Foreword

More than one hundred years have passed since the Hungarian agricultural engineer Károly Ereki introduced the term "Biotechnology" to the world. This combination, perhaps strange at the time, between biology and technology, resulted from the observation and empirical knowledge of processes that provided us with goods, mainly associated with food products such as cheese, wine, bread, and beer. Products that, to this day, remain fundamental and in high demand.

However, according to historical and archaeological information, there is evidence from around 100 B.C. that the Teotihuacan culture already knew various biotechnological processes such as fermentation for the production of pulque (a traditional alcoholic drink from central Mexico), nixtamalization of corn, algae cultivation (spirulina), the use of natural dyes, as well as the medicinal use of plants and mushrooms. This shows that biotechnology, without being described as such, already played an important role in using living organisms and their metabolic processes for food production, as well as in medical, religious, and cultural matters.

Considering that humans have substantially increased their knowledge, a product of empirical understanding since the dawn of humanity, it is only natural that this knowledge has been perfected over time thanks to the progressive accumulation of observations and discoveries. Thanks to the development of the scientific method, which revolutionized the way we conduct scientific research in the modern era, significant growth and refinements have been achieved in the field of biotechnology, which includes a wide range of fields such as industry, agriculture, and the environment.

This compilation “Soil Improvement and Water Conservation Biotechnology” exemplifies, in a compelling manner, through perfectly structured examples, how the biotechnological approach applied to natural resources such as soil and water in Mexico has been successfully implemented. Although biotechnology is a controversial topic of great scientific and social interest, it is essential to apply a multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach given the complexities of biological systems for better understanding and resolution of environmental problems.

Finally, this book represents the culmination of an important and significant collective challenge: to face the complexity of addressing problems related to soil and water through a biotechnological approach in Mexico. We hope this work inspires future researchers and professionals to continue exploring and applying biotechnology for the well-being of our society and the environment.