Document Type : Original Article
Author
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Abstract
Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis Mill is a highly important and extensively cultivated medicinal plant in the folk medicine and cosmetic industry. Weeds have impact on medicinal plants yield. The effect of weeds on medicinal plants accounted for approximately 45% yield loss. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate weeding method for Aloe vera plant and to improve the yield of Aloe vera. Nine different weeding methods were arranged, including herbicide and weedy check. The experimental trial was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three repetitions at Hawassa location. Data were subjected to analysis of variance. The results recorded 30 weed species belonging to 14 families associated with the A.vera plant in Hawassa. The highest weed density was recorded in the Weed-Check plot (WD=5.00). The lowest number of monocot and dicot weeds was recorded in HWH4 (MW=1.33; (DW=0.33). Higher fresh and dry leaf weight were recorded for HWH3 (FLW=165.88g) and HWH4 (DLW=126.32g), respectively. Higher gel weight was recorded in HWH3 (GW=227.99g). A significantly lower weed density was recorded when weeds were removed up to 60 DAP at 15 days interval. Therefore, hand weeding and hoeing four times after transplanting Aloe vera suckers was the most effective weeding method for Aloe vera.
Keywords
Main Subjects
- Harding TB. Aloes of the world: a checklist, index and code, Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia; 1979.[Google scholar]
- Gage D. Aloe vera: Nature's soothing healer. Inner Traditions/Bear & Co; 1996. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Surjushe A, Vasani R, Saple DG. Aloe vera: a short review, Indian journal of dermatology; 2008; 53(4):163. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Crosswhite FS, Crosswhite CD. Aloe vera, plant symbolism and the threshing floor, Desert Plants 6; 1984; 43-50. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Daodu T. Aloe vera, the miracle healing plant. Health Field Corporation, Lagos; 2000; 36. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Djeraba A, Quéré P. In vivo macrophage activation in chickens with Acemannan, a complex carbohydrate extracted from Aloe vera, International journal of immunopharmacology; 2000 May 1; 22(5):365-72. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Olusegun A. One hundred medicinal uses of Aloe vera. Good health Inc, Lagos; 2000; 76. [Google scholar]
- Davis RH, Maro NP. Aloe vera and gibberellin. Anti-inflammatory activity in diabetes, Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association; 1989 Jan 1; 79(1):24-6. [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Boudreau MD, Beland FA. An evaluation of the biological and toxicological properties of Aloe barbadensis (miller), Aloe vera, Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part C; 2006 Jul 1; 24(1):103-54. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Rao BR, Rajput DK, Sastry KP, Bhattacharya AK, Patel RP, Ramesh S. Effect of crop-weed mixed distillation on essential oil yield and composition of five aromatic crops, Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants; 2007 Jan 1; 10(2):127-32. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Akobundu IO. Weed science in the tropics. Principles and practices. John Wiley; 1987. [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Tamado T, Milberg P. Weed flora in arable fields of eastern Ethiopia with emphasis on the occurrence of Parthenium hysterophorus, Weed Research; 2000 Dec 5; 40(6):507-21. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Hanson, H., Borlaug N. & Anderson, R.G. (1982). Wheat in the Third World. West view press, Inc., Boulder, Colorado. 174. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Kothari SK, Singh CP, Singh K. Weed control in rose‐scented geranium (Pelargonium spp), Pest Management Science: formerly Pesticide Science; 2002 Dec; 58(12):1254-8. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Pouryousef M, Yousefi AR, Oveisi M, Asadi F. Intercropping of fenugreek as living mulch at different densities for weed suppression in coriander, Crop Protection; 2015 Mar 1; 69:60-4. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Rajeswara Rao, B.R., D.K. Rajput, K.P. Sastry, A.K. Bhattacharya, R.P. Patel, and S. Ramesh. 2007. Effect of crop-weed mixed distillation on essential oil yield and composition of five aromatic crops. J Essent Oil Bearing Plants 10(2):127–132. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Sarrou E, Chatzopoulou P, Koutsos TV, Katsiotis S. Herbage yield and essential oil composition of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under the influence of different mulching materials and fertilizers, J Med Plants Stud; 2016; 4(1):111-7. [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Hussain, A, A. Nadeem, I. Ashraf and M. Awan. 2009. Effect of weed competition periods on the growth and yield of black seed (N. sativa L.). Pak. J. Weed Sci. Res. 15(1):71-81. [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Carrubba A, Militello M. Nonchemical weeding of medicinal and aromatic plants, Agronomy for sustainable development; 2013 Jul; 33:551-61. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Kristiansen P, Sindel B, Jessop R. Agronomic and economic evaluation of weed management methods in organic herb and vegetable production systems. InProceedings of the 11th Australian Agronomy Conference 2003, CD-ROM. Australian Society of Agronomy. [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Pank F. The influence of chemical weed control on quality characters of medicinal and aromatic plants. InInternational Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, XXIII IHC 306; 1990 Sep 4: 145-154). [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Cristiano G, Murillo-Amador B, De Lucia B. Propagation techniques and agronomic requirements for the cultivation of Barbados aloe (Aloe vera (L.) Burm. F.)—a review, Frontiers in plant science; 2016 Sep 23; 7:1410. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
- Gil A, De La Fuente E, Lenardis A, Ghersa C, Van Baren HC, Di Leo Lira P, Suarez S, López Pereira M. Yield and composition of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oils related to soil environment and weed competition. InProc. Annual Conference “New Crops and New Uses: Biodiversity and Sustainability,” Phoenix 1998 Nov 8 (pp. 8-11). [Google scholar]
- de la Fuente EB, Gil A, Lenardis AE, Pereira ML, Suárez SA, Ghersa CM, Grass MY. Response of winter crops differing in grain yield and essential oil production to some agronomic practices and environmental gradient in the Rolling Pampa, Argentina, Agriculture, ecosystems & environment; 2003 Oct 1; 99(1-3):159-69. [Crossref], [Google scholar], [Publisher]
)