BACKGROUND The prevalence of allergic diseases has markedly increased in the last decades. It is therefore important to assess the distribution of airborne pollen, the most important aeroallergen, for allergic disease prevention and control. OBJECTIVE To identify the species and quantity of airborne pollens, and observe their distribution characteristics in Shanghai, using gravitational (Durh...

Pollen ranges from 2.5% to 61% protein content. Most pollen proteins are likely to be enzymes that function during pollen tube growth and subsequent fertilization, but the vast range of protein quantity may not reflect only pollen–pistil interactions. Because numerous vertebrate and invertebrate floral visitors consume pollen for protein, protein content may influence floral host choice. Additi...

   Floral diversity is a measure of number of type flora in an area, and reflects how vegetation develops in response to the environmental condition during a certain time interval. The present study aims to examine changes in the diversity of vegetation (pollen, spores and algae), evenness, and similarity in the Bandung Basin through a core of 240 cm depth using a ground drill, as well as  the ...

An aeropalynological study was carried out in the atmosphere of Estepona, a very popular tourist resort situated in the "Costa del Sol", (southern Spain) based on the data obtained during a three year air-monitoring programme (March 1995 to March 1998) using a volumetric pollen trap. The 34 taxa that reached a 10-day mean air pollen concentration equal to or greater than 1 grain of pollen/m(3) ...

Background. Even though the Parietaria pollen season may be rather long, it is commonly thought that Parietaria pollen is a perennial allergen present along the whole year. Objective. This study aimed at investigating the duration of Parietaria pollen season during a 10-year period in Italy, analysing also the annual pollen quantity and the differences among geographical areas. Methods. Pollen ...

A two-year experiment was carried out to study the effects of pollinator line characteristicson the quantity and quality of monogerm hybrid seed production in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)and select proper pollinator for five promising sugar beet cytoplasmic male sterile lines (CMSs)during 2012-2013 growing seasons. In this study, four diploid pollinator lines were crossed byfive CMSs of sugar ...

Global synthesis indicates that limitation of plant fecundity by pollen receipt (pollen limitation) is positively related to regional plant diversity and is higher for self-incompatible than self-compatible species. While self-incompatible species are always dependent on pollinating agents, self-compatible species may be pollinator-dependent or autofertile. This should cause variation in pollen...

Pollen grains are haploid gametes of uniform shape and size, and can be obtained in large quantity. If appropriate traits are used, they can be an excellent material for investigation of rare but important biological events like intracistronic recombinations or mutations induced by very low level of mutagens. This advantage will be further improved, if the laborious counting and examination can...

In wind pollination, the release of pollen from anthers into airflows determines the quantity and timing of pollen available for pollination. Despite the ecological and evolutionary importance of pollen release, wind-stamen interactions are poorly understood, as are the specific forces that deliver pollen grains into airflows. We present empirical evidence that atmospheric turbulence acts direc...