Mariana Palma-Tenango

By Emmanuel Ibarra-Estrada, Ramón Marcos Soto-Hernández and Mariana Palma-Tenango

Metabolomics is a study through can be obtain a better understanding of the complexity of the biological systems, through the chemical composition and relations with the physiology of the plant. The literature describes a lot of information on this support in areas of medicinal plants, chemosystematics, adulteration of plants, etc., but it is scarce in agriculture. At present, agriculture plays a crucial role in human beings. The demand of foods has increased due to the continuous increase in the population, and this requires an increase in the production of crops, besides the crops being affected by the climatic change, attack of pest and diseases and resistance to a conventional agrochemicals. At present, scientists are doing some practices or studies of genetic improvement of crops to increase their production and avoid the problems pointed out. It is an important part of the genomic studies; the results could be the basis for a genetic improvement based on the chemical composition of the crops, and in the metabolomics studies represent a crucial role in their quality for human consumption. The aim of the chapter is to review the literature from 10 years behind emphasizing the importance of metabolomics in crops of economic and feed value.

Part of the book: Metabolomics

By Mariana Palma-Tenango, Ruben San Miguel-Chávez and Ramón Marcos Soto-Hernández

Medicinal and aromatic plants in Mexico have been studied and explored through history. Day by day there is an increase in ethnobotanical, taxonomic, or phytochemical studies, providing an encouraging picture of research in Mexico and to support its use in traditional medicine. Chemical and biological exploration permit to provide solutions to the treatment of diseases. With this background, the objective of this chapter is to show the potential of endemic medicinal and aromatic plants in Mexico.

Part of the book: Aromatic and Medicinal Plants