Gel and aloe extract production in aloe (Aloe barbadensis Mill.) plantations in the western Venezuela

摘要

The high demand of the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industry from aloe products makes necessary to conduct studies to determine the Venezuelan production. A field descriptive investigation was performed to determine the gel and aloe extract production of the aloe plantations in the west of Venezuela. The samples were collected in the following municipalities: P??ez, Mara and Miranda from Zulia State, and Falcon, Colina, Sucre and Miranda from Falc?3n State. The plantations from Sucre and Colina municipalities produced the most quantity of gel during the rain period with 1.896 and 1.724 kg per plant. The plantations of Miranda-Falc?3n and Colina municipalities were the most productive for aloe extract, obtaining values about 70 mL per plant during the dry period. The plantations from Sucre and Colina municipalities produced 55.408 and 46.396 Mg?·ha-1?·year-1. From plantations in Miranda-Falc?3n and Falc?3n a total of 43.548 y 42.108 Mg?·ha-1?·year-1 were obtained, while the plantations in Zulia State had the lowest results. The production of aloe extract in the majority of the studied municipalities was higher than the figures shown in the pertinent literature for Venezuelan plantations. The high production of gel and aloe extract from aloe plantations located in the west of Venezuela shows the great potential of this crop in the Venezuelan agriculture.