Interpreting the Pollen calendar of Pondicherry

Abstract

Pollen calendars are useful in the prevention and diagnosis of hay fever, respiratory allergies like rhino conjunctivitis and allergic asthma which cause wheezing, coughing, shortness of breathing and also skin rashes. It is a significant contribution to the occurrence of pollen load onto the atmosphere. The correlation between the onset of different airborne pollen seasons and the occurrence of a patient’s symptom is not well known. Pollen grains causing an allergy are quite variable in different ecozones and also a particular place from season to season, year after year depending on changes in ecological and climatic conditions. A Pollen calendar helps to acquire the knowledge about the identification, verification and seasoning of the air borne pollen. It also gives the statistical data about the concentration and the pollen influx. So, this present review article is to elaborate the pollen calendar for Pondicherry for two years on (1989-1991) which provide a detail of the occurrence of air borne pollen. During this survey, the analysis and comparison of daily monthly and annual values showed that the types of pollen were captured by Cour’s trap on impaction on a weekly basis. The results obtained over two years periods, the most abundant species are Poaceae, Cyperaceae Urticaria, Parthenium and Syzygium. The variation in pollen concentration showed the greatest intramural variations occurred during the period. Interpretation of the Pollen calendar of the area between the two years is shown.