Varietal Descriptors for the Distinction of Underutilized Varieties of Sechium edule (Jacq) Swartz.

Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. (Cucurbitaceae) is a species native to Mexico and Central America. The collection, characterization, and evaluation of accessions maintained in genebanks is essential for the conservation of this species. However, there are no specific varietal descriptors that differ from those used in a phenetic approach and are adapted to international registration guidelines to help distinguish, improve, cluster, and protect intraspecific variants of common use and those obtained by breeding. Therefore, 65 morphological descriptors (qualitative and quantitative) were evaluated in 133 accessions obtained from Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica located in the National Germplasm Bank of S. edule in Mexico. These characteristics were observed to be phenetically stable for five generations under the same agroclimatic conditions. In addition, an analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was applied to 133 samples from a set of 245 accessions. According to the multivariate analysis, 26 of the 65 descriptors evaluated (qualitative and quantitative) enabled differentiation of varieties of S. edule. The AFLP analysis showed a high level of polymorphism and genetic distance between cultivated accessions and their corresponding wild ancestor. The variations in S. edule suggest that the morphological characteristics have differentiated from an essentially derived initial edible variety (ancestral original variety), but unlike other cucurbits, there is no evidence of the ancestral edible for Sechium since the seed is unorthodox and there are no relicts.

Does the African Citrus psyllid, Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), Represent a Phytosanitary Threat to the Citrus Industry in Mexico?

The African citrus psyllid, Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), is a vector of Candidatus Liberibacter africanus (CLaf), a pathogen that causes huanglongbing (HLB) in Africa. Trioza erytreae has invaded areas of Asia and Europe and has threatened citrus production due to its biological habits and the transmission of CLaf. Mexico is a country where citrus production has a vital role from the economic and social point of view. Therefore, ecological niche modeling (ENM) was used to determine if Mexico has the environmental availability that will allow T. erytreae invasion. We analyzed whether or not the distribution of Casimiroa edulis La Llave (Rutaceae) in the country could be a factor that enables the dispersal of T. eytreae. The environmental connectivity between five points of entry into the country (two ports and three airports) was explored to determine possible routes of dispersal of T. erytrae. The results showed that Mexico has wide availability for the invasion of the African citrus psyllid, which coincides with essential citrus areas of the country and with the distribution of C. edulis. Of the entry points studied, the Port of Veracruz showed nearby areas with environmental connectivity. Preventive monitoring measures for T. erytreae in Mexico should focus on Veracruz state because it has an entry point, ideal environmental availability, citrus areas, and specimens of C. edulis.

Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz, a New Cultivar with Antiproliferative Potential in a Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cell Line.

The Sechium edule Perla Negra cultivar is a recently-obtained biological material whose progenitors are S. edule var. nigrum minor and S. edule var. amarus silvestrys, the latter of which has been reported to have antiproliferative activity against the HeLa P-388 and L-929 cancer cell lines. The present study aimed to determine if the methanolic extract of the fruit of the Perla Negra cultivar had the same biological activity. The methanolic extract was phytochemically characterized by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and column chromatography (CC), identifying the terpenes and flavonoids. The compounds identified via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were Cucurbitacins B, D, E, and I for the terpene fractions, and Rutin, Phlorizidin, Myricetin, Quercetin, Naringenin, Phloretin, Apigenin, and Galangin for the flavonoid fractions). Biological activity was evaluated with different concentrations of the methanolic extract in the HeLa cell line and normal lymphocytes. The methanolic extract inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells (IC50 1.85 µg·mL-1), but the lymphocytes were affected by the extract (IC50 30.04 µg·mL-1). Some fractions, and the pool of all of them, showed inhibition higher than 80% at a concentration of 2.11 µg·mL-1. Therefore, the biological effect shown by the methanolic extract of the Perla Negra has some specificity in inhibiting tumor cells and not normal cells; an unusual feature among molecules investigated as potential biomedical agents.

Respuesta a la selección para resistencia a sequía en maíz (Zea mays L.) / drought resistance Selection response in corn (Zea mays L.)

Se estudió la respuesta a la selección masal para componentes del rendimiento de grano y la estabilidad en dos variedades originales de maíz, Zacatecas 58 y Cafime, en las cuales se aplicaron 19 y 16 ciclos de selección masal para resistencia a sequía, respectivamente. Ambos materiales genéticos se evaluaron en dos localidades (Montecillo y Tecámac, Estado de México) con tres ambientes de humedad del suelo (riego, temporal y sequía). Los estimadores del avance genético por ciclo de selección y los parámetros de estabilidad utilizados indican que en el ambiente de sequía se encontraron los avances genéticos más altos por ciclo para ambas variedades, pero la mayor ganancia acumulada en unidades para los caracteres evaluados, se obtuvo en condiciones de riego. Los compuestos de selección de Cafime fueron más consistentes que los de Zacatecas 58. El peso de mazorca promedio por planta se incrementó conforme aumentó el número de ciclos de selección en las dos variedades y de manera concomitante se incrementó el coeficiente de regresión. Se deduce que al aumentar la selección masal visual aumenta el rendimiento y la sensibilidad ambiental lineal (b i), pero no la sensibilidad ambiental no lineal (S²d i). Finalmente, el aumento del rendimiento y de sus componentes estuvo positivamente correlacionado con el coeficiente de regresión lineal del rendimiento sobre el número de ciclos de selección, pero no hubo correlación con las desviaciones de regresión.

The response to masal selection for components of grain yield, and stability, were studied in two original varieties of corn, Zacatecas 58 and Cafime, in which 19 and 16 cycles of masal selection for drought resistance were applied, respectively. Both genetic materials were evaluated in two localities (Montecillo and Tecámac, State of Mexico) in three soil moisture environments (irrigation, rainfall and drought). The genetic advance estimates for a selection cycle and the stability parameters used indicate that in the drought environment the highest genetic advances in a cycle were found for both varieties, but the largest accumulated profit in units for the evaluated traits, was obtained under irrigation conditions. The selection compounds of the Cafime variety were more consistent than those of Zacatecas 58. In both varieties, the ear corn average weight increased as the selection cycle number increased and, thus, the coefficient of regression also increased. It is deduced that an increase of visual masal selection increases the yield and the environmental linear sensibility (b i), but not the environmental nonlinear sensibility (S²d i). Finally, the yield increase and its components were positively correlated with the linear regression coefficient of the yield concerning the selection cycles number, but there was no correlation with the regression deviation.

Estudou-se a resposta à seleção massal para componentes do rendimento de grão e a estabilidade em duas variedades originais de milho, Zacatecas 58 e Cafime, nas quais foram aplicadas 19 e 16 ciclos de seleção massal para resistência à seca, respectivamente. Ambos materiais genéticos foram avaliados em duas localidades (Montecillo e Tecámac, Estado do México) com três ambientes de umidade do solo (irrigação, temporal e seca). Os estimadores do avanço genético por ciclo de seleção e os parâmetros de estabilidade utilizados indicam que no ambiente de seca se encontraram os avanços genéticos mais altos por ciclo para ambas as variedades, mas o maior ganho acumulado em unidades para os caracteres avaliados, foi obtido em condições de irrigação. Os compostos de seleção de Cafime foram mais consistentes que os de Zacatecas 58. O peso médio de espiga por planta se incrementou na medida em que aumentou o número de ciclos de seleção nas duas variedades e de maneira concomitante se incrementou o coeficiente de regressão. É deduzido que ao aumentar a seleção massal visual aumenta o rendimiento e a sensibilidade ambiental linear (b i), mas não a sensibilidade ambiental não linear (S²d i). Finalmente, o aumento do rendimento e de seus componentes esteve positivamente correlacionado com o coeficiente de regressão linear do rendimento sobre o número de ciclos de seleção, mas não houve correlação com as desviações de regressão.