THIS flower blooms every 50 years and triggers famine in one Indian state

A bamboo plant has been surprisingly linked to famines in northeast India, as per a Forbes report. Its flowers bloom almost every 50 years and, as per historical records, the state of Mizoram has also faced famines at the same time. The first time Mizoram witnessed a famine was in 1911. Then again in 1959, and again in 2007.

The locals call this cyclical phenomenon “mautam", the name being derived from a bamboo species. Every time it has blossomed, a famine has been reported in the state.

According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science, bamboo species can birth flowers anywhere between three to 150 years. When the blooming stage arrives, all the bamboo flowers burst up together.

This triggers a “rat flood”, an occurrence that has also been reported in Hong Kong and several places in South America. Crops are devastated in its wake, triggering famines.

Bamboos rarely witnessmass blooming and their cycles can last anywhere between 40 to 120 years. In Mizoram, Melocanna baccifera is a widespread bamboo species that is known locally as “mautuk”. It flowers once every 48 to 50 years, and at this time millions of bamboo plants produce vast quantities of seeds.

Also Read:Scientists paint scary scenario of the next mass extinction. 'A triple whammy will...'

The region’s black rat population (Rattus rattus) is attracted to these nutrient-rich seeds and their population sees a sudden increase. They eat up all the seeds but the large population needs even more food. So they scurry away towards human settlements where they attack fields of rice, maize, and other essential crops.

The hungry rodents destroy the crops, triggering an agricultural crisis and leading to famine in the affected regions.

Mizoram witnesses a double whammy, as along with “mautuk”, the state also has something called “thingtam". This one is owing to another bamboo species to blame—Bambusa tulda. It has its own distinct flowering cycle, which occurs roughly every 30 years.

Rat floods in other countries

Bamboo flowers lead to a "rat flood", more massive than the average rat infestation. This has been reported from other parts of the world as well. Arundinaria alpina in Ethiopia and Bambusa tulda in Japan are the bamboo species that have had flowering cycles followed by rat infestations and food shortages.

As per a study published in Rodent Outbreaks: Ecology and Impacts, rats ate over 30 per cent of the bamboo seeds in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The population of Rattus rattus soared at this time, leading to a "rat flood".