The cost of highly soluble fertilizers has increased in recent years, impacting on the economic profitability of crops grown in greenhouse hydroponic systems. The aim was to evaluate water and macronutrient consumption in tomato plants, to compare the yield when using a nutrient solution made with low-cost, poorly soluble fertilizers versus a high-cost, highly soluble conventional formulation, and to compare the use of a conventional nutrient solution at different concentrations. An ‘El Cid’ tomato crop cycle of 85 days from transplanting to harvest was established. Two nutrient solution formulations (conventional and alternative) were tested at two concentrations (100 and 80 %). Morphological variables, dry matter weight, yield, and nutrient dynamics of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were evaluated. A randomized complete block design with six replications was used. Treatments with conventional formulations had higher yields than those managed with less soluble sources (2.12 vs. 1.62 kg∙plant^-1). The 80 % conventional formulation, with a yield of 2.11 kg∙plant-1, was the most cost-effective. To produce 1 kg of fruit, plants consumed 28.4 L of water and absorbed 1.58 g of N, 0.70 g of P, 3.17 g of K, 1.51 g of Ca and 0.60 g of Mg.

In Mexico, tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation is of great economic and social importance; however, the generation of innovative national varieties is limited. This research aimed to determine the agronomic potential and fruit quality of 29 F₅ tomato lines with indeterminate growth habit (IGH) and round fruit, for their possible commercial use and as a source of germplasm for breeding. The 29 lines and the commercial variety Caimán (used as a control) were evaluated in a hydroponic greenhouse system during two growing cycles (2020 and 2021), under a randomized complete block experimental design with three replications. Phenological data, physical and fruit quality traits, and total number and weight of fruits per plant were recorded. An analysis of variance, a comparison of means (Tukey, P ≤ 0.05) and a Pearson correlation analysis were performed. Significant differences were found among lines in days to flowering and ripening, length, diameter, weight, firmness, soluble solids content, and total number and weight of fruits. Outstanding lines were identified in earliness, yield and fruit quality, making them suitable for fresh consumption. Twenty-eight genotypes showed no significant differences in yield with respect to the control, while line 21136 outperformed it with a 34.9 % higher yield (P ≤ 0.05), suggesting its potential to be used as a commercial variety or as a source of germplasm in breeding programs.

In Tamaulipas, citrus production faces a phytosanitary risk due to the presence of Anastrepha ludens (Loew,1873), Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart, 1835), Anastrepha serpentina (Wiedemann, 1830), and Anastrepha striata (Schiner, 1868), since the females of these species oviposit inside the fruit, and the larval instars feed on them. However, the population fluctuation of these four species in the citrus-growing region of Tamaulipas remains unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the population fluctuation of A. ludens, A. obliquas, A. serpentina, and A. striata in Early orange (Citrus sinensis var. Navelina), Valencia orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) and Red grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfad var. Red Blush) cultivars in the municipalities of Güémez, Llera de Canales, Padilla and Victoria, Tamaulipas. To accomplish this, Multilure traps baited with hydrolyzed protein were deployed for 52 weeks, and the number of captured adults was recorded to calculate the FTD (Flies/Trap/Day) index. The data were then analyzed using analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test to assess differences among crops. The results showed that the average capture rates of A. ludens, A. serpentina and A. striata were similar in three citrus varieties, while the abundance of A. obliquas was significantly different in Valencia orange crop. Additionally, A. obliquas, A. serpentina and A. striata were recorded from January to August, whereas A. ludens was present from January to December, with peak abundance in March, May and October.

The success of vegetative propagation in pitaya depends on both endogenous and exogenous factors, such as cutting size, the application of auxin-type growth regulators, and the substrate used. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of auxins (naphthaleneacetic acid [NAA] and indole-3-butyric acid [IBA]) and different substrates on the rooting of cuttings of various sizes in red-fleshed pitaya ‘Physical Graffiti’. A 3×2×3 factorial design was used, with the factors being: auxin concentration (NAA + IBA at 0, 20 + 5 and 40 + 10 ppm), cutting size (20 and 40 cm) and substrate type (sand; sand:vermicompost [1:1, w/w]; and vermicompost). Root length and number, as well as fresh and dry biomass of both roots and cuttings, were evaluated. Analyses included analysis of variance, Tukey’s multiple comparison tests, and Pearson correlations. The best rooting performance ‒measured as root length (15.8 cm), number of roots (80.5), fresh biomass (8.6 g), and dry biomass (3.3 g)‒ was obtained with 20 cm cuttings immersed for 30 seconds in a solution of 20 ppm NAA + 5 ppm IBA and grown in a sand:vermicompost substrate. The combination of NAA and IBA in mixed substrates represents a viable option to optimize propagation by cuttings of red- fleshed pitahaya ‘Physical Graffiti’.

Ante la creciente demanda de jitomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) y la necesidad de optimizar el uso del espacio y los recursos en sistemas de producción intensiva, se han implementado nuevos esquemas de cultivo hidropónico que buscan maximizar la producción anual mediante ciclos cortos de 50 días. La estrategia se basa en limitar el número de racimos por planta a tres y en dividir el proceso en tres fases: semillero, una fase intermedia con alta densidad de población y una fase final de producción. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el efecto de diferentes densidades de población en las fases intermedia y final sobre variables agronómicas. Se compararon cuatro densidades en cada fase (intermedia: 30, 25, 20 y 17 plantas∙m^-2; final: 8, 7, 6 y 5 plantas∙m^-2) bajo un diseño experimental de bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones y 12 plantas por unidad experimental. Entre los 70 y 90 días después de la siembra, el tratamiento con 25 y 7 plantas∙m^-2 en fase intermedia y final, respectivamente, presentó un incremento del área foliar por planta de 853 cm²  y un índice de área foliar de 2.1  m² ∙m^-2, mientras que con 17  y 5  plantas∙m^-2, los incrementos respectivos fueron de 518  cm²   y 0.9 m² ∙m^-2, lo cual indica que las primeras experimentaron mayor estrés por competencia de luz. Con 25 plantas∙m^-2 en fase intermedia y 7 plantas∙m^-2 en fase final, se tuvo un rendimiento de 8.9 kg∙m^-2 por ciclo de cultivo, lo que permitiría obtener hasta siete ciclos por año.

En México, los frutos de anona (Annona reticulata L.) se consumen frescos; sin embargo, no son tan conocidos como la guanábana (Annona muricata L.), la chirimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.) y el saramuyo (Annona squamosa L.). Esta situación se debe, en gran medida, a la escasa información disponible   sobre sus propiedades y morfología. En el estado de Nayarit, la producción de anona se encuentra en áreas sin manejo agronómico. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la morfología y las características fisicoquímicas de frutos de anona provenientes de cuatro localidades del municipio de Tepic, Nayarit, México: Jicote, Trapichillo, 14 de Marzo y Tepic. Los frutos presentaron formas cordiformes, irregulares y ovoides, con reticulación lisa o impresa y areolas de morfología variable (gota, romboide, pentagonal o hexagonal). El color de la cáscara fue variable: verde opaco con tonalidades amarillo-naranja, café opaco con tonalidades naranja-roja, café opaco con tonalidades amarillas y morado opaco. Los frutos de mayor peso y tamaño fueron los provinieron de Jicote y Tepic; los de mayor firmeza, de Jicote y Trapichillo; los de mayor acidez, de Trapichillo, y los de mayor contenido de sólidos solubles totales, de Jicote y 14 de Marzo. Los frutos de anona de Tepic presentaron diversas características morfológicas y fisicoquímicas, las cuales podrían tener importancia económica tanto para el consumo del fruto en fresco, como para la industria alimentaria en la elaboración de productos nutracéuticos y en la industria farmacéutica para la
extracción de compuestos fitoquímicos.