Dossier
Hay fever and pollen
Hay fever is an allergic reaction that is caused by pollen from trees, grasses and herbaceous plants. When this pollen is dispersed by the wind, people with hay fever suffer from sneezing, red and itchy eyes and a stuffy nose.
Weather conditions determine when 'hay fever plants' flower and how much pollen they release into the atmosphere. Every year, the progression of hay fever symptoms can differ. The daily pollen concentration in the atmosphere in the Netherlands is measured by the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and Elkerliek Hospital in Helmond.
As part of the Nature’s Calendar observation programme, secondary school students and volunteers keep track of when various hay fever plants begin flowering. The students who conduct observations are also involved with the GLOBE Programme, an international education programme on the environmental sciences established in 1995 by Al Gore.
Knowledge about hay fever is limited
Ambrosia
One plant species that is known world-wide for causing hay fever symptoms is Ambrosia. This species, which is an exotic in the Netherlands, produces large amounts of strongly allergenic pollen. Moreover, the plant flowers late in the year, so the hay fever season for people who are sensitive to Ambrosia can be up to two months longer. Ambrosia originated from North America and has become widespread in the Netherlands because its seeds are unintentionally present in birdseed and wildflower mixtures. By removing plants before they begin flowering, nuisance from the pollen can be prevented, and the species is less likely to spread.
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Publications on hay fever and pollen
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Implementing a digital twin for flexible operation of agricultural robotics
In: Advances in agri-food robotics - Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing - ISBN: 9781801469913 - p. 185-222. -
Grote droogte in Zuidelijk-Marokko
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Local seed business: learning from experiences on farmer-based seed production in Uganda : FNS-REPRO study visit, 31 October-3 November 2023
Wageningen: Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (Report / Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation WCDI-24-322) -
Steden willen meer groen én meer woningen. Hoe gaan ze dat oplossen?
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2024 is het jaar van de kokerjuffer
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WUR Software Management Plan template and guidance
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Gay, lesbian and intersex whales: our queer sea has much to teach us
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Pollution risks worsening global water scarcity: study
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When Is Something an Alternative? A General Account Applied to Animal-Free Alternatives to Animal Research
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics (2024), Volume: 33, Issue: 1 - ISSN 0963-1801 - p. 89-101. -
Chemosensory detection of glucosinolates as token stimuli for specialist insects on brassicaceous plants : discovery and impact
Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology (2024), Volume: 210, Issue: 2 - ISSN 0340-7594 - p. 243-248.