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Southern Mexico is particularly rich in natural resources, yet unemployment has risen to 8% during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of the pandemic on the use and abundance of Tabasco's wild resources was examined through personal surveys. By using Microsoft Forms® with cell phones 1,963 surveys were collected. Cronbach's alpha, Z-value, and chi2 were calculated using the MAXQDA Analytics Pro program. A higher abundance of wild resources before the pandemic than today (57% vs. 11%) was observed. During the pandemic, people referred more to a high use (28%) of resources than to a low use (20%). This caused the low abundance or scarcity of wild products to be greater during the pandemic than before the pandemic (43% vs. 4%). Wild foods and timber were the most used products. The pandemic has produced a greater use of natural resources probably due to the high unemployment rate in rural areas. Future studies of wild products should address the relevant products in the locality and their even sampling. Finding suitable respondents is highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emergent swine coronavirus which infects cells from the small intestine and induces watery diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration, causing mortality in piglets (>40%). The aim of this study was to evaluate the antigenicity and immunogenicity of the recombinant membrane protein (M) of PDCoV (rM-PDCoV), which was developed from a synthetic gene obtained after an in silico analysis with a group of 138 GenBank sequences. A 3D model and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the highly conserved M protein structure. Therefore, the synthetic gene was successfully cloned in a pETSUMO vector and transformed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The rM-PDCoV was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot with ~37.7 kDa. The rM-PDCoV immunogenicity was evaluated in immunized (BLAB/c) mice and iELISA. The data showed increased antibodies from 7 days until 28 days (p < 0.001). The rM-PDCoV antigenicity was analyzed using pig sera samples from three states located in "El Bajío" Mexico and positive sera were determined. Our results show that PDCoV has continued circulating on pig farms in Mexico since the first report in 2019; therefore, the impact of PDCoV on the swine industry could be higher than reported in other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue eye disease (BED) is a swine viral infection that affects the pork industry of Mexico. Porcine orthorubulavirus (PRV) is the etiological agent, and the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein (HN) is characterized as the best antigen for serological tests, although other structural proteins, including the nucleoprotein (NP) and the matrix (M) protein, have been investigated during the infection of members of the Paramyxoviridae family, generating promising results. Herein, for the first time, we successfully produced and characterized both the NP and M proteins of PRV by using a recombinant strategy in the E. coli heterologous system. The ORF of the NP and M genes were cloned in-frame with the pET-SUMO expression vector. Recombinant proteins proved to be a sensitive target to detect seroconversion at 7 days until 28 days in vaccinated mice (BALB/c) by indirect ELISAs. Immunoreactivity was also tested using porcine serum samples, in which antibodies were recognized from early stages to a persistence of PRV infection, which is indicative that these proteins contain properties similar to native antigens. The predicted tertiary structure showed that both proteins have a conserved structure that resembles those found in others Paramyxovirus. Our results pave the way for developing biotechnological tools based on these proteins for the control and prevention of BED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study has been to compare the aboveground biomass (AGB) in six tropical forests in southeastern Mexico using generic and species-specific models at tree, species, and community levels. The dbh of 2,352 trees ≥10 cm was measured at 115 plots. AGB was estimated using Chave et al.'s generic model, with the most reliable specific equations extracted from the literature and online databases. Overall, we found 45 specific models applicable to 55.4% of the species present. In 30% of the species examined, there was a difference in AGB between the different methods used. Using specific equations at the community level, the estimate for AGB increased by 9.1% (x = 166.6 Mg ha−1 ± 27.5 SD) compared to the generic model alone (p < 0.04). Based on the consistency of overestimation at all sites, we concluded that for these particular tropical rainforests, applying specific models to the small proportion (≤10%) of dominant tree species (≥ 5% relative biomass) was sufficient to improve the accuracy of community level AGB estimates. This justifies increasing the number of databases of specific models particularly for highly productive rainforests. We therefore recommend that this approach be applied to provide further evidence to facilitate model choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, is a worldwide pest that significantly affects sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. In the USA this pest can cause up to 100% yield losses, mainly when no action is taken to control this pest. In this study, the potential of three species of Chrysoperla for biological control of M. sacchari was assessed by comparing predation capacity and functional responses of the three species. Individuals of Chrysoperla carnea were collected in a crop of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the State of Guanajuato, México, while C. externa and C. comanche were obtained from a laboratory colony reared on cereal moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), and from a commercial planting of pecan, Carya illinoensis (Wangenh), respectively. Our results suggested that C. carnea is a good option for an augmentative biological control program against M. sacchari in sorghum because the species had a mean predation capacity of 119.4 nymphs in 24 hours, and a type II functional response; they were able to locate and consume 80% of their prey even at the low prey density of 64. C. carnea had a high coefficient of attack (0.10) and a short handling time (0.10 hour) compared to the other Chrysoperla species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biorational methods (Trichogramma, methoxyfenozide, and spinetoram), conventional control (chlorpyrifos ethyl), and no control were used against pecan nut casebearer, Acrobasis nuxvorella Neuzing, in pecan (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh) K. Koch), orchards in the Comarca Lagunera region of Coahuila and Durango, Mexico, during the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons. Effects of different management strategies were evaluated on the abundance of A. nuxvorella and damage caused to nuts, as well as abundance, diversity, and rate of parasitism. From April through June both seasons, sexual pheromone traps were used to monitor A. nuxvorella. A sample of 310 panicles from 31 randomly selected trees (10 per tree) was taken to estimate damage by first (May) and second (July) generations of A. nuxvorella each year. The effect of management type on moth abundance and percentage of damage to panicles were analyzed. In 2016 and 2017, management type significantly affected moth abundance. With contrast tests in 2016, significant differences in damage were detected only in the second generation between orchards treated with methoxyfenozide and those treated with spinetoram. In 2017, all management types were statistically similar. In general, spinetoram was most effective in controlling the borer. Parasitism in 2016 was 7.7% for the check and 2.7% in larvae with spinetoram. In 2017, 6.6% of larvae of the check were parasitized, and 2.0% of larvae in the orchard where Trichogramma and methoxyfenozide were used. The most abundant parasitoids were Apanteles epinotiae Viereck (45.4%) and Goniozus nephantidis Muesebeck (31.8%). Parasitoid Macrocentrus instabilis Muesebeck was a new record for the State of Durango, Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) is one of the most important insect pests of wild and cultivated agaves in Mexico. For managing this weevil, it is important to have a method for detecting and sampling its population density. The weevil's life cycle takes place inside the agave plant, which makes sampling of the weevil difficult. The use of traps baited with synthetic pheromone plus agave tissue is a useful tool for sampling the population density of this pest. Using the capture-mark-release-recapture method, we investigated the attraction range of traps baited with synthetic pheromone plus agave tissue to capture S. acupunctatus. We also evaluated several inter-trap distances to determine the best density of traps for monitoring this insect. Our results showed that these traps attracted S. acupunctatus up to a range of 120 m. In addition, we found that the cardinal point at which weevils were released affected their recapture. The results also showed that, in general, experiments with the longest inter-trap distances captured the most weevils. Thus, traps placed at 100 m in the 1st experiment, 200 m in the 2nd experiment, and 250 m in the 3rd experiment captured more weevils than traps placed at shorter distances. Based on our results of attraction range and inter-trap distances, we suggest that these pheromone-baited traps could be used for monitoring S. acupunctatus at densities of 1 trap per 6 ha of blue agave crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of wildlife species of Bruchidae and their host plants for the state of Morelos was performed. We recorded 25 bruchid species in 9 genera, the genus Acanthoscelides had the highest number of species with 48, followed by the genera Merobruchus, Sennius, and Amblycerus with 0 species each, and Zabrotes with 9 species. The family Leguminosae had the highest number with 58 host plants, the family Convolvulaceae ranked second with 8 species. The following plant species: Acacia mammifera Schltdl, Albizia adinocephala (Donn. SM.) BR. & Rose, Albizia guachapele (Kunth) Dugan, Bauhinia variegata L., Heliocarpus pallidus Rose, Galactia striata (Jacq.) Urb. Mimosa benthamii J.F. Macbr., Mimosa leptocarpa Rose, Mimosa orthocarpa Spruce ex Benth., Senna holwayana (Rose) H.S. Irwin & Barneby, are new records as host plants for the Bruchidae family. In relation to the biodiversity in this group in Mexico, with the information generated in this work, Morelos is currently in second place with 37. 2%, Oaxaca is the first place with 47.30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 21 species of Chrysopidae occurring in the State of Morelos are presented, these are included in nine genera in the subfamily Chrysopinae. A key is given for the genera as well as keys to species in each genus and diagnosis and distribution data for each species. The identified species were as follows: Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider), Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen), Ceraeochrysa everes (Banks), Ceraeochrysa sanchezi (Navás), Ceraeochrysa valida (Banks), Chrysopa sp., Chrysoperla comanche (Banks), Chrysoperla exotera (Navás), Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister), Eremochrysa hageni Banks, Leucochrysa maculata Navás, Leucochrysa pretiosa Banks, Leucochrysa texana Adams, Meleoma antennensis Tauber, Meleoma colhuaca Banks, Meleoma mexicana Banks, Meleoma pipai Tauber, Meleoma tezcucana (Banks), Plesiochrysa brasiliensis (Schneider), Plesiochrysa elongata (Navás) y Yumachrysa apache (Banks); 15 species are new records for Morelos, one of which (P. elongata) is a new record for Mexico. Ceraeochrysa and Meleoma were the genera with the largest number of species although Ceraeochrysa was the genus with the largest number of individuals. The most important species as far as their abundance in descending order were: Ceraeochrysa cincta, C. valida, C. cubana, Leucochrysa texana y Chrysoperla comanche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]