PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PROXIMATE ASSESSMENT OF Basella alba L. and Basella rubra Roxb. UNDER DROUGHT STRESS

Vegetables used in this study are Basella alba and B. rubra and they are common vegetable in the South western part of Nigeria, these plants possess hibernating characters in the absence of water and germinate once there is introduction of little water. This study was designed to assess the physiological and proximate effect of drought on these vegetables. The experiment was carried out in the screen house of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Federal University Oye Ekiti, sandy-loamy soil was used for the experiment and drought treatment interval of (5, 10, 15 and 20 days) were also used as treatments, a control experiment was also set up that was not starved of water at any point. The stress was introduced at 12 Weeks After Planting (WAP). There was a decrease in the Relative Water Content (RWC) and Net Assimilation Rate (NAR) as the drought stress interval increases, significant difference was observed in the 5 and 10 days treatment same for both B. alba and B. rubra. There was an increase in stomata index as drought period increases, proximate analysis of these vegetables shows a decrease in value of food content tested as the drought period increases. The rate of assimilation of these vegetables during drought shows that there is a tendency for both plants to be able to withstand some period of drought, also increase in stomata index as drought level increases shows that there are more number of stomata in drought stressed plants when compared to the control.