In collaboration with Professor Kyung-Chul Lee's research team at the Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries, the National Institute of Forest Science (NIFoS) of the Korea Forest Service discovered that mountain spike speedwell (Pseudolysimachion rotundum var. subintegrum), an endemic plant species in Korea, maintains high climate adaptability and honey productivity even in environments with elevated greenhouse gas concentrations.

This research analyzed the physiological responses of the species under the projected high temperature and high CO₂ concentrations up to the year 2100 based on the three future climate scenarios (SSP1, SSP3, SSP5).

The results showed that as atmospheric CO₂ concentration and temperature increased, the plant's photosynthesis capacity and water use efficiency improved. Additionally, the number of flowers and total biomass also increased, leading to higher honey yield. In particular, under the most extreme climate scenario, SSP5-8.5, the estimated honey yield reached up to 772.8 kg per hectare, which is 2.4 times higher than under current climate conditions.

The mountain spike speedwell (Pseudolysimachion rotundum var. subintegrum) is a perennial plant that blooms in Summer (July-August) and a native species used for landscaping and traditional medicine. The plant contains phenylalanine, an amino acid preferred by honeybees, and its blooming period in summer when nectar plants are generally scarce makes it an important species for supporting pollinator ecosystems.

Until now, most studies have focused on the value of nectar plants under the typical cultivation conditions. This research, however, provided the first scientific evidence of the physiological responses and honey production changes of the plant under future climate change scenarios, demonstrating its significant academic and industrial value.

The results have been published in the international journal 'Plants' (IF=4.0) and expected to serve as scientific evidence for the development of nectar plant resources and the stabilization of the beekeeping industry in response to the climate change.