LUCKNOW, March 9 -- Mango orchards in the Malihabad belt are witnessing healthy flowering this season, but scientists have cautioned that rising temperatures across Uttar Pradesh and North India, as forecast by the India meteorological department (IMD), could threaten the blossoms if the heat intensifies in the coming weeks. Experts at the ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) in Lucknow's Rehmankhera said the current temperature range remains favourable for mango flowering, raising hopes for a satisfactory crop this year. Director of the institute T Damodaran said the weather is presently ideal for the flowering stage but warned that a sharp increase in temperature could damage the delicate blossoms. "Right now the temperature is fine and is ideal for mango flowers, but if it crosses 34-35 degrees Celsius, it will affect the flowers," Damodaran said. The warning comes amid forecasts of an unusually warm spell across the state. According to the IMD, maximum temperatures are expected to rise by 2-3degC over the next five days and remain significantly above normal across most parts of the state due to dry weather conditions and the absence of any active weather system. Meteorologists said temperatures in parts of western Uttar Pradesh may remain 5-8degC above normal, while other regions could record temperatures 3-6degC higher than usual. Several districts have already recorded unusually high temperatures for early March. On Friday, Jhansi reported the highest maximum temperature in the state at 36.6degC, followed by Agra at 36.4degC. Banda recorded 35.2degC and Aligarh 35degC, while the temperature in Lucknow stood at 33.1degC. Malihabad, located on the outskirts of Lucknow, is widely known as the state's mango hub and is famous for varieties such as Dussehri, Chausa and Langra mango. Thousands of farmers in the region depend on the crop, making weather conditions during the flowering and fruit-setting stages crucial for the local economy. Scientists said that although flowering is currently encouraging, extreme heat during this stage can lead to flower drop and poor fruit formation. Damodaran noted that similar impacts are already being observed in other parts of the country. "We are already seeing the fall of flowers in southern India due to extreme heat," he said. Principal scientist, department of crop protection, ICAR-CISH, PK Shukla, said the flowering pattern across the Malihabad belt appears healthy so far and could translate into a satisfactory harvest if temperatures remain within the favourable range. "The flowering this time is quite good in most orchards of the Malihabad region. If the weather remains stable, the mango yield is expected to be at least average," Shukla said. He added that mango flowers have some ability to adapt to moderate temperature variations due to their morphology, but sudden spikes in heat during the flowering phase could still affect the fruit set. With meteorologists predicting a warmer-than-usual March and April, scientists say the coming weeks will be crucial for mango orchards across the Malihabad belt. If extreme heatwaves are avoided and temperatures rise gradually, the region could still see a satisfactory mango harvest this season....