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Avocado cultivation in the State of Nayarit, Mexico is limited by various phytosanitary problems. Recently, the seed borer Cryptaspasma perseana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) was detected in the municipalities of Tepic and Xalisco. Its status as a potential avocado pest and its natural enemies under these agroecological conditions are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution, abundance and parasitoids of C. perseana in Nayarit. We conducted field surveys from August to December 2019 and October 2020 in 25 avocado orchards planted with "Hass" and Mexican creole distributed in six municipalities. The seed borer was only found in orchards of Criollo avocado cultivars (Persea americana var. Drymifolia) avocado orchards. Hymenopteran parasitoids were obtained from seed boring larvae, belonging to the genera Xiphosomella (Ichneumonidae) and Pseudophanerotoma (Braconidae), the latter being the most abundant. Both genera are new records for Nayarit State and could be the potential native parasitoids of C. perseana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to obtain and characterize flours and starches from the avocado seeds of Hass and landrace cultivars. The morphological, physical-chemical, structural, thermal and rheological characteristics were evaluated. The flour yield of the Hass and landrace cultivars was 41.56 to 46.86% (w/w), while for starch, it was 35.47 to 39.57% (w/w) (cv. Hass and landrace, respectively). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the presence of oval starch granules and other particles in flour, in contrast to flours, starches showed lower ash, proteins and lipids content. However, the amylose content was higher in starches (42.25–48.2%). Flours showed a higher gelatinization temperature (Tp = 73.17–73.62 °C), and their starches presented greater gelatinization enthalpy (∆Hgel = 11.82–13.43 J/g). All samples showed a B-type diffraction pattern, and the crystallinity was higher in the flours. The rheological analysis (flow curves and viscoelastic tests) evidenced a pseudoplastic (n = 0.28–0.36) behavior in all samples analyzed, but the consistency index (k) was higher in starches. In general, the flours and starches from avocado seeds presented interesting proximal, thermal and functional properties for possible application in food systems, and these findings could contribute to the revaluation of this by-product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]