How the Jamuns are warning us
How the Jamuns are warning us This year, I have seen more jamun (Indian blackberry) fruits in the markets than I have ever seen in the last three decades. The fruits are literally falling in abundance. Even the trees that bore only a few fruits last year are shedding large quantities of jamuns this year. Trees that were already fruiting heavily are now dropping fruits in huge numbers. What exactly is happening? My grandmother used to say only one thing: "When jamun trees shed fruits in such abundance during summer, that year is usually a drought year." According to plant science, my grandmother's traditional knowledge is remarkably accurate. In science, this fascinating and somewhat alarming phenomenon is called "Masting" or "Stress Fruiting." This final effort by a tree to produce the maximum possible fruits, sometimes at the expense of its own survival, is also referred to as "Suicide Fruiting" or a "Bumper Crop." ...
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