Population that develops the crop

The farmers who plant the jew bean (Vigna unguiculata [L] Walp) 50% were over 50 years old, 39% were adults between 30-50 years old and only 11% were young people under 30 years old. Among those who grow beans, 82% were men and 17% women. The analysis of the schooling of this population stratum showed that 41% have no education at all, 32% have primary education, 4% secondary education, 8% with higher education, and 11% have university studies. The experience years in farming indicated that 62.9% of farmers were less than 30 years old, 19.4% were between 30 and 50 years old, and only 17.7% had more than 50 years of experience.

Frequency and varieties of cultivated Vignas

The frequency of cultivation of Vignas was 56% and the cultivated varieties identified were, in order of importance (p<0.0004), brown seed of Vigna, white seed, brown seed of shrub and black seed (Figure 1). These varieties have persisted for more than 50 years, identified daily by their phenotypic characteristics of color and growth habit (Figure 2 A, B, C and D).

Figure 1 Frequency of Jew bean cultivation (Vigna unguiculata [L] Walp), in farmers of the Pungarabato Municipality. 

Vignas are beans belonging to the Fabaceae, the varieties identified in the study were four, catalogued by the phenotypic differences observed, for example the pole growth habit was characteristic of three varieties A, B and D in Figure 2 and only C showed shrub growth. The violet color of the flower was characteristic of varieties A, C and D in Figure 2 and only variety B showed white flowers in their entirety. In the seed more differences were observed, varieties A and C showed brown color, however, the tone was stronger in variety C, in variety B the seed was white and in variety D it was black (Figure 2). In the shape of the leaf, varieties B, C and D showed triangular leaves and of the three, C had a light green color and varieties B and D had a strong green color, only variety A showed a circular-rhombic leaf of a strong green color (Figure 2).

Figure 2 Varieties of Vigna unguiculata [L] Walp identified daily by farmers. 

Management practices developed by producers

The relationship between the distance between plants and furrows, sowing density, seeds per point and cleaning frequency as independent variables with the seed production of the crop as dependent variable is presented in Figure 3. The variables that had a significant positive correlation from medium to high were seeds per point (r=0.46; p=0.0002), cleaning frequency (r=0.60; p<0.0001) and sowing density (r=0.80; p<0.0001). The variables that had a significant negative correlation were the distance between furrows (r=-0.45; p=0.0002) and the distance between plants (r= -0.53; p<0.0001). The multiple linear regression analysis (R²) indicated that the variations in the seed production of the Vignas were attributed by 74% (R²=0.74; p<0.0001) to the management practices provided to the crop at the time of sowing (Plant distance (cm), furrow’s distance (cm), sowing density (kg/ha) and point seeds (n°)) and the cleaning frequency (n°) during the productive cycle and based on the results the prediction equation observed in Figure 3 was standardized. This indicated that producers who planted a greater quantity of seed per ha, more seeds per point, less distance between plants and furrows and more cleaning practices in their crops, harvested a greater quantity of seed at the end of the productive cycle of the plant. The sowing method mixed (n=23; 37%) and monoculture (n=39; 63%) was not related to changes in crop production.

Figure 3 Correlation and multiple regression between seed production as a dependent variable with plant distance sowing method cleaning frequency and point seeds with bean production as independent variables. 

In Figure 4, a moderate to high positive correlation was observed and was significant (r=0.69; p<0.0001) which showed that with increased fertilization, seed production increased in the V. unguiculata crop. The regression analysis showed a medium relationship (R²=0.536; p<0.0001) which indicated that the changes in seed production of the plant were explained in 48.4% by the addition of fertilizer, which yielded a prediction equation (Figure 4A) for seed production (y) at the expense of fertilization as an independent variable (x). The type of fertilizer used was nitrogen: diammonium phosphate (18% N - 46% P) and urea (46% N) and was not related to the crop production level (p>0.05) (Figure 4B).

Figure 4 Fertilization practice type and quantity and its relationship with bean production. 

Use and profitability of the crop

Figure 5 contains the expenses attributed to the cultivation of Vignas as well as the total income and net profit. It was observed that the expenses per hectare ranged between $2,593.55 pesos Mx, and the total income was 7,517.27 pesos Mx, of which $2,477.27 pesos Mx were for the sale of the seed and $5,040 pesos Mx for the sale of ejote (ripe fruit characterized by having the complete formation of the seed and humidity around 60%). The net profit of the cultivation of jew oscillated between $4,923.72 pesos Mx per productive cycle ha^-1. It is important to mention that the estimates of utilities included 47 and 35% of the use for self-consumption in the form of seeds ($1,164.2 Mexican pesos) and green beans ($1,764 Mexican pesos) respectively, which represented an economic saving for families.

Figure 5 Relationship between expenses and income that farmers obtain from bean cultivation (Mx pesos/ha). 

Population that develops the crop

The participation of older women and men was a reflection of the importance of the activity of growing Vignas in the family economy, especially since it is one of the most economically vulnerable strata of the population in the region due to unemployment and marginalization. Furthermore, the analysis of the academic preparation of this population places them at a disadvantage when competing for employment and, alternatively, this may left the fact that this agricultural sector remains in the activity for between 5 and 50 years, in order to ensure food for their family and diversify income from the trade of the product. Another interesting fact is that the strongest stratum that cultivates Vignas is the adult to elderly population, and this ^{Morales-Morales et al., (2019)} related that the crops developed mostly by the senile adult population implement management practices based on empiricism, which has implied a dynamic selection process, in which farmers conserve the plants that best adapt to their local conditions. It was also observed that the activity is inherited by the participation of a small stratum of young adults, which has allowed local varieties to be preserved through generations.

Frequency and varieties of Vignas cultivated

The high prevalence of bean cultivation among farmers in the area reinforces that this bean is an important food for the fed security of families in rural areas. ^{Brush and Perales, (2007)} reported that local crops allow the population to have a constant source of food. Furthermore, V. unguiculata is a specie native to Africa, however, farmers mentioned that the Vignas varieties they cultivated were conserved over the years adapted ones and well adapted to tropical climate conditions, ^{Choudhary et al., (2017)} mentioned that local varieties acquired greater resistance to specific pests and diseases and adapted better to climate change. The pole brown jew was established as the most important variety of Vigna, because comparatively it was the most abundant crop (Figure 1) and the farmers expressed that they like this variety very much because of the ease of establishing it in monoculture or associated according to the need, but it also facilitates the cleaning of weeds and greater density of plants with greater coverage that favors the self-control of weeds in the lower stratum of the crop, by reducing the penetration of solar rays into the soil, advantages that they also described ^{Yzarra-Aguilar et al., (2023)} On the contrary, the farmers said that the varieties of the white, black and brown bean, are Vignas that grow like a pole and need a tutor to climb and spread, which is why they were preferably grown in association with corn plants. Among the drawbacks, the producers mentioned the difficulty of cleaning them. However, these varieties are still grown because they diversified the flavors in the dish, and the size of the seed translates into good results in terms of yield. Furthermore, the presence of nodules can favor nitrogen fixation in the soil and ^{Yzarra-Aguilar et al., (2023)} reported that associated crops prevented water and wind erosion of the soil, and specifically legumes play symbiotic roles by fixing atmospheric nitrogen (N) to the soil in a biological way due to the presence of nodules in the root system (Figure 6). (^{Sahoo et al., 2023}) they reported that a cropping system involving corn and Catilla beans (Vigna unguiculata [L] Walp) decreased water erosion by reducing water runoff attributed to greater vegetation cover at ground level.

Figure 6 Nodules developed by Vigna unguiculata [L] Walp plants. 

Management practices developed by producers

The influence and trends of management practices presented in Figure 3 on the production, were related to the final density of the plant. ^{Ciampitti and Vyn, (2011)} stated that population density, distance between rows and plants were important factors in the agronomic management that determines the biomass production and grain yield of crops, similar to what was obtained in this study. Production systems for green beans (V. unguiculata) range from traditional practices to modern agricultural techniques. ^{Doebley et al., (2006)} reported that traditional practices are usually low-input but highly dependent on climatic conditions while modern practices use advanced technologies to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impact. However, the productive aspect was not the only important factor among farmers, because they expressed that the associated cultivation provides other benefits to the soil such as reducing erosion and improving soil fertility attributed to the presence of the legume. ^{Yzarra-Aguilar et al., (2023)} they reported that associated crops of grasses and legumes are valuable to farmers due to the ability of grasses to reduce soil erosion and the increase in soil fertility attributed to legumes, in addition to weed control and more stable nutrition. ^{Jing-Xiu et al. (2021)} they reported that legumes can fix nitrogen to the soil between 30 to 60 kg ha^-1 per year, which can represent up to 40% in an associated cropping system. ^{Sahoo et al. (2023)} associated crops of corn with lower legumes, corn acts as a barrier against the winds, providing protection to lower legume crops by establishing a symbiotic relationship between crops. The correlation of fertilization with the seed production of the crop described in this study was similar to that observed by ^{Sakpal et al. (2022)} who reported a positive effect of fertilization on the growth and production of V. unguiculata L. ^{Poudel et al. (2023)} increased seed production with phosphorus fertilization in a V. unguiculata crop. This indicates the need to regulate soil mineral deficiencies so that crops can express greater productive potential.

Uses and profitability of cultivation

In the section on uses, it was observed that producers diversify the crop use, that is, they consume and sell it as green beans, as seeds, but also the leaves and straw remain as a remainder for animal feed. In terms of crop profitability, the results highlight the importance of Vignas in the family economy and in food security, especially in rural areas where low incomes and scarcity of employment predominate, for example, in Figure 5 it can be seen that 47% of what is produced is used for self-consumption in the form of seeds and 35% in the form of green beans. In the same figure it is perceived that the sustainability of the crop is attributed to the use for self-consumption which results in family savings by avoiding the purchase of food sustenance, in addition to the sale of green beans and seeds to have cash. (^{Olivares-Pérez et al., 2018}; ^{Olivares-Pérez et al., 2016}; ^{Olivares-Pérez et al., 2011}) they also reported that diversification in the use of natural resources in production systems can increase economic benefits for family sustenance or satisfactions that reduce investment costs in the operation of the systems.