Influence of irrigation schedules on growth, yield and water use efficiency in aloe (Aloe barbadensis)

Climatic parameters play an important role in governing water need of crops and the assessment of water need based on day-to-day weather parameters, seems to be more rational than any other method. Various IW/CPE ratios were attributed to achieve higher yield of aloe (Aloe barbadensis Mill.). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation rates on the growth and yield and water use efficiency (WUE) for the production of leaf biomass and gel. Among the irrigation schedules, crops irrigated at IW40mm/CPE40mm=1 (T7) registered mean higher value for growth and yield parameters whereas minimum values were recorded under rainfed conditions (T1). Maximum gel yield per leaf (99.06 g), gel yield per plant (0.71 kg) and leaf yield per plant (1.21 kg) were recorded by following irrigation scheduling at IW40mm: CPE40mm= 1 (T7) and IW40mm/CPE50mm=0.8 (T6) as compared to other irrigation schedules. Treatment T6 (IW40mm: CPE50mm= 0.8) and T7 (IW40mm: CPE40mm= 1) recorded highest values of WUE (4.21 and 4.13 kg/m3). Subjecting Aloe plants to irrigation of 40 mm depth at IW: CPE ratio of 0.8 and 1 gave the maximum aerial biomass and gel production per unit of water utilized, and thus the greatest water use efficiency.

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