Bengaluru: Generally mango trees in the city flower after December and the fruit arrives in the market by April. But this year several mango trees in the city have started flowering in September itself and experts and growers are divided over the reason for this early flowering.
A four-year-old mango tree in Rajajinagar has started to sprout flowers since September 20. Similarly a mango tree near the Kempegowda Bus Terminus in the city too has started flowering.
According to the BBMP horticulture department officials this is not a rare phenomena this year. “Several mango trees in parts of the city have started flowering since the start of September. Till last year we used to hear this from dry areas like Kolar, especially Malur, Shrinivasapura etc. But this year it can be seen in the city itself,” said an officer.
“Mango trees are very sensitive to the changes in the rain pattern, increase in the temperature, humidity etc. Only a scientific study can reveal the real reason,” he said. According to mango growers, even though this phenomenon has been reported from several parts of the city for the last few years, no scientific study has been undertaken. Rajesh Bhat, who owns a mango orchard on Magadi road, says early flowering is bad news.
“These trees will not flower again this year. The flowers will fall soon due to the wind and thick cloud cover,” he said. According to the experts, these isolated developments cannot be attributed to factors like climate change etc. “If hundreds of trees had been flowering at this time, it would have been a cause of worry. But one or two trees flowering may be due to local factors. Still it is a very rare to see mango flowers in the rainy season,” said Dr Gururaj Bhat, a botanist.
