Iron (Fe) deficiency is the most prevalent nutrient deficiency worldwide. Agronomic biofortification is an agricultural strategy for improving the micronutrient concentrations in staple food plants. At present, fertilization is a major vehicle for changing plant mineral contents and food quality. A greenhouse study was conducted to assess the effects of iron chelate and ferrous sulfate applications on the biofortification of Fe and its impacts on the mineral content and yield of cowpea beans. Four application rates of both forms were tested (0, 25, 50, and 100 µM L -1 ) for 40 d. The amount and type of Fe application affected the mineral seed content, yield and yield components. Applying of Fe in the form of ferrous sulfate at 25 µM L -1 was found to be the optimal rate for biofortifying the cowpea bean plant, because it favored the seed yield and increased the bioavailable Fe content in the seeds over that of the control. The best iron chelate rate was 100 µM L -1 . Thus, it was considered feasible to implement an Fe fertilization program to improve the nutritional quality of cowpea bean crops by increasing the Fe concentrates in the seeds.

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Zinc intake deficiency is a public health problem and increasing the nutrient’s content in the edible parts of plants can help mitigate it. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the edaphic and foliar application of zinc sulphate on the nutrient content, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity of cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata L. Walpers). A sample of 100 grains was taken, and the length, width, thickness, weight, ash content, fat, humidity, fibers, carbohydrates, protein, energy, macro- and micro- nutrients, total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity were determined. The 0.250 g edaphic-12.5 mM foliar dose produced grains of a greater weight and size. All of the edaphic and foliar doses increased the grain zinc content, and the highest value was found with the 0.125 g edaphic-50.0 mM foliar dose. The total phenols increased with 12.5 g of edaphic zinc, while phenols, flavonoids, and the antioxidant capacity increased with 50.0 mM foliar zinc. The edaphic and foliar application of zinc sulphate increased the grain weight and size, zinc content, total phenols, and antioxidant capacity. Therefore, edaphic and foliar zinc biofortification enriches this nutrient in cowpea grains, and could reduce micronutrient malnutrition in the urban and rural communities of Mexico.

Caracterización morfológica in situ de chile silvestre Pico de paloma (Capsicum frutescens) en Tabasco, México RESUMENActualmente el chile es uno de los cultivos hortícolas más importantes del mundo. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue realizar la colecta y caracterización in situ de la diversidad morfológica de chile silvestre Pico de paloma (Capsicum frutescens L.) del estado de Tabasco, México. Se realizaron 66 colectas en campo en el 2014; tomando datos in situ de 25 variables de planta, de flor y de fruto. Con las 12 variables de mayor valor descriptivo se realizó un análisis de Componentes Principales (CP) y de conglomerados. Los primeros tres CP explicaron el 52.47 % de la variación total entre colectas; el mayor aporte sobre la variación la tuvieron las variables largo y ancho de hoja, altura de la planta, ancho de la planta, diá-metro del tallo, largo del fruto y peso del fruto. Mediante el análisis de conglomerados se formaron cuatro grupos en el dendrograma de variables seleccionadas. ABSTRACTChili pepper is currently one of the most important vegetable crops worldwide. The objective of this work was to carry out the in situ collection and characterization of the morphological diversity of the dove's beak wild chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) in the state of Tabasco, Mexico. We collected 66 samples in the field in 2014, and we recorded in situ data of 25 of plant, flower, and fruit variables. A principal component (PC) and cluster analysis were conducted on the 12 variables with the highest descriptive values. The first three PC explained 52.47 % of the total variation between collections; the variables that contributed most to the variation were: were leaf length and width, plant height, plant width, stem diameter, fruit length, and fruit weight. Through cluster analysis, four groups were formed in the dendrogram of the selected variables.