A new system is designed that improves the quality of frozen horse spers
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The method reduces ice crystals that form during cryopreservation and affect spermatozoon structure
Cryopreservation is a freezing method that stores spermatozoa to be used for reproduction. Although it is a widespread process, its main issue is the ice formation that occurs during said process, which ends up affecting sperm structure and quality. In order to diminish this harm, usually permeable cryoprotectants are used, which are substances that penetrate tissues and act inside cells in order to stop ice crystals from forming when temperatures go down.
Being asexual in the Alps is an evolutionary advantage for survival
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An international team explains why specimens of an Alpine flower that reproduce without fertilization are more widespread than their sexually reproducing counterparts
At between 5 and 20 centimeters long, it has white flowers and is the Alpine version of the yellow-flowering Mediterranean buttercup. Ranunculus kuepferi, though fragile in appearance, is one of the plant species that has best adapted to extreme conditions, such as high mountain climate. For thousands of years now, these flowers have decorated the valleys of Europe’s tallest mountains, which are home to more than 30,000 wild species. Learning how this plant adapted and survived could help better understand how living beings respond to changes on Earth. In the case of Alpine buttercups, the key seems to be found in how they reproduce, according to a research project carried out by an international team which included University of Cordoba Botany Professor Diego Nieto Lugilde.
A scientific study characterizes two new Galician olive varieties for the first time
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The research, done in collaboration with the University of Cordoba, recognizes the potential and high quality of these olive oils
Olive oil is a key element and one of the main sources of fat in the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil is remarkable for its nutrients and Spain has the honor of being the number one producer of this “liquid gold.” Though most Spanish olive oil production takes place in Andalusia, over the last few years other regions within Spain have begun to produce high quality olive oil, using their own varieties native to those regions.
How do African air masses influence olive-pollen allergy levels?
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A study by researchers at the University of Córdoba shows how the arrival of African air masses at high altitudes affects olive-pollen transport in Andalusia
Olive pollen is amongst the most widespread airborne pollens in southern Europe; its frequency, coupled with an intense flowering regime, gives rise to a high incidence of allergies.Research into the factors governing airborne pollen counts and their behaviour is increasingly playing a key role in improving the quality of life of those sensitive to olive -pollen allergens.
Research in olive varieties steps up the fight against anthracnose
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A study by researchers at the University of Córdoba has identified the olive varieties most resistant to an epidemic which could ruin the year’s harvest
Heavy rainfall in 1996 and 1997 provided the ideal conditions for the largest olive anthracnose epidemic recorded in recent decades, but at the same time prompted more intensive research into this pathogen.
Theeffect of rainfall and vegetation in controlling the erosion of Mediterranean cropland
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Researchers at the University of Córdoba’s Department of Agronomy are examining the use of rainfall and plant cover as variables for predicting gully formation.
Gully formation is one the most common features of soil erosion in Mediterranean environments. Gullies – incisions or ditches produced by the action of water running over the soil surface – are mostly found in dry lands, which are naturally more sensitive to the negative impact of erosion. Gully formation is becoming a major concern for farmers in the Mediterranean area.