XIII International Agriculture Symposium

„AGROSYM 2022“

MONITORING OF SENSORY DYNAMICS OF AMBROSIA ARTEMISIIFOLIA L. POLLEN

AS AN AEROPOLUTANT IN THE UNA-SANA CANTON DURING 2012-2021
1*
Fatima Muhamedagić , Igor Milunović , Mehira Perviz , Osman Perviz , Merjem Huskić
2 3 4 5

1*
Biotehnical faculty, University of Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2
Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2
Agricultural Institute of USC, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4
Biotehnical faculty, University of Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
5
Faculty of Dentistry with Clinics of the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Contact email: fatima.muhamedagic@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. is known as an invasive roof. In addition to the fact that this plant suppresses the indigenous plant species, the pollen of this invasive plant spreads very quickly
in the environment. It is both a weed and an allergen, but also a medicinal plant. It came to Europe and our region from America as bird food (pheasant).
Nowadays, ragweed pollen grains in particular are of great interest to scientists and researchers in terms of its spread in the environment, but also the impact of high concentrations of
pollen on human health. This plant is considered one of the harmful allergens for humans and is therefore present as a health problem. Due to its easy adaptation in the environment and
suppression of indigenous plant species, ragweed is also an environmental problem. Monitoring of ragweed pollen is a very important segment of general environmental monitoring. High
concentrations of pollen grains of this plant are especially present in the summer months until autumn. Especially very high concentrations are expressed in the period of pollen
maturation. Since 2008, the concentration of ragweed pollen has been regularly monitored in the Una-Sana Canton. Equipment used research included a Hirst type pollen trap (sampler)
Burkad, placed in Bihac.
In general, the aim of this paper was based on the sensory representation of the dynamics of ragweed pollen for many years. In this research, the period of monitoring the dynamics of
ragweed pollen was from 2012 to 2021. Research has shown that the highest annual concentrations of ragweed pollen was present from the second half of July, in August and the first
half of September. In the observed period, the prevalence of ragweed pollen was about 50% compared to grasses about 15%, trees about 25% and other weeds about 10%.
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Keywords: Ambrose, Monitoring, Health problem, Ecological problem, Agricultural problem

INTRODUCTION
Pollen grains of the genus Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., among others, are considered one of the significant allergens for humans today. This plant is considered a very problematic weed
known under different names: ragweed, pheasant, bitteweed, etc. Ambrosia is very easy to adapt to the environment, and becomes the dominant weed.
This plant causes multiple problems – ecological, health and agricultural that are present in rural and urban ecosystems.
From an ecological point of view, ragweed with a favorable wind flow (abiotic ecological factor) can spread through the environment at a speed of up to 300 km/h, suppressing and
endangering the original plant diversity, an increase in CO2 in the environment can lead to an increase in ambrosia pollen, the effects of climate change and urban air pollution can affect
the occurrence of respiratory allergies and asthma.
Ambrosia pollen grains (Ambrosia artetisiifolia L.) from the health aspect are aeroallergens responsible for allergic diseases in humans, which are manifested in the form of rickets,
rhinoconjunctivitis and bronchial asthma. In general, it is a fact that with a high concentration of ragweed in the air in people of different ages, with long-term and long-term exposure,
apart from allergies, there is also a drop in immunity.
In agriculture, ragweed causes great damage as a weed in the production of soybeans, corn, real grains, medicinal plants, clover, as well as fruit plantations. The damages caused by
ragweed in agriculture are as follows: it mechanically kills (suffocates) crops, reduces the yields of cultivated plants, causes a deterioration in the quality of cultivated crops, reduces the
temperature of the soil, makes it difficult to cultivate the soil, makes it difficult to carry out various agrotechnical procedures, indirectly leads to the appearance of plant diseases, etc.
Bearing in mind the aforementioned multiple problems, the primary goal of this work was to analyze the annual seasonal dynamics of ragweed in the Una-Sana Canton area, i.e. to
analyze the monitoring of aeroallergenic ragweed pollen in the period 2012-2021.
MATERIJAL AND METHODS
The Concentration of pollen was measured by standard Hirst's Parameters for determining the concentration of pollen:
(1952) method. Equipment used for research included a Hirst
type pollen trap (sampler) Burkad (Picture 1.), placed in the r – diameter of the microscope field (r=0,5 mm);
town of Bihać, 15 meters above the ground, at the locality of Pt – area of strip (total area);
„Borići“ (Burkard Manufacturing Со., Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK). Csum – number of strips that are observed (three strips);
Image 2.) Layout of strip within pollen trap
Po – area of the microscope field (observed area);
Tabela br 1.) Criteria for rating the concentration of airborne pollen CF – correlation factor (CF = 9,3).

X – concentration of airborne pollen grains (p/m3)

Picture 1-2.) Burkad type pollen sampler at the Borići location

RESULTATI, DISKUSIJA I ZAKLJUČCI

Rezultati istraživanja senzornog kvaliteta prihvatljivosti ekološki proizvedenog soka od jabuke predstavljen je tabelarno (Tabela br. 2) i grafički (Grafikoni br. 1 i 2).
Tabela br. 2 Ocjene srednjih vrijednosti datih od strane upućenih ocjenjivača za uzorke soka od jabuke

XIII International Agriculture Symposium „AGROSYM 2022“ 6-9 October 2022 Bosnia and Herzegovina