Quantification of Ganoderma spores in outdoor air of Villahermosa city, Tabasco, Mexico

Fungal propagules are the more abundant bio-particles in the atmosphere. Their amount depends on several factors, including time of day, season of the year, human activity, speed and direction of the wind, among others. The Ganoderma genus has been studied as a phytopathogen, as a lignocellulose degrading and for its medicinal properties. Moreover, when its basidiospores are inhaled, they can cause allergies in susceptible people. Therefore, its behavior in the atmosphere has been under study in different parts of the world, though in Mexico it has not been studied yet. To determine the quantitative presence of Ganoderma spores in the outer atmosphere of the city, a Burkard type trap was used, which was placed at a height of approximately 10 m at two sites located in an urban and a suburban area. Spores were quantified, and the average hourly and daily concentration was determined. During the sampling period (August 2014-January 2015) a total of 3230 spores were collected form the atmosphere in both sites. In the urban site a total of 1187 spores were quantified, while in the suburban site 2043 spores were obtained. The highest concentration of spores was recorded in August and the lowest in November. Regarding the time variation, the highest concentrations of Ganoderma were recorded at 01:00, 03:00 and 05:00 h. This is the first study on the concentration of Ganoderma spores in southeastern Mexico.