Variation of the ferulic acid concentration and kernel weight in CIMMYT bread wheat germplasm and selection of lines for functional food production

Wenfei Tian Maria Itria Ibba Govindan Velu Shuanghe Cao Zhonghu He (2024, [Artículo])

CIMMYT Germplasm CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GERMPLASM FERULIC ACID FUNCTIONAL FOODS PHYTOCHEMICALS YIELD POTENTIAL WHEAT FOOD PRODUCTION

Sustainability assessment of vegetables farms in Benin: preliminary results

Sylvanus Odjo (2023, [Objeto de congreso])

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT VEGETABLES STAPLE FOODS AGRIFOOD SYSTEMS FRUITS FARMERS

Accumulation of wheat phenolic acids under different nitrogen rates and growing environments

Wenfei Tian Yong Zhang Zhonghu He (2022, [Artículo])

Functional Wheat Trans-Ferulic Acid Nitrogen Management Environment Interaction CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA WHEAT PHENOLIC ACIDS NITROGEN ENVIRONMENT ANTIOXIDANTS

Bacterial communities in the rhizosphere at different growth stages of maize cultivated in soil under conventional and conservation agricultural practices

Yendi Navarro-Noya Bram Govaerts Nele Verhulst Luc Dendooven (2022, [Artículo])

Farmers in Mexico till soil intensively, remove crop residues for fodder and grow maize often in monoculture. Conservation agriculture (CA), including minimal tillage, crop residue retention and crop diversification, is proposed as a more sustainable alternative. In this study, we determined the effect of agricultural practices and the developing maize rhizosphere on soil bacterial communities. Bulk and maize (Zea mays L.) rhizosphere soil under conventional practices (CP) and CA were sampled during the vegetative, flowering and grain filling stage, and 16S rRNA metabarcoding was used to assess bacterial diversity and community structure. The functional diversity was inferred from the bacterial taxa using PICRUSt. Conservation agriculture positively affected taxonomic and functional diversity compared to CP. The agricultural practice was the most important factor in defining the structure of bacterial communities, even more so than rhizosphere and plant growth stage. The rhizosphere enriched fast growing copiotrophic bacteria, such as Rhizobiales, Sphingomonadales, Xanthomonadales, and Burkholderiales, while in the bulk soil of CP other copiotrophs were enriched, e.g., Halomonas and Bacillus. The bacterial community in the maize bulk soil resembled each other more than in the rhizosphere of CA and CP. The bacterial community structure, and taxonomic and functional diversity in the maize rhizosphere changed with maize development and the differences between the bulk soil and the rhizosphere were more accentuated when the plant aged. Although agricultural practices did not alter the effect of the rhizosphere on the soil bacterial communities in the flowering and grain filling stage, they did in the vegetative stage.

Community Assembly Functional Diversity Intensive Agricultural Practices Plant Microbiome CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TILLAGE SOIL BACTERIA MAIZE

Chapter 9. Genome-informed discovery of genes and framework of functional genes in wheat

awais rasheed Rudi Appels (2024, [Capítulo de libro])

Wheat Genomics KASP Markers Gene Discovery Functional Markers Gene Networks CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA WHEAT GENOMICS SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS

Nitrogen fertilizer application alters the root endophyte bacterial microbiome in maize plants, but not in the stem or rhizosphere soil

Alejandra Miranda Carrazco Yendi Navarro-Noya Bram Govaerts Nele Verhulst Luc Dendooven (2022, [Artículo])

Plant-associated microorganisms that affect plant development, their composition, and their functionality are determined by the host, soil conditions, and agricultural practices. How agricultural practices affect the rhizosphere microbiome has been well studied, but less is known about how they might affect plant endophytes. In this study, the metagenomic DNA from the rhizosphere and endophyte communities of root and stem of maize plants was extracted and sequenced with the “diversity arrays technology sequencing,” while the bacterial community and functionality (organized by subsystems from general to specific functions) were investigated in crops cultivated with or without tillage and with or without N fertilizer application. Tillage had a small significant effect on the bacterial community in the rhizosphere, but N fertilizer had a highly significant effect on the roots, but not on the rhizosphere or stem. The relative abundance of many bacterial species was significantly different in the roots and stem of fertilized maize plants, but not in the unfertilized ones. The abundance of N cycle genes was affected by N fertilization application, most accentuated in the roots. How these changes in bacterial composition and N genes composition might affect plant development or crop yields has still to be unraveled.

Bacterial Community Structure DArT-Seq Bacterial Community Functionality Genes Involved in N Cycling CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES MAIZE RHIZOSPHERE STEMS NITROGEN FERTILIZERS

The cerato-mandibular ligament: a key functional trait for grazing in damselfishes (Pomacentridae)

Damien Olivier Bruno Frederich MILTON ALEJANDRO SPANOPOULOS ZARCO Eduardo Francisco Balart Páez Eric Parmentier (2014, [Artículo])

"The success of a taxonomic group can be promoted by a key character that allows the group to interact with its environment in a different way and to potentially occupy new niches. The Pomacentridae possess a synapomorphic trait, the cerato-mandibular (c-md) ligament, which joins the hyoid bar to the inner part of the lower jaw. It has previously been shown that this ligament is a key trait in communication in damselfishes because it enables them to slam the oral jaws shut causing teeth collision and sound production. This specific behavior of mouth closing could, however, also be used for other tasks, such as feeding. Many territorial damselfishes are referred to as farmers, due to their ability to manage algal crops on which they feed. This study hypothesizes that the c-md ligament provides an advantage for grazing filamentous algae, and should thus be considered a key trait for farming behavior."

Biomechanics, Evolution, Farming, Functional morphology BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA ANIMAL (ZOOLOGÍA) ZOOLOGÍA MARINA ZOOLOGÍA MARINA

La Funcionalidad Física Arrecifal, indicador de la diversidad funcional en ensamblajes de peces de arrecifes en el Parque Nacional Islas Marietas, Nayarit, México

Reef Physical Functionality, indicator of functional diversity on reef fishes assemblages from Islas Marietas National Park, Nayarit, Mexico

Luis Mario Montalvo Jaramillo (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

La ecología funcional se basa en el uso de rasgos funcionales; características de las especies (morfológicas, fisiológicas, comportamiento) medidas a nivel individual que influencian el rendimiento de una especie, siendo de gran utilidad para determinar cambios dentro del ecosistema. El presente trabajo busca evaluar la funcionalidad física como indicador de disponibilidad de hábitat de peces y su relación con la diversidad funcional. La funcionalidad física del arrecife se evaluó mediante el IFA integrando datos de cobertura coralina, complejidad estructural y tasa de calcificación. La estructura de los ensamblajes de peces se analizó mediante el cálculo de índices de diversidad funcional (riqueza, equitatividad y divergencia) con base en cuatro rasgos funcionales (tamaño corporal, movilidad, tipo de agregación y dieta). La relación entre la diversidad funcional del ensamblaje y el IFA se evaluó mediante un análisis de regresión lineal. El IFA fue influenciado de manera positiva por la presencia Pocilloporidos al generar un mayor aporte a la funcionalidad física (FF) y consecuentemente, una mayor provisión de hábitat. Por el contrario, el IFA disminuyó con la presencia de Porites panamensis debido a su baja tasa de calcificación.La diversidad funcional de los ensamblajes no presentó variaciones temporales, atribuible a una baja variabilidad entre los sitios debido a una alta cercanía, baja variacion batimétrica y alta conectividad. La relación entre el IFA y la riqueza funcional de los ensamblajes se atribuye a que sitios con mayor funcionalidad física otorgan disponibilidad de hábitat y refugio contra la depredación a especies crípticas, de talla pequeña y juveniles; ya que, especies de este tipo se asocian a hoyos similares a su tamaño corporal y la supervivencia de las mismas aumenta en sustratos más complejos.

Functional diversity it’s based on functional traits; characteristics of species (morphological, physiological, behavior) measured at individual level that impact their performance and have great utility to determine changes within the ecosystem. This work aims to evaluate physical functionality as indicator of fish habitat availability and its relationship with functional diversity. The physical functionality of the reef was evaluated using the RFI, integrating data on coral cover, structural complexity, and calcification rate. The structure of the fish assemblages was analyzed by calculating functional diversity index (richness, evenness, and divergence) based on four functional traits (body size, mobility, type of aggregation and diet). The relationship between functional diversity and RFI was evaluated using linear regression analysis. The RFI was influenced on positive way for the presence of Pocilloporids due to the great contribution to physical functionality (PF) creating more habitat availability. For the other hand, the RFI was influenced on negative way for the presence of Porites panamensis due their low calcification rate. The functional diversity of the assemblages did not present temporal variations, attributable to a low variability between the sites due high proximity, low bathymetric variation and high connectivity. The relationship between RFI and the functional richness of the assemblages is attributed to fact that sites with greater physical functionality provide more availability of habitat and refuge against predation to cryptic, small and juvenile species; species of this type are associate with holes similar to their body size and their survival increases in more complex substrates.

Pacífico Méxicano, Índice de Función Arrecifal, Diversidad Funcional, Arrecife Reef, Functional Diversity, Reef Functional Index, Mexican Pacific BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES DE LA BIOLOGÍA OTRAS OTRAS

Funcionalidad física de los arrecifes de coral en el Pacífico mexicano (Bahía de Los Ángeles, Bahía de La Paz, Bahía de Banderas y Bahías de Huatulco

Physical functionality of coral reefs in the mexican Pacific (Bahía de Los Ángeles, Bahía de La Paz, Bahía de Banderas y Bahías de Huatulco)

CLAUDIA REBECA NAVARRETE TORICES (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

Los corales son la base en la estructura y funcionamiento de los arrecifes. Sin embargo, en las últimas décadas, estos ecosistemas han sufrido un deterioro debido a presiones naturales, antrópicas y factores de gran escala como el cambio climático. En general, la cobertura de corales ha disminuido y aunque en algunos casos se ha observado su recuperación, la caracterización de la funcionalidad de la estructura física de los sistemas ha sido escasamente explorada. El presente trabajo evalúa la funcionalidad física de los arrecifes de coral en cuatro áreas a lo largo del Pacífico mexicano, empleando el Índice Funcional Arrecifal (IFA). El IFA considera la tasa de calcificación, la complejidad estructural y la abundancia de las especies de coral de en cada sitio; los valores que el índice puede adquirir varían de cero a uno, son valores cercanos a cero refieren a un arrecife con baja funcionalidad, mientras que los valores cercanos a uno indican un arrecife con alta funcionalidad. La cobertura coralina promedio de las cuatro áreas fue 35.62 ± 15.01%, siendo Bahías de Huatulco (BH) quien presentó la mayor cobertura coralina con 55.61 ± 21.94 %, mientras que Bahía de Los Ángeles (BLA) tuvo la menor cobertura coralina (17.16 ± 0.08 %). El IFA promedio de las áreas fue de 0.54 ± 0.12, y con base en el indicador, BH tuvo una mayor funcionalidad con un IFA de 0.68 ± 0.09, mientras que BLA tuvo una menor funcionalidad (0.34 ± 0.08). Los corales del género Pocillopora fueron los que mayor IFA aportaron en la mayoría de los sitios excepto en BLA que es representada por Porites panamensis. El coral con mayor coeficiente funcional (CF) fue Pocillopora grandis con 0.81, perteneciente a Bahía de Banderas (BB) y por ende fue el coral que mayor contribuyó al IFA en el área. El valor del IFA de 0.68 a lo largo del Pacífico mexicano, nos indica que tiene una alta complejidad estructural, debido a la forma de los corales Pocillopora que son clave para la permanencia de los arrecifes del área.

Corals are the basis for the structure and functioning of reefs. However, in recent decades, these ecosystems have suffered deterioration due to natural and anthropogenic pressures and large-scale factors such as climate change. In general, coral cover has decreased and although in some cases their recovery has been observed, the characterization of the functionality of the physical structure of the systems has been barely explored. This study evaluates the physical functionality of coral reefs in four areas along the Mexican Pacific, using the Reef Functional Index (IFA). The IFA considers the calcification rate, structural complexity, and abundance of coral species at each site; The values that the index can acquire vary from zero to one, values close to zero refer to a reef with low functionality, while values close to one indicate a reef with high functionality. The average coral cover of the four areas was 35.62 ± 15.01%, with Bahías de Huatulco (BH) having the highest coral cover with 55.61 ± 21.94%, while Bahía de Los Ángeles (BLA) had the lowest coral cover (17.16 ± 0.08%). The average IFA of the areas was 0.54 ± 0.12, and based on the indicator, BH had higher functionality with an IFA of 0.68 ± 0.09, while BLA had lower functionality (0.34 ± 0.08). Corals of the genus Pocillopora were the ones that contributed the highest IFA in most of the sites except in BLA, which is represented by Porites panamensis. The coral with the highest functional coefficient (CF) was Pocillopora grandis with 0.81, belonging to Bahía de Banderas (BB) and therefore was the coral that contributed the greatest to the IFA in the area. The IFA value of 0.68 along the Mexican Pacific indicates that it has a high structural complexity, due to the shape of the Pocillopora corals that are key to the permanence of the reefs in the area.

Corales, Pocillopora, Índice de función arrecifal, Pacífico mexicano Corals, Pocillopora, mexican Pacific, Reef Functional Index BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES DE LA BIOLOGÍA OTRAS OTRAS

Desarrollo de interfaces de electrodos para la detección electroquímica de Bisfenol A: Estudio teórico

JAZMIN DELGADO AVILEZ (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

El bisfenol A (BPA), es un contaminante de origen industrial presente en efluentes y

aguas naturales, que representa un alto riesgo para el entorno ambiental y para la salud humana debido a su inherente toxicidad y su limitada capacidad de degradación. En este contexto, los sensores electroquímicos, generalmente basados en electrodos de carbono, son herramientas fundamentales con el propósito de detectar y cuantificar esta molécula. Sin embargo, estos dispositivos enfrentan desafíos sustanciales derivados de la inactivación electroquímica, un fenómeno atribuido a la formación de una capa aislante o polimerización durante el proceso de detección. La descripción de los mecanismos de reacción BPA/superficie del electrodo puede ser útil para identificar los sitios activos y contribuir a la elucidación del proceso de polimerización.

En esta investigación, se implementó un estudio teórico mediante Teoría de Funcionales de la Densidad (DFT) con el propósito de analizar con profundidad las interacciones entre el BPA en sus diversos estados de oxidación: oxidada (O), reducida (R) y monoprotonada (r*) y materiales de carbono. A tal efecto, se empleó el grafeno funcionalizado (plano basal, borde tipo silla y zigzag) como modelo representativo de la superficie del electrodo. Finalmente se evalúan las posibilidades de la dimerización del BPA o polimerización sobre varios grupos funcionales. El objetivo principal radica en la detección de grupos funcionales específicos que puedan inducir procesos secundarios, los cuales actúan como obstáculos para la eficaz detección electroquímica del BPA. La información resultante se instituye como un recurso valioso con miras al diseño y la optimización de sensores electroquímicos con un desempeño más robusto y sofisticado.

A continuación, se detalla la sinopsis general de este trabajo describiendo cada capítulo y las etapas involucradas en el estudio del modelo teórico de DFT para el sistema de reacción BPA/superficie del electrodo.

Capítulo 1. Estado del arte tanto de los usos industriales como las implicaciones

ambientales asociadas al Bisfenol A. Una de las problemáticas que se destacan es la necesidad de una detección precisa de esta molécula mediante sensores electroquímicos cuya limitación es la inactivación que presentan. También se describe la justificación del trabajo, así como el uso del modelo computacional, además de los objetivos y la hipótesis del mismo.

Capítulo 2. Descripción de los fundamentos teóricos basados en primeros principios, de la Teoría de Funcionales de la Densidad (DFT), con un enfoque especial en las aproximaciones para desarrollar modelos representativos que optimicen el tiempo de cálculo. Además, se detallan las características de la estructura y la superficie de los materiales de carbono considerados en el proceso de modelado.

Capítulo 3. Detalle del proceso de construcción del modelo de superficie para el estudio de las interacciones BPA/superficie del electrodo, donde se empleó el modelo del plano basal,así como los bordes tipo silla y zigzag del grafeno, con funcionalizaciones que incluyen COOH, OH, éter, epóxido, cetona y terminaciones de hidrógeno.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a contaminant of industrial origin present in effluents and natural waters. It represents a high environmental and human health risk due to its inherent toxicity and limited degradation capacity. In this context, electrochemical sensors, generally based on carbon electrodes, are fundamental to detecting and quantifying this molecule. However, these devices face substantial challenges from electrochemical inactivation, a phenomenon attributed to forming an insulating layer or polymerization during the sensing process. The description of the BPA/electrode surface reaction mechanisms can be helpful to identify the active sites and contribute to the elucidation of the polymerization process.

In this research, a theoretical study was implemented using Density Functional Theory (DFT) to analyze in depth the interactions between BPA in its various oxidation states: oxidized (O), reduced (R), and monoprotonated (r*) and carbon materials. For this purpose, functionalized graphene (basal plane, saddle edge, and zigzag) was used as a representative model of the electrode surface. Finally, the possibilities of BPA dimerization or polymerization on various functional groups are evaluated. The main objective is detecting specific functional groups that can induce secondary processes, which act as obstacles to the effective electrochemical detection of BPA. The resulting information is a valuable resource for designing and optimizing electrochemical sensors with more robust and sophisticated performance.

The general synopsis of this work is detailed below, describing each chapter and the

stages involved in the study of the theoretical DFT model for the BPA/electrode surface reaction system.

Chapter 1. State of the art of industrial uses and the environmental implications associated with Bisphenol A. One of the problems that stands out is the need for precise detection of this molecule using electrochemical sensors, whose limitation is the inactivation they present. The justification of the work is also described, as well as the use of the computational model, in addition to its objectives and hypothesis.

Chapter 2. Description of the theoretical foundations based on first principles of Density Functional Theory (DFT), focusing on approaches to develop representative models that optimize calculation time. Additionally, the structure and surface characteristics of the carbon materials considered in the modeling process are detailed.

Chapter 3. Detail of the construction process of the surface model for the study of BPA/electrode surface interactions, where the basal plane model was used, as well as the chair- type and zigzag edges of graphene, with functionalizations that include COOH, OH, ether, epoxide, ketone, and hydrogen endings.

INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS Oxidación de fenoles, Teoría de funcionales de la densidad (DFT), electrodos de carbono, desactivación electroquímica, Bisfenol A (BPA). Phenol oxidation, Density Functional Theory (DFT), carbon electrodes, electrochemical deactivation, Bisphenol A (BPA).