ANNUAL, DAILY AND DIURNAL-VARIATIONS IN POLLEN FROM OLEA-EUROPAEA L IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF GRANADA (SPAIN)

The allergenic capacity of Olea europaea L. pollen is very important i n several cities of the southern Iberian Peninsula, producing most pol linoses diagnosed in these cities. We have carried out a study on the annual, daily and diurnal variations in pollen from O. europaea in the atmosphere of Granada (Spain) during 4 consecutive years. Samplings w ere carried out with the aid of a Burkard spore trap. Very low levels of Olea pollen grains were first detected in the atmosphere from the e nd of April. Pollen levels peaked in May and June, and started to decr ease from the last days of June and in July. Pollen in the atmosphere is related to meteorological parameters: temperature has a positive in fluence on pollinization and rainfall produces a negative effect. The diurnal variation pattern of pollen grain concentrations was quite hom ogeneous throughout the study, featuring an important increase around midday and a moderate decrease in the first hours of the morning and i n the late evening.