Evaluation of Intercropped Aloe vera with Plantain on Growth and Yield Status in a Real Culture Situation in Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

Rains decrease and irregularity represent a threat to farmers and call for crops of interest’s promotion like Aloe vera, requiring little water. Therefore, lands rarity compels the valorization inter-row crops’ spacing occupying wide spaces. Thus, the research has been led in the Central - West of Côte d'Ivoire in order to evaluate the effect of plantain banana tree (Musa sp) and Aloe vera association on these crops growth and yield. For this, an implement with a complete randomization design including two treatments with eight repetitions was achieved. The processings were consisted in planting either one Aloe vera plant (treatment 1) or two Aloe vera plants (treatment 2) between four plantain tree plants. The interval used for the planting of banana shoots in the 40-cm deep seed holes was 3 m x 2 m. The results showed that treatment 2 has speeded up the appearance of Aloe vera’s leave and encouraged the generation of a high number of leaves (39 leaves) longer (20.06 cm) and wider (2.78 cm) bringing about large fresh and dry biomasses, compared to treatment 1 and the control, with 125.42 g and 64.27 g, respectively. As for plantain banana tree, the intercropping favored a higher leaf emergence rate with a high number of leaves (23 leaves) longer and wider, 113.53 cm and 58.70 cm long, respectively. The intercropping also favored in plantain banana a large number of hands (7) and fingers (32) with a finger length of 35.25 cm weighing on average 0.46 kg and causing a mass of 9.23 kg / bunch. Bananas bunch yield higher in the associated plantain banana trees (15.39 t. ha-1) compared to controls (7.83 t. ha-1).