STUDY ON POLLEN VIABILITY AS BIOINDICATOR OF AIR QUALITY

The aim of this research is to estimate the relationship between pollen viability and atmospheric pollution (in polluted and non-polluted conditions). The study was carried out in the city of Timisoara. Two areas, with different intensity of road traffic (very high and absent) but all characterized by the presence of the same plant species, were selected. The pollen of herbaceous spontaneous species, arboreal species and a shrub species was used (Robinia pseudacacia, Aesculus x carnea, Catalpa bignonioides, Albizzia julibrissin, Rosa canina, Sambucus nigra, Malva neglecta, Ranunculus acer, Trifolium repens, Cichorium intybus). The pollen of these species was treated with TTC (2, 3, 5 Tryphenil-Tetrazolium-Chloride) staining solution and viability was then estimated by light microscopy. The results of the mean pollen viability percentage of the examined species are reported. Pollen viability of herbaceous plants is significantly different between the two environments.