site.btaEarly Notification System for Pollen Release to Operate in Three Bulgarian Cities by Spring 2022

February 15 (BTA) - An early notification system for flowering trees and pollen release will become operational in the cities of Veliko Tarnovo, Sofia and Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria) in spring 2022, agronomist Roman Rachkov, Head of the non-governmental Bulgarian Association for Biological Plant Protection (BABPP), told BTA.

The project aims to help both those who have pollen allergies and all interested in natural processes such as fruit-growers, beekeepers, farmers, among others. Its purpose is to notify people when trees are flowering so that they take measures about it, Rachkov said.

The early notification system is based on the analysis of the sums of the effective temperatures in the growth phases of each tree. Three international meteorological stations provide information on the temperatures. Based on averaged data, a coefficient is calculated and it determines at what stage of development the tree/plant species is, Rachkov explained.

The early notification system data will be published at pollen.sbs. Traditionally, hazels are among the first bloomers flowering in the beginning of March. They are followed by poplar trees, and, at the end of spring, by lindens, the agronomist added.

In 2021, BABPP's project won the "City Lovers" contest, sponsored by Capital.bg and the British Embassy in Sofia.