MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

Harvesting, yield and processing

After about 8 months, the leaves are ready for harvest. While harvesting, the plants can be removed manually. The broken rhizome parts left in this soil throws new sprouts to raise the succeeding crop. Aloe plantation gives commercial yield from second year and upto 5 years. Thereafter, it needs replantation for economic yields. An average crop yield of about 10,000 to 12,000 kg on fresh weight basis may be obtained from on hectare.
Processing




The mucilaginous pulp from the leaf parenchyma, which is mainly carbohydrate in nature, is used in skin disorders. For the purpose of isolation of aloe gel, the portion of leaves remaining after the removal of their exudates is cut open and their mucilage is scraped out with a blunt edged knife. This mucilage is stirred vigorously in a blender to make it into a uniform solution and is strained through a muslin cloth and filtered. The gel is precipitated from the extract by slowly adding acetone. The gel is obtained by centrifuging and re-dissolved in slightly warm water. It is dried at high temperature and weighed.