Sunday, 12 May 2013

Aloe Vera Farming Practice India: Processing

The term Aloe used in medicine stands for the dried juice, which flows from the transversely cut bases of the leaves. For the processing of "Aloe", the juice is allowed to drain from the cut leaves into vessels and then concentrated by evaporation, either spontaneously or frequently by boiling. The juice is colorless or yellow when obtained fresh from the leaves but becomes dark brown due to evaporation and boiling. Sun dried or concentrated "Aloe" juice over a fire gives an amorphous, opaque, waxy extract called hepatic or livery aloe. When the juice is concentrated rapidly over a strong fire, the product obtained on cooling is amorphous and semitransparent and is called "glassy" or "vitreous" aloe.

Besides the dry juice, gel is also very important product of Aloe Vera, The mucilaginous pulp from the leaf, which is mainly carbohydrate in nature, is used in cosmetic industries and also in treatment of many human diseases. The leaves left over after the removal of their exudates is cut open and mucilage is scraped out with a blunt edged knife for isolation of gel. Extracted mucilage is stirred vigorously in a blender to make it homogeneous mixture (solution). This mixture is strained with the help of muslin cloth and then filtered. The gel is precipitated from the extract slowly adding acetone while stirring. This whole content is kept for overnight and the gel is isolated by centrifugation. The gel is re-dissolved in slightly warm water and transferred to a tube of known weight. It is dried at a high temperature(below 100 C)

Aloe Vera Farming Practice India: Marketing

Marketing of leaves of Aloe vera is not well organized in our country. However, in the recent past, a lot of interest has been shown for its cultivation as well as marketing looking to its international demand. Therefore, one should ascertain its demand in the local market or one must establish contact for its sale, before taking up its commercial cultivation.

Aloe Vera Farming Practice India: Harvesting and Yield

An aloe plantation gives commercial yield from second year to fifth year of transplanting. Generally 3-4 pickings per year can be taken depending upon the growth of plants. On an average 15-20 t/ha of fresh leaf is obtained from second year plantation. However well managed irrigated crop can give upto 30-35 t/ha fresh leaf. Fully developed mature leaves should be harvested for extraction of aloe juice. 

Aloe Vera Farming Practice India: Insect Pest & Diseases

Not much problem of insect pests and diseases have been observed in this crop from any part of the country. however mealy  bug, anthracnose and leaf spot have been reported from some parts of the country. Some time termite problem has also been observed which can be easily managed by giving a light irrigation.

Aloe Vera Farming Practice India: Intercropping

During the first year of planting, more than 40% land remains unutilized thus an attempt should be made to utilize the field in effective manner. For this purpose, suitable leguminous or less competitive  intercrops like cluster bean, groundnut, sesame, isabgol, corriander, cumin etc could be grown successfully in the interspaces under arid and semiarid condition that can generate additional income. Besides, the soil condition will also improve with leguminous crops. Second year onwards such crops may not be encouraged otherwise foliage yield and quality of the produce will be adversely affected.

Aloe Vera Farming Practice India: Interculture

The field should be kept weed free throughout the growing period of the crop. two or three hand weeding followed by light hoeing per year promote growth and suckering in Aloe. First weeding and hoeing should be completed within a month of planting. However in subsequent years two weeding cum light hoeing in each year is found to be sufficient to minimize the weed population in the field. Unproductive and diseased plants and dried flower stakes must be removed regularly.

Aloe Vera Farming Practice India: Irrigation

The crop withstands stress conditions very well but to get good crop, irrigation at critical stages of growth must be given. First irrigation is required just after planting of suckers followed by 2-3 irrigation till plant gets established. However 4-6 irrigation per year may be enough for proper growth of the plants. After each picking light irrigation may be given depending on the availability of water.