Mesomorphy and vulnerability indices of Solanum melongena and Corchorus olitorius in Nsukka metropolis

Global warming is no longer just a prediction. It is happening. Variability in climate is deeply rooted within the West African society. Understanding the response of plants to increased drought would be desirable in the light of global and regional changes, not only to forecast population dynamics in natural ecosystem, but also to adjust management practices in agriculture. This study evaluated the vulnerability and mesomorphic indices of two woody farm shrubs (Solanum melongena and Corchorus olitorius) from three locations (Odoru, Ogige, Odenigwe) using their anatomical structures. The sectioning of the plant stems was carried out in the anatomy laboratory of the department of Plant science and Biotechnology, University of Nigeria Nsukka. The result was significantly different (P <0.05) in the vessel length of the two plants with Corchorus olitorius having longer vessels (0.302 ± 0.012mm). Similarly, the vessel length varied significantly (P < 0.05) across the different locations. The vulnerability and mesomorphy indices observed across the plants from the different locations were <1 indicating the xeromorphic nature of the plants. Therefore, both species can withstand drought conditions, but at different degrees.