Chapters authored
Mexican Indigenous Species with Agroecological Uses
Mexico is considered one of the twelve megadiverse countries, and they together harbor 60–70% of the biodiversity from the planet. Mexico with Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia occupied the principal positions. In Mexico, there are almost 50,000 plant species recognized now. Several of these plants are used since the pre-Hispanic age in religious ceremonies and medicinal treatments, but their potential in agroecology has not been exploited. There is not much information related to these alternative crops and their possible uses in agriculture. In this chapter, we will describe the main characteristics of the plant and its possible uses in agroecology.
Part of the book: Endemic Species
MicroRNAs Associated with Secondary Metabolites Production
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs that play an important role in the regulation of the genetic expression in animals and plants by targeting mRNAs for cleavage or translational repression. Several miRNAs regulate the plant development, the metabolism, and the responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Characterization of an miRNA has helped to show its role in fine tuning the mechanisms of posttranscriptional gene regulation. Although there is a lot of information related to miRNA regulation of some processes, the role of miRNA involved in the regulation of biosynthesis of secondary plant product is still poorly understood. In this chapter, we summarize the identification and characterization of miRNAs that participate in the regulation of the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in plants and their use in the strategies to manipulate a controlled manipulation.
Part of the book: Plant Physiological Aspects of Phenolic Compounds