Rajouri, Nov 10: In a striking indication of climate change impact, researchers from Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri, have reported unseasonal flowering of apricot – Prunus armeniaca, locally known as Khubani, an occurrence never before recorded for this species in the region.
The research team comprising Dr Shreekar Pant Director In-charge, Centre for Biodiversity Studies, Dr M A Hannan Khan Department of Zoology, and Dr Shoeb Ahmad Department of Biotechnology observed the phenomenon in and around the BGSBU campus at Dhanore, Choudhary Nar, and adjoining areas of Rajouri district.
Usually, ‘Khubani’ flowers between March and April, but this late blooming in September suggests a potential shift in tree phenology linked to changing climatic conditions.
According to the researchers, this is the first documented instance of such flowering in Prunus armeniaca.
While a few related species, such as the Wild Himalayan Cherry (Prunus cerasoides), naturally bloom a second time in autumn, the same behaviour in Khubani appears to be abnormal, Dr Shreekar Pant said.
The scientists including Dr Pant attribute this to erratic weather patterns, including an unusually prolonged winter followed by extreme heat, excessive rainfall, and abrupt temperature changes witnessed this year.
Experts believe that this unseasonal flowering is not an isolated event but part of a broader ecological disturbance across the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
Changes in the timing of natural processes like flowering can disrupt the balance between plants and pollinators, reduce reproductive success, and threaten biodiversity.
The researchers also noted that the Himalayas are warming at a rate higher than the global average, making native plant species more vulnerable to climate variability.
The team observed that erratic temperature and rainfall patterns could trigger unseasonal flowering, disturbing the reproductive cycles of trees and impacting their long-term health.
“Such disruptions may also lead to mismatches between plant flowering periods and the activity of pollinators, affecting fruit yield and ecological stability,” Dr Pant stated.
Highlighting the seriousness of the issue, the researchers stressed the need for long-term monitoring of tree phenology across the Himalayan region.
They emphasised that continued documentation and analysis of such unusual biological events would help build a strong scientific database, enabling better understanding and the development of effective conservation strategies to protect the region’s rich and sensitive biodiversity.
