RESUMO. A eficiência do uso da água (UEA) foi proposta como uma alternativa para mitigar os efeitos das mudanças climáticas na agricultura e reduzir a pressão sobre os recursos hídricos, principalmente em espécies com altos requerimentos de água que são cultivadas sob condições de sequeiro. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar o UEA instantâneo, integral e molecular de quatro cultivares de feijão, contrastando sua resposta em condições de água limitadas para comparar os mecanismos componentes desta característica entre cultivares tolerantes à seca. Os resultados indicaram que os cultivares tolerantes aumentaram seu UEA instantâneo em comparação aos suscetíveis; entretanto, houve diferença entre as cultivares, uma vez que Pinto Villa apresentou maior condutância estomática e taxa de transpiração, levando a um custo maior de água para produção de sementes do que Pinto Saltillo. Além disso, os genes EUA de ycf2, rrn16, rpoC2, hardy, ndhK, erecta e ycf1 foram apenas sobreexpressos em Pinto Saltillo sob condições de água limitadas, o que se revelou ser a cultivar mais eficiente do UEA. Portanto, os mecanismos componentes da UEA são diferentes mesmo entre as cultivares tolerantes à seca e os mecanismos pelos quais as cultivares tolerantes aumentaram sua UEA instantânea e integral foram diferentes.

ABSTRACT. The water-use efficiency (WUE) has been proposed as an alternative to mitigate the effects of climate change in agriculture and to reduce pressure on water resources, mainly in species with high water requirements which are grown under rainfed conditions. The aim of this study was to characterize the instantaneous, integral and molecular WUE of four bean cultivars contrasting in their response under limiting water conditions to compare the component mechanisms of this trait between drought tolerant and susceptible cultivars. Results indicated that tolerant cultivars increased their instantaneous WUE in comparison to susceptible ones; however, there was a difference between cultivars since Pinto Villa had a higher stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, leading to a higher water cost to produce seed than Pinto Saltillo. Furthermore, ycf2, rrn16, rpoC2, hardy, ndhK, erecta and ycf1 WUE genes were only overexpressed in Pinto Saltillo under limited water conditions, which turned out to be the most WUE efficient cultivar. Therefore, the component mechanisms of WUE are different even between drought tolerant cultivars and the mechanisms by which the tolerant cultivars increased their instantaneous and integral WUE were different.

Abstract The chinese melon seed has been used traditionally to make horchata; however, it has lost the habit of consuming it. To expand the knowledge of this plant resource reservation soluble proteins were extracted from the seed. The total protein content was 27.34% for cantaloupe and 24.9% for honeydew (smooth). The globulins constitute the majority faction and prolamins, the minority. In the electrophoretic pattern shows globulin fraction abundant and well-defined bands. The precipitated proteins with hydrochloric acid or cold showed an electrophoretic pattern similar in both varieties. Proteins were extracted at pH values best between 5 and 12, but not values of 2 to 4. The treatment with trypsin and chymotrypsin showed accumulation of bands on the front of the gel, demonstrating the presence of digested peptides. The inhibitory activity against trypsin is greater at the albumins fraction with 741 UI mL-1 and globulin fraction with 587 UI mL-1. The mineral content was 0.5% for phosphorus and magnesium 0.28 for cantaloupe; for honeydew was 0.36% for potassium and 0.28% for phosphorus. The oil content was 35.8% in seed cantaloupe and 23.2% in the honeydew, which is known to 67.5% are unsaturated fatty acids; oil was amber color, pleasant odor. The use of melon seed is a plant resource to be promoted for its high content of protein and oil, as it is valuable for human consumption. It can also be used in the formulation of livestock feed or cultured insect larvae in the laboratory.

Resumen La semilla de melón chino se ha usado de manera tradicional para elaborar horchata; sin embargo, se ha perdido la costumbre de consumirla. A fin de ampliar el conocimiento sobre este recurso vegetal se extrajeron las proteínas de reserva solubles de la semilla. El contenido total de proteína fue de 27.34% para el melón chino y de 24.9% para el melón verde (liso). Las globulinas constituyen la fracción mayoritaria y las prolaminas, la minoritaria. En el patrón electroforético, la fracción globulina muestra bandas abundantes y bien definidas. Las proteínas precipitadas con ácido clorhídrico o frío mostraron un patrón electroforético semejante en ambas variedades. Las proteínas se extrajeron mejor a valores de pH entre 5 y 12, pero no a valores de 2 a 4. El tratamiento con tripsina y quimotripsina mostró acumulación de bandas en el frente del gel, lo cual demuestra la presencia de péptidos digeridos. La actividad inhibitoria contra tripsina es mayor en la fracción albúminas con 741 UI mL-1 y fracción globulina con 587 UI mL-1. El contenido mineral fue de 0.5% para fósforo y de 0.28 para magnesio en melón chino; para el verde fue de 0.36% para potasio y de 0.28% para fósforo. El contenido de aceite fue de 35.8% en semilla de melón chino y de 23.2% en el verde, del cual se sabe que 67.5% son ácidos grasos insaturados; el aceite fue de color ámbar, de olor agradable. El uso de la semilla de melón es un recurso vegetal que debe promoverse por su alto contenido de proteína y aceite, ya que es valioso para la alimentación humana. También puede usarse en la formulación de alimento para ganado o de larvas de insecto cultivadas en laboratorio.

Population density affects some agronomic traits in varieties such as physical and physiological quality of the seed. In order to assess this effect, two female genotypes were grown of two commercial hybrids of maize (Zea mays L.); the evaluated densities were 52 630,65 789,78 789,92 013 and 105 263 plants ha-1 in the experimental field of Roque Institute of Technology, Guanajuato. A factorial experiment was chosen, using arandomized complete block design with four replications. We evaluated plant height, ear size, days to silking, photosynthetically active leaves, tillering, attack of Fusarium spp., stalk lodging, plant ''horras'' and grain yield; seed quality was evaluated by volumetric weight, purity analysis, weight of 1000 seeds and seed classes. The physiological quality, through the standard germination and vigor. The results show that, the density of population had statistically significant effects on the following agronomic traits: plant height and ear size, photosynthetically active leaf number, tillering, percentage of plants ''horras'' and grain yield; so, at least one density is higher or allow to see differences between them; in none of the variables of this group, showed interaction effects between genotypes and densities, indicating independence among these factors.

La densidad de población afecta algunos caracteres agronómicos en las variedades, como la calidad física y fisiológica de la semilla. Con el objetivo de evaluar este efecto, se sembraron dos genotipos hembra de dos híbridos comerciales de maíz (Zea mays L.); las densidades evaluadas fueron 52 630, 65 789, 78 789, 92 013 y 105 263 plantas ha-1 en el campo experimental del Instituto Tecnológico de Roque, Guanajuato. Se eligió un experimento factorial con diseño de bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones. Se evaluó altura de planta, de mazorca, días a floración femenina, hojas fotosintéticamente activas, amacollamiento, ataque de Fusarium spp., acame de tallo, plantas ''horras'' y rendimiento de grano; la calidad de la semilla fue evaluada mediante peso volumétrico, análisis de pureza, peso de 1 000 semillas y clases de semilla. La calidad fisiológica, a través de la germinación estándar y el vigor. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la densidad de población tuvo efectos estadísticamente significativos en las siguientes variables agronómicas: altura de planta y de mazorca, número de hojas fotosintéticamente activas, amacollamiento, porcentaje de plantas ''horras'' y rendimiento de grano; así, al menos una densidad es superior o permite observar diferencias entre ellas; en ninguna variable de este grupo se presentó efectos de interacción entre genotipos y densidades, indicando independencia entre estos factores.