Beekeeping in Jalisco, México

The purpose of this study was to analyze the socioeconomic factors that influence the beekeeping process and describe the current situation in beekeeping technology development in the south and southeast regions of Jalisco. The study was conducted by reviewing secondary sources of documentary information and the primary information was obtained by means of a survey, analyzing demographic, social, technological, and economic variables. From January to April 2011, a stratified sampling was conducted of six strata of beekeepers, with a final sampling of 183 beekeepers. We applied a frequency analysis, ANOVA (Waller-Duncan), and contingency tables (χ2). The average age observed for the beekeepers was 47 years, with fewer women participating in the activity, and an above national average level of education. The majority keep their apiaries in rented premises, a high percentage outside the municipality where they live. The honey obtained is multiflora and the main harvest is in the autumn, with a honey yield per hive below the national average. A number of problems affect the production sector including environmental factors, production costs, and varroa. We observed little diversification; in addition to honey only beeswax is recovered, and only a minority keep a record of production costs. There is wide participation in beekeeping associations and in training provided by different public and private bodies. There is a willingness to adopt new technologies and equipment for honey production with good practice standards

Biodegradation of hydrocarbons exploiting spent substrate from Pleurotus ostreatus in agricultural soils

In Acatzingo, Puebla, Mexico (east-central), oil spills have mainly affected agricultural fields. Pleurotus ostreatus is a white rot basidiomycete and produces extracellular enzymes (lacasses, manganese peroxidases, versatile peroxidases and veratryl alcohol oxidases). The production of edible mushrooms generates spent mushroom substrate that may have a biotechnological application. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mushroom substrate of P. ostreatus in a microcosm for the bioremediation of an agricultural soil contaminated with diesel. We evaluated the participation of microbial populations and specific enzymatic lacasses, manganese peroxidases, versatile peroxidases, veratryl alcohol oxidases activities of mushroom substrate in the biodegradation of a soil contaminated with 11030 ppm of diesel in four treatments: E1, E2, E3 and E4. All the experiments were performed in triplicate at 25 and 37°C for 28 days, with a soil:substrate ratio of 4:1. The treatments incubated at 37°C were quantified for diesel-tolerant bacteria, and treatments incubated at 25°C were quantified for diesel-tolerant fungi. Mushroom substrate participated in the biostimulation (91% organic material, 0.56% total nitrogen and 0.3% phosphorus) and bioaugmentation of the microorganisms of the mirocosm. Bacteria-tolerant populations increased significantly (p = 0.000) in all the treatments. Lacasses (8.62 U g-1) activity was stimulated at 25°C and was the only one related to biodegradation; however, the highest biodegradation rate (72%) was at 37°C (bacterial biodegradation) being promising for future research.Keywords: Bioremediation, diesel, laccase, veratryl alcohol oxidase, Pleurotus ostreatus.African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(31) 3385-339