Severity of leaf harvest, supplemental nutrients, and sulfur application on long-term leaf production of Aloe barbadensis miller

Abstract

This is the first report on how leaf harvest techniques and sulfur may affect leaf initiation and yield of Aloe barbadensis Miller (syn. Aloe vera L.). Two long-term experiments were conducted to determine the effects of supplemental mineral nutrients, severity of harvest, and sulfur application on leaf yield of this species. Plants were each grown in a 38-L pot with or without monthly applications of a 20N-8.6P-16.6K water-soluble fertilizer. In the first experiment, beginning in June 1994 (7 months after initiation), the lower leaves were harvested every 3 months with 12, 15, or 18 leaves remaining per plant. All plants were harvested to 12 leaves at the final harvest in Mar. 1997. Fertilized plants that were harvested to 12 leaves produced 81 leaves each during the 3-year period, whereas those harvested to 15 or 18 leaves each produced 76 leaves. In contrast, each of the nonfertilized plants produced 36 leaves. Fertilization tripled the cumulative weight of harvested leaves over a 3-year period. The initial quarterly and cumulative leaf weights were higher in plants harvested to 12 leaves than those harvested to 15 or 18 leaves. However, this difference diminished and disappeared over time. Fertilized plants harvested to 18 or 15 leaves yielded over 10.8 kg annually, whereas nonfertilized plants with 12 leaves produced an average of 3.5 kg leaves per plant. In the second experiment (with or without fertilizer and micronutrient and 0, 25, 50, or 100 g/pot of powdered sulfur per year), plants responded similarly to fertilization as they did in the first experiment. The added micronutrients (25 g/pot per year) had no effect on plant growth. The highest rate of sulfur resulted in few leaves being harvested and reduced cumulative leaf weight in fertilized plants, but did not affect the number of harvestable leaves or their total weight in nonfertilized plants. Soil pH declined from 7.6 to 4.6 as a result of fertilization regardless of the amount of sulfur being applied. In both experiments, plants that received fertilizer had slight cold injury on the abaxial side of some south-facing leaves. The results suggest the importance of fertilizer application to enhance leaf initiation rate. Plants should be harvested to leave no fewer than 15 leaves, preferably 18, on the plant to maintain high leaf yield.