Uttar Pradesh’s Malihabad, Kakori and Mal areas are usually brimming at this time of the year with the fragrance of mango blossoms. But the picture is different now. The orchards are green and the trees flowering, yet confidence is missing from farmers’ faces. The reason: unpredictable weather.
Frequent temperature fluctuations and intermittent unseasonal rains during the crucial mango flowering phase have affected the early stage of the crop. This period is extremely sensitive for mango cultivation as it is when flowers convert into fruit. Even minor disruptions can impact the season’s yield.
P.K. Shukla, a scientist at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s (ICAR) Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) in Lucknow, explains that the issue. “The rain hasn’t directly damaged the blossoms, but temperature fluctuations have affected fruit-setting. Some orchards have seen fruit formation while in many others, it has not happened yet,” says Shukla.
Former CISH director Shailendra Rajan echoes the concern. “Mango flowers are extremely delicate, and sudden temperature changes affect them. If night temperatures drop below 15 degrees C, embryo development can stop. This is exactly what has happened in many places this year,” he Conversations with farmers in the villages of Malihabad make the anxiety even clearer. Farmer Sanjeet Singh says the flowering itself was weak from the start. “Flowers did come, but they weren’t strong enough. Now rain and humidity have made things worse,” he informs.
Standing in a nearby orchard, farmer Ramgopal adds, “This is the time when mango trees need strong sunlight. If we don’t get sunshine in the next couple of days, we could lose a quarter of the crop.”
Farmer Subhash Mishra adds another worry. “Increased humidity has raised the risk of fungal infection on blossoms. If the weather doesn’t clear up, flowers will start dropping, and fruit formation will stop,” he says.
The challenge is not just flower drop but the chain of problems linked to it. High humidity has created favourable conditions for fungal growth and diseases. Horticulture expert Krishna Mohan Chaudhary explains. “Diseases like powdery mildew, anthracnose and dieback can spread rapidly at this stage. At the same time, pests such as hopper, mealybug and leaf webber become active, directly damaging blossoms and young fruits,” he says.
Farmers are caught in a dilemma. Excessive pesticide use harms beneficial insects like bees, which are essential for pollination. But reducing sprays allows pests and diseases to spread unchecked.
Experts also point to a decline in pollinators this year. Reduced activity of bees and other insects has affected natural pollination. “A shortage of beneficial insects has directly impacted fruit-setting. Both weather imbalance and excessive pesticide use are responsible,” says Shukla.