from 70 to 100%, which indicates the gains that can be achieved through improved management of the current inputs and practices of farmers in the program, and a range of the environment-technology gap between 32 and 82%, which indicates the limitations of the production environment which would require innovations in technologies and policies particularly adapted for the dry, the tropical and the more traditional regions. Furthermore, the results show that the use of hybrid seed and selling into maize markets have the largest impact in increasing maize yields in all regions. The difference between the MasAgro farmers and the average farmers in each region suggest that scaling the project will contribute to increasing maize production and Mexico's food self-sufficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]