1. Ecological requirements of aloe: Aloe is a tropical plant, native to Africa. It naturally likes plague and cold, and stops growing below 5℃. The optimum growth temperature is 15-35℃ and the relative temperature is 45-85%. Aloe needs a lot of water during its growth period, but it is not resistant to stains. In rainy and humid seasons, such as poor soil drainage, root respiration is inhibited, leaves are also prone to atrophy, and in severe cases, branch root rot and seedling death will occur. Aloe vera is a drought-tolerant plant. I like to grow in sandy loam with good drainage and good soil air. The distribution of aloe in China should be mainly in the southern open cultivation area above 5℃ in winter, and the rest areas are protected cultivation. It is necessary to keep warm in a greenhouse or greenhouse in winter. Sichuan and Chongqing are good planting areas for aloe.
Second, the propagation of aloe: 1, ramet and bud propagation: Aloe sinensis, Aloe barbadensis, Aloe barbadensis, etc. Many buds will grow on the underground stems, which will take root and form new plants. A 2-year-old aloe can grow 10-20 seedlings a year. When the seedlings grow to 4-5 leaflets, there are already 3-5 small roots underground, which can be cut off from the mother plant and transplanted. In order to make it grow fast, develop quickly and be easy to manage, it is better to transplant seedlings in seedbed in spring, summer and autumn every year and strengthen management, which is better than transplanting them in the field after leaving the mother plant. 2. Cutting propagation: mostly in April to May and August to September. Cuttings are cut from two aspects:-Take the tender stem with 2-3 leaflets from the top of the adult plant, and take the bud between the middle and lower leaves of the adult plant, generally with the height of 10- 15 cm. After taking it off, hang it upside down in the shade for 5-7 days to make the cut of the stem shrink and dry, then cut it off on the seedbed covered with a shade shed for shading, and take root in about 20 days. Proper topdressing after long roots can accelerate its growth. 3. Tissue culture. This method can quickly cultivate a large number of excellent seedlings and is the main method of film development. But it needs certain equipment and technology.
Third, the cultivation and management of aloe:
1. Planting: In southern provinces of China, high-isolation and low-furrow planting are mostly adopted. Aloe in China adopts 1- 1. 1 meter wide compartments, and ditches with a width of 40 cm and a depth of 20 cm are used as sidewalks, and three rows are planted in each compartment with a spacing of 35-45 cm. Baba Aloe and Shangnongda Aloe are planted in two rows, one meter wide and 40-50 cm apart. Before planting, turn over the ground and apply sufficient fertilizer. The base fertilizer should be mainly organic fertilizer, manure residue, waste oil and green manure. Application method: one is that there are many fertilizers, which can be applied to the soil before excavation and fully mixed with the soil during excavation; Second, there is not much fertilizer, so dig a few times out of the box to mix the fertilizer and soil evenly to avoid burning the roots of the fertilizer. According to the situation of seedlings, sufficient root water can be applied when transplanting in spring, summer and autumn.
2. Fertilizer and water management: during the growth period of aloe, apply fertilizer 2-3 times a year, with quick-acting fertilizer as the main topdressing, nitrogen fertilizer as the main topdressing, supplemented by phosphorus and potassium. Pay attention to drainage in rainy season, prevent waterlogging in carriages, intertillage after rain, keep soil and vegetables loose, and remove weeds.
3. Pest control: Aloe pests are few and not serious, but root rot and black spot are prone to occur in rainy season. Root rot mainly pays attention to drainage, and when it is serious, it can be filled with 50% carbendazim 500 times solution. Black spot mainly appears irregular black disease on leaves, and 50% carbendazim 800 can be used before continuous rain. 000 times liquid proof. Aloe vera is a processed product of food and medicine. When choosing pesticides, we should choose pesticides with low toxicity and low residue.
4. Harvest: After the plants grow, the leaves can be harvested in stages from bottom to top.
Aloe varieties and their applications
Aloe vera, its English name comes from Arabic "Alloeh", which means "bitter taste". Aloe vera is a genus of Liliaceae in monocotyledonous plants.
Aloe is a tropical xerophyte. In order to adapt to the dry and hot climate, aloe leaves are fleshy and juicy. In order to prevent water from escaping, the leaves are hard and fibrous. Aloe leaves have a special tissue with strong water-retaining ability, that is, there are many cells with high water content in a large amount of plant mucus, which can link a lot of water. Aloe usually has many thorns on the edge of curved leaves, which makes it a plant that is not easy to be attacked, which is somewhat similar to cactus.
There are many kinds of aloe, about 360 kinds. For a long time, people think that aloe vera with medical and health care function is limited to a few varieties, and the rest are just ornamental.
In the United States and Britain, the most common aloe vera, also known as aloe vera, is called aloe vera. Other common species are Aloe vera or Aloe Vera from the Cape of Good Hope, while China Aloe Vera and Arboretum Aloe Vera are commonly used in China and Japan.
(1) Aloe vera.
Native to the West Indies and Partos Island. There are three kinds of leaves: rectangular, pointed and serrated. It has a large rose-shaped base at the bottom, a flower base in the middle and clusters of yellow or reddish tubular flowers at the top. Mature aloe is 2.5 ~ 4 inches tall, with an average of 12 ~ 15 leaves per plant. The maximum width of mature leaves is 4 ~ 5 inches, and the weight is 1.5 ~ 3.0 kg. It has the characteristics of large plants, large leaves and rich juice, and is suitable for extracting aloe juice.
Aloe vera mesophyll freeze-dried powder is odorless and bitter, and it has broad prospects for development and utilization by deep processing into various health foods. The United States is the largest grower and consumer of aloe vera. As early as 198 1, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that aloe vera can be used as food. Aloe vera is rich in gum juice, which has a very significant effect on skin health care and beauty. At present, a considerable part of aloe raw materials used for beauty and cosmetics are processed from aloe vera.
(2) Aloe ferox Miller, also known as Aloe Vera of the Cape of Good Hope, is mainly produced in Cape, South Africa and China. This is a large breed group. The stem is erect, 3-6 meters high, woody, with a leaf length of 60-80 cm and a leaf width of 12 cm. The leaves are large and hard, with reddish-brown horny teeth and spikes on the edges. It has no lateral branches and reproduces with seeds. This is a rare aloe that can bear seeds. The utilized part is leaf juice. The bitter liquid flowing from the leaf incision is dried by sun or heating to get brown clot, which is what Chinese medicine calls old aloe. Aloe vera recorded in many pharmacopoeias around the world is horny aloe vera. It is a traditional medicinal plant.
(3) Aloe arborescens
Also known as Japanese Aloe, wood blade Aloe and Tree Aloe, they are named after their erect trees. Origin: East and North South Africa, Cape Province and transvaal province, and Rhodesia. Aloe arborescens is widely cultivated in Japan, and it has also been planted in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and other places in China in recent years. Aloe arborescens can form branches from the base or stem, and it is easy to survive by cutting propagation with branches. It is characterized by long gray-green leaves, less gum content, serrated edges, stems like tree stems, orange-red flowers and V-shaped petals. The plant height of Aloe arborescens can reach six meters in the country of origin and more than two meters in the greenhouse. Aloe arborescens has been put into commercial production in Japan. They believe that Arboretum Aloe is the best medicinal aloe species, and Arboretum Aloe can also be used for food processing.
In the early days, Japanese folks made aloe arborescens into powder and ointment for sale. 1953 has obtained the Drug Business License, but as a drug, it must be matched with Aloe Vera in the Pharmacopoeia. At that time, the medicine "Aloe Tablet" for invigorating stomach and relaxing bowels was made up of 10% Cape Aloe powder and 90% Arboretum Aloe powder.
1980, Japan Aloe Food Co., Ltd. developed Aloe arborescens maltose. After Aloe arborescens obtained the food license, the number of companies producing and selling Aloe arborescens increased, and the products changed from caramel to powder, powder, tea and juice. Cosmetics with aloe arborescens as additive are rapidly and continuously popularized because they are welcomed by all walks of life.
In 1980s, Aichi Cancer Center Institute of Japan published an article at the Japanese Cancer Society, pointing out that aloin A, an anticancer substance that can improve human immune function, attracted special attention.
1In April, 985, the Department of Pharmacy of Tohoku University in Japan published that Aloe arborescens A and arbran B have excellent hypoglycemic effects, lasting effects in the treatment of diabetes, no side effects and low cost, which aroused the concern of diabetic patients. The industrialization potential of Aloe arborescens is exciting. However, at present, the large-scale intensive production and processing of aloe arborescens in China needs to be further strengthened.
(4) Aloe Gleditsia
Native to Cape Province and transvaal province in Africa and northeastern South Africa. In addition, it is also cultivated in Hawaii, Florida and Japan. Aloe barbadensis has a short stem, green leaves about 50 cm long, slightly bent downward, beautiful white stripes and clear texture. The daughter plants are elongated around the underground stems, which are a group and reproduce quickly. The leaves are big and fleshy, contain more gelatinous substances, and have mild medicinal properties. They are widely used as medicines by people, but they are not recorded in the Pharmacopoeia. It has high ornamental value.
5. China Aloe. )
Mainly distributed in Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan and some cities in Taiwan Province Province. In tropical and subtropical coastal areas of China, there are abundant aloe resources, which are born in grassland on hillsides and sandy shrubs on beaches. There are greenhouses or potted plants in Jiangsu, Shanghai, Jilin, Liaoning and other places. Aloe sinensis is a variety of Aloe Vera Cura? ao, and its morphology is similar to Aloe Vera Cura? ao. Fleshy leaves and stems have white spots at the base, and the epidermis is thinner than that of Aloe vera, with strong branching ability and strong adaptability. The content of anthraquinone is much lower than that of aloe. Aloe vera has certain beauty and medicinal value.