Andalusian scientists study pollination to improve the quality of olive oil

Scientists attached to the Andalusian Institute of agricultural training and fisheries (Ifapa) in the Alameda Center of the Bishop, in Córdoba, of the Ministry of agriculture and fisheries, and the grease Institute (Csic) in Seville have initiated a project to determine the influence of the pollenizer variety to achieve an olive to provide increased performance of oil. Something like a best quality olive oil. The research, with the name ' improving the quality of olive oil: influence of pollination and development of molecular markers ', has been equipped with 158.820 euros. Researchers propose to obtain different varieties to get oil of high quality, but with a wide variety of organoleptic profiles adapted to different markets. "This improvement can be an interesting strategy to increase the" "added value of the olive oil production and thus increase its profitability", declares in this regard Raúl de la Rosa Navarro, principal investigator of the project.

In this line of investigation, the experts proposed two strategies to improve the quality of Virgin olive oil. On the one hand, increase the efficiency of the programmes of new varieties through the identification of genes involved in biosynthesis of compounds responsible for its quality. "We will deepen in those genes involved in biosynthesis of fatty, volatile acids, polyphenols and tocopherols, and it would seek to markers in these genes", argues the rose. The second strategy will assess the influence of different pollinators on the quality of the olive oil of a given variety. "The influence of the seed, produced after pollination, in the final composition of the oil will study through analysis of these compounds in the same profile as well as through the study of the level of expression of the genes involved in the biosynthesis"He continues. Thus, the study could help to define the distinctive quality of the oil of a variety and influence with other varieties that are planted in the same region. "It could also suggest the introduction of pollinators to produce oils with more or less content on a particular compound or group of compounds involved in some of the parameters of organoleptic and nutritional quality of the oil, especially in the case of polyphenols"", volatile compounds and tocopherols", clarifies. Would "the results of this project provide a significant advance - concludes the rose - in the knowledge of the genetic control of the characters involved in the quality of Virgin olive oil." "This knowledge will be applied, on the one hand, to increase the efficiency of improvement programmes to develop varieties with a high and varied quality of olive oil".

Group of researchers, led by Raúl de la Rosa Navarro, who enter the study.