Mixed Pollen Research Articles

Allergen sensitization patterns concerning different governorates in Egypt: a retrospective study

Background Allergic disorders afflict 22% of the world’s population. Treatment and prevention of allergic diseases are dependent on correctly identifying the causal allergens and implementing appropriate avoidance approaches. We aimed to assess the variation in patterns of allergen sensitization among patients with allergic disorders in different Egyptian governorates. Methods This retrospective study included patients with allergic disorders attending an allergen immunotherapy outpatient clinic. Demographic data, diagnosis of allergic disorders, and skin prick test results of enrolled patients were retrieved from the medical records. Also, patients’ place of residence was recorded by the governorate. Results This study included 5024 patients with allergic disorders. Most of the studied patients were sensitized to mold (94.3%) followed by house dust mites (74.7%) and hay dust (69%). There was no statistical difference in allergen sensitization patterns in different Egyptian governorates. However, there was a statistically significant relation between allergic rhinitis and mixed pollen 1 (P value 0.02) and mite (P value 0.001). For bronchial asthma, both dog hair and chicken feather sensitization patterns showed a strong association with P values 0.02 and 0.03, respectively. Atopic dermatitis had a significant association with both mites (P value 0.001) and barely (P value 0.02). Conclusion The sensitization patterns did not significantly differ between the Egyptian governorates. However, it is significantly associated with allergic disorders. The most prevalent sensitization pattern in Egypt was mold.

Investigation of the relationship between atopic dermatitis of dogs and intestinal epithelial damage.

A significant association between atopic dermatitis and leaky gut syndrome has been demonstrated in humans. No studies have been conducted to determine whether there is an association between atopic dermatitis and intestinal damage in dogs. This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between canine atopic dermatitis and intestinal damage using selected intestinal-related biomarkers. Twenty-six dogs with atopic dermatitis and 10 healthy dogs were included. Moderate-to-severe pruritus, erythema, erosion and alopecia on different parts of the body were sought in dogs to suspect atopic dermatitis. The presence of atopic dermatitis was confirmed by an allergic skin test.Serum biomarkers including intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), trefoil factor-3 (TFF-3), immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) concentrations were measured from venous blood samples. Of the 26 dogs tested for allergens, 16 were found to be sensitive to mould mites, 10 to vernal grass, eight to house dust mites, five to wheat dust and five to grass pollen mix allergens. Significant increases in serum IAP, TFF-3, IgE, IL-4 and IL-13 concentrations were determined. It was thought that the increase in TFF-3 and IAP concentrations may be due to the presence of intestinal epithelial damage and the repair of this damage. In addition, the development of atopic dermatitis may be predisposed to the entry of allergens into the body through sites of intestinal damage.

Moderate use of pesticides in allotment gardens as indicated by their residues in larval food provisions of Osmia solitary bees

Exposure to pesticides may jeopardize pollinators, but it has rarely been examined in urban landscapes. We used larval food provisions (mix of pollen and nectar) of mason bees (Osmia spp.) nested in artificial shelters as matrices to investigate the rate of pesticide pollution in twelve allotment sites in Prague and Brno cities. Seven commercial croplands (fruit orchards, oilseed rape fields) were selected for comparison. In total, 79 samples of larval provisions were analysed using a validated UPLC–MS/MS method for the presence of 262 pesticides and/or important metabolites. Fifty-six pesticide residues were detected in the allotments and 74 in cropland sites. Fifty pesticide compounds were common to both landscapes. Fewer residues were found in the allotments (14.3 ± 0.9, mean ± SE) than in croplands (21.5 ± 1.1, mean ± SE; df = 17.4; t = −2.9; p < 0.01), and they were present at low levels up to 16 ppb. In cropland sites, ten residues occurred at high individual concentrations (mean per site > 10 ppb). The highest levels were observed for the fungicide pyrimethanil (mean = 1,989 ppb, maximum = 3,983 ppb) and among insecticides for thiacloprid (mean = 136 ppb, maximum = 170 ppb). The results supported the presumption of a lower risk of pesticide exposure in urban gardens than in croplands. Given the limited knowledge on the sublethal effects of pesticides and especially pesticide mixtures on solitary bee development, the regulation or control of pesticide use in allotment gardens is recommended.

Validating a multi-locus metabarcoding approach for characterizing mixed-pollen samples

BackgroundThe mutualistic interaction between entomophilous plants and pollinators is fundamental to the structure of most terrestrial ecosystems. The sensitive nature of this relationship has been disrupted by anthropogenic modifications to natural landscapes, warranting development of new methods for exploring this trophic interaction. Characterizing the composition of pollen collected by pollinators, e.g. Apis mellifera, is a common means of exploring this relationship, but traditional methods of microscopic pollen assessment are laborious and limited in their scope. The development of pollen metabarcoding as a method of rapidly characterizing the abundance and diversity of pollen within mixed samples presents a new frontier for this type of work, but metabarcoding may have limitations, and validation is warranted before any suite of primers can be confidently used in a research program. We set out to evaluate the utility of an integrative approach, using a set of established primers (ITS2 and rbcL) versus melissopalynological analysis for characterizing 27 mixed-pollen samples from agricultural sites across Canada.ResultsBoth individual markers performed well relative to melissopalynology at the family level with decreases in the strength of correlation and linear model fits at the genus level. Integrating data from both markers together via a multi-locus approach provided the best rank-based correlation between metagenetic and melissopalynological data at both the genus (ρ = 0.659; p < 0.001) and family level (ρ = 0.830; p < 0.001). Species accumulation curves indicated that, after controlling for sampling effort, melissopalynological characterization provides similar or higher species richness estimates than either marker. The higher number of plant species discovered via the metabarcoding approach simply reflects the vastly greater sampling effort in comparison to melissopalynology.ConclusionsPollen metabarcoding performed well at characterizing the composition of mixed pollen samples relative to a traditional melissopalynological approach. Limitations to the quantitative application of this method can be addressed by adopting a multi-locus approach that integrates information from multiple markers.

Pollen as sole food source for two generalist predatory mite species (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Amblyseius largoensis and Typhlodromus ornatus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are generalist predatory mites that naturally inhabit coconut plantations and other tropical crops. We assessed the suitability of two coconut pest mites, Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) and Aceria guerreronis (Acari: Eriophyidae); the storage mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae); honey; and the pollens of castor bean, Ricinus communis, and cattail, Typha domingensis, and their mixture, as food sources for the mass rearing of A. largoensis and T. ornatus. Both pollens, supplied singly or mixed, generated the highest progeny production by both A. largoensis and T. ornatus, and were therefore selected for further life table studies. The pollen diets did not influence the survival of A. largoensis whereas there was higher survivorship of T. ornatus fed on the mixed pollen diet than on R. communis pollen alone. The maximum oviposition rate of both A. largoensis and T. ornatus occurred at the beginning of adulthood, irrespective of the pollen diet. Overall, the life table parameters indicated that the pollen of R. communis for A. largoensis, and R. communis with the mixed pollen diet for T. ornatus, were the best regarding population growth and reproduction. Collectively, our results indicate that A. largoensis and T. ornatus can survive and reproduce excellently when fed solely on R. communis or on the mixed pollen diet. In addition, these results point to the potential of pollen supplementation for the enhancement of the efficiency of these predators in conservation biological control.

Embryo Rescue in Plant Breeding.

Embryo rescue (ER) techniques are among the oldest and most successful in vitro tissue culture protocols used with plant species. ER refers to a series of methods that promote the development of an immature or lethal embryo into a viable plant. Intraspecific, interspecific, or intergeneric crosses allow the introgression of important alleles of agricultural interest from wild species, such as resistance or tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses or morphological traits in crops. However, pre-zygotic and post-zygotic reproductive barriers often present challenges in achieving successful hybridization. Pre-zygotic barriers manifest as incompatibility reactions that hinder pollen germination, pollen tube growth, or penetration into the ovule occurring in various tissues, such as the stigma, style, or ovary. To overcome these barriers, several strategies are employed, including cut-style or graft-on-style techniques, the utilization of mixed pollen from distinct species, placenta pollination, and in vitro ovule pollination. On the other hand, post-zygotic barriers act at different tissues and stages ranging from early embryo development to the subsequent growth and reproduction of the offspring. Many crosses among different genera result in embryo abortion due to the failure of endosperm development. In such cases, ER techniques are needed to rescue these hybrids. ER holds great promise for not only facilitating successful crosses but also for obtaining haploids, doubled haploids, and manipulating the ploidy levels for chromosome engineering by monosomic and disomic addition as well substitution lines. Furthermore, ER can be used to shorten the reproductive cycle and for the propagation of rare plants. Additionally, it has been repeatedly used to study the stages of embryonic development, especially in embryo-lethal mutants. The most widely used ER procedure is the culture of immature embryos taken and placed directly on culture media. In certain cases, the in vitro culture of ovule, ovaries or placentas enables the successful development of young embryos from the zygote stage to maturity.

Fully refractive telecentric f-theta microscope based on adaptive elements for 3D raster scanning of biological tissues.

Various techniques in microscopy are based on point-wise acquisition, which provides advantages in acquiring sectioned images, for example in confocal or two-photon microscopy. The advantages come along with the need to perform three-dimensional scanning, which is often realized by mechanical movement achieved by stage-scanning or piezo-based scanning in the axial direction. Lateral scanning often employs galvo-mirrors, leading to a reflective setup and hence to a folded beam path. In this paper, we introduce a fully refractive microscope capable of three-dimensional scanning, which employs the combination of an adaptive lens, an adaptive prism, and a tailored telecentric f-theta objective. Our results show that this microscope is capable to perform flexible three-dimensional scanning, with low scan-induced aberrations, at a uniform resolution over a large tuning range of X=Y=6300 μ m and Z=480 μ m with only transmissive components. We demonstrate the capabilities at the example of volumetric measurements on the transgenic fluorescence of the thyroid of a zebrafish embryo and mixed pollen grains. This is the first step towards flexible aberration-free volumetric smart microscopy of three-dimensional samples like embryos and organoids, which could be exploited for the demands in both lateral and axial dimensions in biomedical samples without compromising image quality.

Divergent responses of generalist and specialist pollinators to experimental drought: Outcomes for plant reproduction.

Drought is an increasingly important consequence of climate change. Drought often causes plants to alter patterns of resource allocation, which in turn can affect how plants interact with other species. How these altered interactions subsequently influence plant reproductive success remains incompletely understood and may depend on the degree of specialization exhibited by antagonists and mutualists. Specialist pollinators, for example, are dependent on floral resources from their obligate hosts and under drought conditions may thus indiscriminately visit these hosts (at least in certain circumstances). Generalist pollinators, in contrast, may only forage on host plants in good condition, given that they can forage on other plant species. We tested this hypothesis and its consequences for plant reproduction in squash (Cucurbita pepo) grown along an experimental moisture gradient ranging from dry (growth and flowering compromised) to wet conditions. Floral visitation increased with plant soil moisture for generalist honey bees but was independent of plant soil moisture for specialist squash bees. Pollen production increased with plant soil moisture, and fluorescent pigments placed on flowers revealed that pollinators primarily moved pollen from male flowers on well-watered plants to the stigmas of female flowers on well-watered plants. Seed set increased with increasing plant soil moisture but, notably, was higher in bee-pollinated plants compared to plants pollinated by hand with an even mix of pollen from plants grown at either end of the experimental moisture gradient. These results suggest that superior pollen rewards, perhaps combined with selective foraging by generalists, enhanced reproductive success in C. pepo when plant soil moisture was high and more generally illustrate that pollinator behavior may contribute to how drought conditions affect plant reproduction.

Within-bloom shift in abundance of a wild pollinator mediates pollen deposition rates to blueberry

Intra-seasonal variation in abiotic and biotic conditions can have profound consequences for pollinator community compositions and foraging movement, with flow-on effects upon pollination services. Yet, few studies have related such variations to pollination services in crop systems. In a cultivated highbush blueberry system with two primary pollinators — the managed European honey bee and a wild stingless bee species — we investigated how pollinator abundances, bee foraging behaviour, and con- and heterospecific stigmatic pollen loads changed over early, mid, and late blueberry blooming. Both con- and heterospecific stigmatic pollen loads declined following early bloom. This shift was associated with a decline in the abundance of stingless bees, whereas the abundance of honey bees only declined during late bloom. Simultaneously, honey bees were more likely to forage for blueberry pollen, and stigmatic pollen loads, relative to bee abundance, increased during late bloom. Although mixed pollen loads were common on pollinator bodies, especially on pollen foraging honey bees, heterospecific pollen deposition on blueberry stigmas was low. Given the similar effectiveness of honey bees and stingless bees as pollinators of blueberries, we contend that the observed seasonal variation in pollen deposition is likely caused by the decline in stingless bee abundances, as honey bees were not able to fully compensate for the loss of stingless bees during late bloom. Greater consideration of seasonal heterogeneity of pollinator abundance and behaviour, as part of pollination management plans, may aid in ensuring high pollination services throughout the entirety of crop bloom.

How mixture of plant and prey diets affects long-term rearing of predatory mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Abstract The phytoseiid mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is one of the well-known natural enemies across the globe which can feed on different types of pests and pollen grains. This predator was reared on the mixture of the stored products mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acari: Acaridae) (as prey diet) along with different plant pollens (as plant diet) including almond (TA), cattail (TC), castor-bean (TCb), date (TD), saffron (TS), and mixed pollens of almond, cattail, castor bean, and date (TP) for 20 generations (G1–G20). The effects of the mixed plant and prey diets on biological parameters of N. cucumeris were evaluated under laboratory conditions at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h every 10 generations (G1, G10, and G20). N. cucumeris showed the highest performance on the mixed pollens + T. putrescentiae (TP diet) among the diets tested. Our findings revealed almost stable performance of the predator by long-term feeding on a mixture of pollen and prey diet and this combination can use as a suitable alternative food for mass rearing of N. cucumeris.

Genetic Parameter Estimates from a Polymix Breeding Population of Pinus taeda L.

Abstract Estimation of genetic parameters from progeny testing is essential for many important decisions in forest tree breeding. In this study, we estimated heritabilities, trait-trait genetic correlations, and genotype by environment (GxE) interactions using a large multi-environmental data set of Pinus taeda L. in the southern United States. In the study, 284 parents were pollinated with a pollen mix and were field tested in four different test series. A total of twenty tests (two to seven tests per series) were established using randomized complete block design with single tree plots. Half-sib family-mean heritability estimates within individual test series varied considerably for all the traits. Pooled estimates of half-sib family-mean heritability estimates across series were 0.81 for fusiform rust incidence; they were relatively lower for tree height (0.68), diameter at breast height (DBH; 0.66), and stem straightness (0.58). Genetic correlations between pairs of traits were low except for height and diameter, which had a high genetic correlation (0.79). Additive genetic correlations between pairs of sites within test series (as a measure of GxE) varied. The pooled estimates ranged between 0.65 (DBH) to 0.80 (fusiform rust). The results suggest that polymix mating is efficient for parental selection in Pinus taeda L. and for deployment in the seed orchards. Study Implications: This study focused on genetic variation in the Piedmont breeding population of Pinus taeda L. in the United States. The Piedmont population was developed for more inland and colder regions of the species. Fusiform rust disease incidence of pine species of southeastern United States is a major threat to pine plantations. Understanding the level of genetic control on disease outcome is vital to develop sound breeding strategies and recommend deployment practices to mitigate the economic loss of landowners. The results provide valuable information to breeders to select disease-resistant genotypes to breed and put into seed orchards to mass-produce stock for planting.

Higher Essential Amino Acid and Crude Protein Contents in Pollen Accelerate the Oviposition and Colony Foundation of Bombus breviceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Pollen is an important source of nutrition for bumblebees to survive, reproduce, and raise their offspring. To explore the nutritional requirements for the egg laying and hatching of queenright Bombus breviceps colonies, camellia pollen, oilseed rape pollen, apricot pollen, and mixtures of two or three types of pollen in equal proportions were used to feed the queens in this study. The results showed that the camellia pollen with a higher essential amino acid content was superior to the pollen with a lower essential amino acid content in the initial egg-laying time (p < 0.05), egg number (p < 0.05), larval ejection (p < 0.01), time of first worker emergence (p < 0.05), and the average weight of workers in the first batch (p < 0.01). It took less time for colonies under the camellia pollen and camellia-oilseed rape-apricot pollen mix treatments, both with a higher crude protein content, to reach ten workers in the colony (p < 0.01). On the contrary, the queens fed apricot pollen never laid an egg, and larvae fed oilseed rape pollen were all ejected-both pollens with a lower essential amino acid content. The results emphasize that the diet should be rationally allocated to meet the nutritional needs of local bumblebees at various stages when guiding them to lay eggs, hatch, and develop a colony.

Economic Analysis of Honey Bee Colonies Fed with Different Pollen Diets before Wintering

Nutrition is a requirement for the survival of every living organism. Under normal conditions, honeybees meet their nutritional needs from natural floral sources. In cases where there are insufficient floral resources, additional feeding is required for the colonies. In this study, economic analysis of supplementary feeding models formed by giving different protein diets and carbohydrate (sugar-water mixture) needed until early spring to colonies prepared with equal strength in the autumn period was performed. The feeding experiment was carried out on 6 groups with 8 colonies in each group and a total of 48 colonies. Experimental groups were as follows: Papaver somniforum pollen, Cistus creticus pollen, mixed pollen, bee cake, syrup, and control. In this study, after determining the production costs per hive for the experimental groups, it was analyzed whether the bee frame values per hive cover the production costs. It could be concluded that feeding with P. somniforum pollen is slightly more advantageous than other feeding groups when the results of the pre-winter, winter and early spring periods are evaluated together. The ratio of bee frame value per hive to cover the production cost was calculated as 40.65% before winter, 102.98% in winter and 98.66% in early spring for the feeding with P. somniforum pollen. In terms of relative profitability, the protein diet with the closest performance to P. somniforum pollen is C. creticus pollen. In other feeding groups, the relative profitability was found to be lower.

Sensitization Spectrum of 16 362 Patients with Allergic Diseases in Peking University Third Hospital

Objective To retrospectively analyze the sensitization spectrum of 16 362 patients with allergic diseases treated in the Peking University Third Hospital and provide reference for the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.Methods A total of 16 362 patients with allergic diseases treated in the Peking University Third Hospital from January 2009 to September 2021 were selected.The serum levels of total IgE and antigen-specific IgE(sIgE)were determined.Furthermore,the selected patients were classified into different groups according to gender,age,and disease occurrence month.Results The mean level of total IgE in 7919 patients was 92.4(34.8, 241.0)kU/L.The sIgE levels of 34 allergens in 5495 patients were determined via the ImmunoCAP system,with a positive sIgE rate of 54.23%.The top 5 allergens with high positive rates were mountain juniper pollen(43.78%),cat dander(38.76%),egg white(33.38%),Japanese hop(32.03%),and mugwort(31.82%).The sIgE levels of 20 allergens in 10 867 patients were determined via the EURO system,with a positive sIgE rate of 35.79%.The top 5 allergens with high positive rates were mugwort(15.86%),house dust mite mix(10.17%),cat dander(8.32%),house dust(4.71%),and tree pollen mix(4.04%).The analysis based on gender showed that the allergen positive rates in males were higher than those in females.The positive rates of egg white and cow's milk gradually decreased with the increase in age,while those of the inhaled allergens gradually increased during 10-19 years and then gradually decreased.The analysis based on disease occurrence month showed that the population with allergic diseases in Beijing surged in summer and autumn due to the inhaled allergens including mugwort,tree pollen mix,common ragweed,cocklebur,goosefoots,Japanese hop,timothy grass,and weed mix.Conclusions Among the 16 362 patients with allergic diseases treated in the Peking University Third Hospital,male patients showed higher sensitivity to allergens.The positive rates of egg white and cow's milk gradually decreased with the increase in age,while those of inhaled allergens were highest in patients of 10-19 years.The population of allergic diseases in Beijing surged in summer and autumn due to the inhaled allergens.

Antioxidant properties, element contents and antimicrobial activities of bee pollen collected by Apis mellifera L. in Türkiye

Aim of study: Recently, pollen has become a preferred nutritional supplement because of its complex composition. We examined the botanical origin, total phenolic/flavonoid content (TPC/TFC), antioxidant/antimicrobial activity, and element content of pollen samples collected from honeybees. This study also examined whether the elements contained in pollen, when consumed as food, posed a risk to human health. Area of study: Ten mixed pollen samples were randomly collected from honeybees in the apiaries of four different Turkish regions, which fall among the three phytogeographic regions of Türkiye. Material and methods: We evaluated total flavonoid (TFC) and phenolic (TPC) contents; antioxidant activities (radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity - HPSA, ferric reducing antioxidant power - FRAP, and ferrous ion chelating activity - FICA), element concentrations and antimicrobial activity. Main results: According to the melissopalynological analysis, one sample was determined to be unifloral and nine samples were found to be multifloral. The values found ranged 271.42-601.85 mg GAE/100 g TPC, 23.53-34.50 mg CAE/100 g TFC, 22.19-23.78 μg/mL DPPH, 6.50-78.40 µg/mL ABTS, 20.43-150.94 μg/mL HPSA, 97.26-99.83% FRAP and 74.84-91.79% FICA. Rosmanic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, apigenin, and naringin were identified in all samples, while catechin was detected only in S6 and S7. Element contents were found Mg &gt; Fe &gt; Mn &gt; Zn &gt; Cu &gt; Se &gt; Cr &gt; Ni &gt; Cd &gt; Co. All the samples had high antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus (MIC= 4.17-8.33 g/mL), and against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC= 8.33 g/mL), except S3 and S4. Research highlights: Different levels and combinations of these components are efficient in the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of pollen.

Effectiveness and adverse reactions to subcutaneous immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis/asthma.

Adverse reactions, which are mostly local and rarely systemic, can be seen during subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). It was not possible to continue SCIT at times due to systemic reactions. The purpose of the present study was to identify the incidence and risk factors associated with adverse reactions during subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). A total number of 344 patients under 18 years old with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma who underwent SCIT between 2005 and 2021 were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of the patients, laboratory findings [Total Immunglobulin E(IgE), aeroallergen prick test, inhaler, and allergen specific IgE(sIgE) and eosinophil counts], and adverse events observed during AIT were recorded retrospectively. Descriptive and univariate/multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for adverse events. Among 344 patients, 33.4% (n=115) were female, mean age was 133.1±41.0 months, and 42.2% (n=145) were >12 years old. One hundred-thirty eight (40.1%) of the patients were mono-sensitized, 47 (13.7%) had asthma, 207 (60.2%) allergic rhinitis, and 90 (26.2%) asthma and allergic rhinitis. Single allergen content was administered to 187 (54.4%) patients (62 mite, 114 grass mix, 11 olea), and multiple allergens to 157 (45.6%) patients (121 pollen mix, 36 other (mite/alternaria)]. A total number of 33.008 injections were administered. 840 adverse reactions (262 (31.1%) at up-dosing phase, 578 (68.8%) at maintenance phase) in 195 (56.7%) patients were observed. Among the adverse reactions, 632 (75.2%) were local, 160 (19%) large local, and 48 (5.7%) (39at maintenance, 9at up-dosing) (in 31 patients) were systemic (28 Grade 1, 12 Grade 2, 8 Grade 3). Adrenalin was administered to 8 patients with Grade 3 systemic reaction (8/33008; %0.024). Adverse reactions, especially local ones, were seen more frequently in children under 12 years old (p<0.001). Patients sensitized with grass pollen (p:0.01) and mite (p:0.004), and those who had received SCIT with pollen mixture had more adverse reactions than the others. More adverse reactions were observed in SCIT containing calcium-phosphate as adjuvant (p: 0.01). Local reactions were risk factors for large local (OR=3.591, %95 CI:2.064-6.247, p<0.001) and systemic (OR=2.190, %95 CI:1.005-4.722 p=0.046) reactions at univariate analyses. Total nasal symptom scores, Visual Analog Scale and asthma symptom control test decreased after one year of treatment (p<0.01). SCIT is a safe and effective treatment method in childhood that leads to improvements in all nasal symptoms and asthma after one year of treatment.

Changes in Vitellogenin (Vg) and Stress Protein (HSP 70) in Honey Bee (Apis mellifera anatoliaca) Groups under Different Diets Linked with Physico-Chemical, Antioxidant and Fatty and Amino Acid Profiles.

Honey bee colonies are often subjected to diseases, nutrition quality, temperature and other stresses depending on environmental and climatic conditions. As a result of malnutrition, the level of Vg protein decreases, leading to overwintering losses. The Vg values must be high for a successful wintering, especially before wintering. If good nutrition is not reached, the long winter period may cause an increase in colony losses. Supplementary feeding is essential for colony sustainability when floral resources are insufficient, as in recent years with the emerging climate changes. Furthermore, quality food sources or nutrients are significant for maintaining honey bee health and longevity. This study examined the changes in HSP 70 and Vg proteins in 6 groups of 48 colonies fed with five different nutrients. The fatty acids that are present in the highest amount in Cistus creticus (Pink rock-rose), Papaver somniferum (Opium poppy) and mixed pollen samples were linoleic, palmitic and cis-9-oleic acids. The highest values in proline, lysine and glutamic acid were determined in C. creticus pollen. Regarding the P. somniferum pollen, the highest values were observed in lysine, proline, glutamic and aspartic acids. The highest values in lysine, proline, leucine and aspartic acid were noticed in mixed pollen. The effect of different feeding on Vg protein in nurse and forager bee samples was higher in the mixed pollen group in the fall period. In nurse bees, the mixed pollen group was followed by Cistus creticus pollen &gt; Papaver somniferum pollen &gt; sugar syrup &gt; commercial bee cake &gt; control group, respectively (p &lt; 0.05). In forager bees, the order was mixed pollen, P. somniferum pollen, C. creticus pollen, commercial bee cake, sugar syrup and control. In the early spring period, the Vg levels were high in the mixed pollen group in the nurse bees and the commercial bee cake group in the forager bees. In the fall period, the HSP 70 value of the forager and nurse bees was the lowest in the C. creticus group (p &lt; 0.05). In early spring, the active period of flora, a statistical difference was found between the treatment groups.

The influence of self-pollen deposition on female reproductive success in a self-incompatible plant, Akebia quinata.

Geitonogamy is inevitable in hermaphrodite and monecious. Even for self-incompatible species, the negative effects of self-pollen are unavoidable when geitonogamous or self-mating occurs. However, the influence of self-pollen on consecutive development of flowers (e.g., fruiting and seeding) was seldom evaluated. Here, the self-incompatible monecious species, Akebia quinata, was used to estimate the influence of self-pollen deposition. We evaluated the extent of pollen limitation and geitonogamous mating under natural conditions by count of stigmatic pollen load and pollen tracking experiment. Hand pollination with different amount and combinations of self vs. cross pollen grains was applied to detect the response of fruit and seed set. The results showed that geitonogamy and pollen limitation occurred under natural conditions in A. quinata. Carpel numbers, ratio of self- and cross-pollen, and the interactive effect of ratio of self- and cross-pollen and total mixed pollen numbers, and not total pollen grain number, determined the effect of self-pollen on female reproductive success. The effect of self-pollen depended on its intensity. In general, the transfer of self-pollen significantly affected young fruit set. However, a little self-pollen together with cross-pollen did not reduce young fruit production. Although self-incompatible plants have evolved physiological mechanisms that reduce self-fertilization, our results provide new insights into the effects of self-pollen and the adaptive significance of self-incompatible monecious species.

The Xenia Effect Promotes Fruit Quality and Assists in Optimizing Cross Combinations in ‘O’Neal’ and ‘Emerald’ Blueberry

Cross-pollination can improve the fruit set and quality of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) for growers and consumers. However, the xenia effect in southern highbush blueberry remains unclear. Therefore, we selected eight cultivars of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L., interspecific hybrids) and applied pollination treatments (i.e., artificial self-pollination, artificial pollination with mixed pollen, or artificial pollination with individual cultivar pollen) to explore the xenia effects on the fruit set and quality of ‘O’Neal’ and ‘Emerald’. Pollen viability tests indicated that all of the cultivars are capable of fertilization. The highest fruit set came from ‘Bluerain’ pollen for ‘O’Neal’, while ‘Gulfcoast’ pollen increased fruit set the most in ‘Emerald’. Principal component analysis revealed that the cross combinations ‘Emerald’ × ‘Gulfcoast’ and ‘O’Neal’ × ‘Gulfcoast’ optimized the external and interior quality of the fruit. SSR was applied to determine which pollen source yielded the most seedlings. Results indicated that ‘Emerald’ × ‘Gulfcoast’ and ‘O’Neal’ × ‘Bluerain’ increased seedling production. Our results demonstrate that the xenia effects of ‘Gulfcoast’ pollen may increase ‘Emerald’ yields and promote fruit quality, while pollen from ‘Bluerain’ or ‘Jewel’ can improve ‘O’Neal’ fruit quality and seed number. Hence, these cross combinations may be utilized in blueberry production to increase fruit set, yield, and quality.

Pollen Alone or a Mixture of Pollen Types? Assessing Their Suitability for Mass Rearing of Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae) Over 20 Generations.

The generalist predatory mite, Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) is known as one of the most effective natural enemies on many pests. This economically important biocontrol agent was reared for 20 generations on date palm and castor bean pollen as well as a mixture of pollen types, including date palm, castor bean, and almond. The performance of this predator was evaluated by comparing its life table parameters after different generations (G1–G20) fed on each diet in a laboratory at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h. The development time of the predator reared on all tested diets had no significant difference in G20. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) of N. cucumeris by feeding on the mixed pollen (0.197 day−1) was significantly higher than that on castor bean, or date palm pollen (0.146 or 0.152 day−1 in G1, respectively). Our results indicated that the predator’s performance was not affected by long-term feeding on the pollen diets, as well as there was no considerable difference between pollen alone and pollen mixture diets. Furthermore, mites reared on pollen diets had higher quality than those reared on natural prey, Tetranychus urticae Koch.