Air-spora of a coffee plantation in Chikmagalur region of Karnataka

The qualitative and quantitative changes in the air-spora of a coffee field at Central Coffee Research Institute were studied continuously from 1 st January, 1988 to 31 st December, 1988 using a Burkard volumetric spore trap kept at a height of 1.98 m above the ground level. Seasonal and diurnal periodicity of total air-spora, monthly mean percentage contribution by numbers to the total air-spora and effects of temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, wind velocity and dew point on the total air-spora are explained. About twentyone types of fungal spores along with ascospores, basidiospores, conidiosphores, fern spores, hyphal fragments, insects, insect hair and scales, pollen grains, plants hairs, trichomes and xylem elements, smut spores, uredespores and dust particles caught in the trap were considered under group 'classified' and others not included in the above categories were considered under group 'unclassified' to estimate the quantum of the total air-spora. Spore concentrations were maximum during the months of September and October and minimum in April and May corresponding to wet and dry conditions respectively. Diurnal periodicity of total air-spora exhibited peak concentration between 0 and 06.00 h. Cladosporium, ascospores and basidiospores constituted 83 percent of the total air-spora