Ratooning response of lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties to Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) foliar fertilizer application

Abstract

The study sought to determine the response of ratoon lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties to foliar application of Aloe vera
(Aloe barbadensis, Miller) extracts as a natural fertilizer. Determine the best Aloe barbadensis extracts to produce higher
ratooned productivity. Evaluate the profitability of rice ratooning sprayed with Aloe barbadensis extracts at the different
application strategies. Rice varieties were used as the main plot and foliar fertilization strategies as the subplot. Results revealed
that Aloe barbadensis extracts significantly promoted the plant height of PSB Rc22 than NSIC RC216, but the latter variety
achieved slightly higher productivity than the former. Spraying of fermented young Aloe barbadensis extracts produced a higher
grain yield as compared to other treatments due to the abundant proliferation of productive tillers. The comparison of lowland
rice varieties and foliar application of Aloe barbadensis extracts did not influence the agronomic and yield components of said
crops except plant height, and this might be due to exposure of ratoon plants to high maximum temperatures. Economic analysis
showed a high gross margin (USD 429.90) of ratooned NSIC Rc216 was due to the application of fermented young Aloe
barbadensis extract as mainly attributed to the high grain yield (2.13 t ha-1
) of the ratoon plants. The result of this study is a
promising option in rice areas that are experiencing normal environmental conditions with problematic soil conditions which
hinted at the application of granular fertilizer. This is the best alternative if supplemented with inorganic fertilizer as part of its
fertilization process in attaining higher productivity. © 2022 Department of Agricultural Sciences, AIOU