Determination of Appropriate Harvesting Age for Aloe vera Yield and Yield components at Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Despite the fact that Aloe vera is an important medicinal plant in Ethiopia, an appropriate harvesting age is not known. This study was conducted to determine Aloe vera harvesting age for better yield and yield components. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) design and consisted of three replications and five treatments (12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 month after transplanting). Data were subjected to ANOVA using SAS computer software version 9.3 and differences between means were assessed at 5% probability level. Results of the experiments showed that all parameters were significantly affected by harvesting age treatments except jell weight. The highest significant plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf number per plant, leaf weight per plant, single leaf weight were obtained harvesting at 20 month after transplanting treatment while the lowest significant values were obtained from plots harvested at12 month after transplanting. Even though statistically not significant, increase in harvesting from 12 month to 20 month after treatment, jell weight per leaf was increased by 30.18%. Hence, weighting Aloe vera until 20 month after transplanting was recommended for higher yield and yield components for growers in same agro-ecologies with the study area. However, further scientifically sound agronomic studies should be carried out to broaden our understanding of the time of aloe vera harvesting age.

Keywords: Aloe, harvesting age, leaf yield

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-23-04

Publication date: December 31^st 2019