Supplementation with Agave fourcroydes powder on growth performance, carcass traits, organ weights, gut morphometry, and blood biochemistry in broiler rabbits

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with Agave fourcroydes powder on growth performance, carcass traits, organ weights, gut morphometry, and blood biochemistry in broiler rabbits. A total of 40 male rabbits (New Zealand × Californian) weaned at 35 d were randomly selected for a control diet (CD) and CD + 1.5% of A. fourcroydes powder, with 10 replicates and two rabbits per replicate. After 60 d, A. fourcroydes powder increased body weight, feed intake, and weight gain (P<0.05), without affecting feed conversion ratio and viability (P>0.05). Furthermore, this natural product did not affect the edible portions and the indicators determined in the Longissimus dorsi, nor the organ relative weights and the intestinal morphometry (P>0.05); however, a decrease in cecal pH was observed and consequently an increase in cecal beneficial bacteria (P<0.05) were found. Also, A. fourcroydes powder reduced (P<0.05) the serum concentration of glucose, harmful lipids, HDL and atherogenic index although without change for the ureic nitrogen, creatinine and VLDL (P>0.05). Agave fourcroydes powder as a zootechnical additive promoted better growth, in addition, it showed lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic effects, without modifying the edible portions and organs digestive.

Unravelling Chemical Composition of Agave Spines: News from Agave fourcroydes Lem.

Spines are key plant modifications developed to deal against herbivores; however, its physical structure and chemical composition have been little explored in plant species. Here, we took advantage of high-throughput chromatography to characterize chemical composition of Agave fourcroydes Lem. spines, a species traditionally used for fiber extraction. Analyses of structural carbohydrate showed that spines have lower cellulose content than leaf fibers (52 and 72%, respectively) but contain more than 2-fold the hemicellulose and 1.5-fold pectin. Xylose and galacturonic acid were enriched in spines compared to fibers. The total lignin content in spines was 1.5-fold higher than those found in fibers, with elevated levels of syringyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) subunits but similar S/G ratios within tissues. Metabolomic profiling based on accurate mass spectrometry revealed the presence of phenolic compounds including quercetin, kaempferol, (+)-catechin, and (−)-epicatechin in A. fourcroydes spines, which were also detected in situ in spines tissues and could be implicated in the color of these plants’ structures. Abundance of (+)-catechins could also explain proanthocyanidins found in spines. Agave spines may become a plant model to obtain more insights about cellulose and lignin interactions and condensed tannin deposition, which is valuable knowledge for the bioenergy industry and development of naturally dyed fibers, respectively.

Invasive species compendium.

Agave fourcroydes is a perennial succulent plant that has been extensively cultivated for fibre production (sisal) and as an ornamental. This species is adapted to a wide variety of habitats and spreads easily by bulbils and offshoots from rhizomes. These traits are thought to help the species escape cultivation and easily colonize and become naturalized in new habitats. It is currently listed as invasive in Spain, the Canary Islands and Cuba, where it is described as a species that is spreading, and often forms dense monospecific stands that displace native vegetation.

Primer registro de Agave sisalana (Agavaceae, Asparagales) para Colombia

Agave sisalana Perrine, a native species from Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico), is recorded for the first time for Colombia. It is morphologically related to Agave fourcroydes Lem. and Agave pax Giraldo-Cañas, but clearly differs from it in various vegetative and reproductive characteristics, which are given. Thus, a total of ten species of Agave are currently known in South America, seven are native and three are naturalized. A key for the South American species is included.

Collaborative Archaeology, Relational Memory, and Stakeholder Action at Three Henequen Haciendas in Yucatan, Mexico

In the Mexican state of Yucatán, the Industrial Revolution is intimately linked to the cultivation and commercialization of henequen (Agave fourcroydes). The second half of the nineteenth and the first decade of the twentieth century are most often referred to as the region’s Gilded Age. Some local families accrued immense wealth, while many peasants were essentially enslaved. The city of Mérida saw the construction of magnificent mansions, and the new port of Progreso was connected through thousands of kilometers of railroads. At the same time, the rural landscape experienced the foundation of countless new and the expansion of existing haciendas. In this article, we provide a comparison of the relational memory of local communities regarding three of these historical settlements: San Pedro Cholul, San Antonio Nohuayún, and San Antonio Sihó. We present the circumstances leading to the historical archaeology project at San Pedro and recount our efforts at involving its descendant community. In the face of the recent destruction of San Pedro’s core buildings, we end with a discussion about the potential fates of Yucatan’s henequen haciendas and a series of suggestions on how to safeguard related material remains, while allowing stakeholders to benefit from historic preservation.

Evaluación de la cosecha de plantas seleccionadas de henequén (Agave fourcroydes Lem) y propagadas in vitro

This paper focuses on the establishment of a system of in vitro cloning of henequen, of which the behavior of these plants in production conditions is unknown. With the objective of evaluating the agricultural yields in selected henequen and plants propagated in vitro, five harvests were carried out during the years 2005 to 2009. In the five harvest, the yields in fiber (tn/ha) were higher in the vitroplantas in regards to conventionally propagated plants. The first harvest was done three years after the plantation was carried out. In all crops, line 4 statistically surpassed lines 1 and 9 in terms of the fibre content, which showed a greater productive potential. The histological characterization of these plants showed a greater number of vascular bundle and strands of fibers in the vitroplants with regard to plants multiplied by the conventional method. This, however, showed a significant correlation with more fibre content in the first.

Efecto de la Sustitución de un Hidrolizado Enzimático de Levadura (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) como Medio de Cultivo para la Propagación In vitro de Henequén (Agave fourcroydes Lem.)

Los agaves son plantas tropicales de usos múltiples como la obtención de licores, el empleo artesanal de la fibra de sus hojas y el uso tradicional en la medicina. Sin embargo, es muy complejo establecer plantaciones grandes por métodos convencionales. El objetivo fue evaluar la respuesta morfogénica de brotes de henequén (Agave fourcroydes Lem.) cultivados en un medio donde se sustituyó una parte de la fuente de nitrógeno por una solución de hidrolizado de levaduras (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), como una alternativa para abaratar los costos de producción de vitroplantas. En una prueba inicial se utilizó el hidrolizado de levadura puro y a los porcentajes propuestos (12.5, 25.0 y 37.5%) con sacarosa (3%) y los reguladores de crecimiento (2,4-D 0.025 mg/L + BAP 10.0 mg/L) hubo 100% de mortalidad. Lo que más influyó negativamente durante la etapa de multiplicación en los explantes fue la fenolización. El hidrolizado activó la fenoloxidasa, ya que este producto posee compuestos fenólicos que son tóxicos, pues retrasan el crecimiento y desarrollo fisiológico de los explantes y disminuyen la supervivencia. Se concluye que la sustitución de una parte de la fuente de nitrógeno por una solución de hidrolizado de levaduras disminuye la eficiencia biológica en la propagación in vitro del henequén, motivado por una elevada mortalidad en los explantes y también se estimula la contaminación sistémica en presencia de los medios que tienen hidrolizado de levaduras.

Origen, variación y tendencias evolutivas del Henequén (Agave fourcroydes Lem.)

Henequen was domesticated by the Maya people, from A. angustifolia, since pre-Hispanic times. It is one of the most important natural hard fibers worldwide because of its good quality and adaptation to ecologically restricted agrohabitats. This cultivar has maintained great economic and cultural value in the state of Yucatan. Ethnobotanical, morphological, and isozyme evidence were compiled to discuss the origin and evolution of henequen by human selection, the germplasm diversity available in the cultivated populations and that of the wild populations from which it could have arisen. Results suggested the occurrence of a drastic erosion of the genetic diversity maintained by the Maya, as a consequence of its cultivation under large plantations established at the beginning of this century for the cordage industry. At present, only three varities are cultivated: Sak ki (SK), Yaax ki (YK) and Kitam ki (KK), these last two in very small populations. SK and YK differ from wild populations in four syndromes of domestication: gigantism, greater fibrosity, less thorniness, and less reproductive capacity. KK is very similar to the wild types. Isozyme analysis indicated that wild populations have relatively high levels of variation, whereas all individuals of each henequen variety were identical. A parsimony analysis indicated two lineages: that of SK and YK, cultivated cordage plants selected for stronger and longer fibers, whose sister group is the tropical deciduous forest ecotype (SF); and that of ali other wild populations, which also included KK, the cultivated textile plants selected for finer fibers, and nearly extint in Yucatan. These results support the hypothesis of the yucatecan origin of SK and YK from the SF ecotype, as well as the recent introduction of KK. Methodology used is discussed as well as research perspectives in this theme.