Wheat cultivation makes an important contribution to human nutrition. Trehalose synthesis plays a role in the tolerance to drought stress. A bifunctional TPS-TPP enzyme gene from yeast was used to obtain transgenic wheat plants to increase trehalose synthesis. Mature wheat embryos were transformed using pGreen rd29A::TPS1-TPS2 or pGreen 35S::TPS1-TPS2 constructs. The transgene presence in mature leaves of T3 plants was confirmed by sequencing a PCR fragment of the inserted transgene. Transgenic and NT plants were submitted to drought stress for eight days. Transformed wheat lines retained a higher relative water content than NT plants during drought stress, and the Rubisco activity was unaffected. Plants transformed with the 35S construct showed a lower photosynthetic rate and lower fructose 1–6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) activity during drought, suggesting that constitutive trehalose and sucrose synthesis caused a reduced ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) regeneration. Lines transformed with the rd29A promoter showed a higher photosynthetic rate after eight days of drought, as the RuBP regeneration was unaffected. Transgenic wheat plants had higher biomass and grain weight than NT plants after drought. These results suggest that trehalose synthesis improves photosynthesis during stress and induces changes in the activity of some Calvin-cycle enzymes, reflected in plant metabolism and growth.

It is important to determine the caloric content from non-industrialized foods (NIF) sold in elementary school to support programs against childhood obesity. The aim of this investigation was to quantify the total caloric content of the most consumed NIF, such as molletes and sandwiches, which are the preferred foods according to a recent study realized among students of nine elementary schools in three different geographic zones (south, downtown and northwest) in Hermosillo, Sonora. The caloric content of molletes and sandwiches was measured using bomb calorimetric. Both analyzed NIF exceeded caloric content recommended by National Agreement of Healthy Nutrition Guidelines 2010 (ANSA). It was also found differences in caloric content as well as serving sizes in NIF, especially those sold in downtown schools (over 300 %). These results expose the need of a more strict regulation and vigilance in preparation and serving sizes of NIF to ensure meeting the standards of ANSA guidelines.