Frequencies Of Pollen Types Research Articles

Pollen spectrum collected by Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier, 1863 (Apidae: Meliponini) in an anthropized region of Caatinga

The stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides is a major pollinator of the Brazilian semi-arid region (Caatinga), it is widely used in meliponiculture due to the economic value of the honey. The goals of this study were to identify the floral resources exploited by these bees in a human-modified area from Caatinga in Bahia, and to provide a pollen calendar that might be helpful to beekeepers. Pollen loads were collected monthly from each colony over a 7-month period. Twenty pollen morphotypes were identified with high frequencies of pollen types belonging to Myrtaceae, Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae and Solanaceae. The dominant pollens were represented by Mimosa 1 and Mimosa arenosa (Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae). The accessory types were Mimosa tenuiflora, and Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae), while Solanum 1 and Solanum 2 represented major isolated pollen types. Some morphotypes, such as those from Mimosa are common in anthropized areas, thus playing a major role in the survival of bee colonies from areas where floral resources are limited. The present result revealed that Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides interacts with several plant species, thus highlighting the importance of conserving the regional flora. Moreover, the pollen calendar obtained is particularly useful to the management of this stingless bee in meliponary since it provides information about the plants that can be used as pollen source throughout the year. This information is also helpful for both the conservation of regional biodiversity and beekeeping in local agriculture.

Relationship between airborne pollen and skin prick test results in Elazığ, Turkey

This study investigated the relationship between the types of pollen in the air and sensitization to pollen in a skin prick test in allergic children. The pollen in the atmosphere of Elazig city was measured between June 2013 and June 2014. The study included 520 children with allergic complaints. In the atmosphere of Elazig city, pollen belonging to a total of 38 taxa was identified, including 20 woody plants and 18 herbaceous plants. The annual pollen integral of 108,313 pollen day/m3 from the 38 taxa was identified. The most common pollen detected was woody plants (76.4%), weeds (14.1%), Poaceae (Gramineae) (9.1%), and unidentified plants (0.4%). The skin prick test in allergic children found that they were most commonly sensitized to mixture of grasses and cereals (43.8%), weed (14.1%), tree mixture I (10.1%), and tree mixture II (7.9%). There was no direct relationship between the frequency of pollen types in the atmosphere and the sensitization frequency to pollen, as identified by the skin prick test in allergic patients. We believe that the data from this study will provide new information to other researchers and clinicians in the evaluation of allergic diseases.

Physicochemical characteristics and pollen spectra of organic and non-organic honey samples of Apis mellifera L.

The aim of this research was to analyze and compare 17 honey samples, 11 organic and six non-organic Apis mellifera honey. The samples were analyzed concerning moisture, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase index, water activity, color, total sugar, reducing sugar, sucrose, ash, viscosity, electrical conductivity, pH, acidity, and formol index. With the exception of acidity, reducing sugar and diastase index, the averages of other parameters were different between the two groups. All samples of organic honey presented moisture values between 23.50 and 24.40%. Among the nonorganic honey samples, two presented apparent sucrose amount upper the maximum limit established by the Brazilian Legislation. According to the quantitative analysis of pollen sediments in the honey samples and frequency of pollen types in 17 honey samples, 41.20% were classified as unifioral, and the remainder as polifioral.

Palynological and physicochemical characteristics of three unifloral honey types from central Argentina

The characteristics of 59 unifloral honeys of Condalia microphylla Cav. ("piquillín"), Centaurea solstitialis L. ("yellow starthistle") and Prosopis spp., from La Pampa, Argentina, were studied. Pollen features (abundance and frequency of pollen types) and some physicochemical parameters (colour, electrical conductivity, free acidity, glucose content, glucose: water ratio, moisture and pH) were determined. Two different but related sets of calculations were done: the first involved single-factor variance analysis, while the second set involved two multivariate methods, principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Variance and multivariate analysis allowed differentiation of the three honey types according to their physicochemical properties. The variables that best explained this differentiation were pH, electrical conductivity, colour, glucose content and the glucose:water ratio. Pollen analysis showed that the pollen frequency traditionally used (> 45%) for a botanical origin assignment in honey was not valid for the unifloral honeys studied. Therefore, pollen analysis should be combined with the above physicochemical analysis order to obtain a successful classification of these unifloral honeys.