Positive allelospoly of Melia dubia Cav. spatial geometry improve quantitative and qualitative attributes of Aloe vera L.

Study was conducted to ascertain the positive or negative allelospoly among Melia dubia-Aloe vera as components in silvi-medicinal land use [L1-M. dubia (2 × 2 m) + A. vera; L2-M. dubia (3 × 2 m) + A. vera; L3-M. dubia (4 × 2 m) + A. vera) and L4-sole A. vera] cropping systems. M. dubia spatial geometries resulted significant (P≤ 0.05) effect on quantitative and qualitative attributes of A. vera. Quantitative attributes viz., growth (plant height, mature leaf length, and small, mature and total leaves per plant) and biomass (above and below ground and total biomass, mature leaf, pulp, leaf peel and aloe latex) were significantly higher under M. dubia (2 × 2 m)-A. vera silvi-medicinal land use system (closer spacing) as compared to wider spatial M. dubia geometries and A. vera sole cropping. Growth and biomass decreased with increase in M. dubia spacing with minimum under sole crop of A. vera. No significant effect of silvi-medicinal and sole cropping systems was observed on A. vera below ground biomass. In A. vera pulp, through. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, 11, 13, 9 and 9 different phytochemicals were detected in M. dubia (2 × 2 m) + A. vera; M. dubia (3 × 2 m) + A. vera and M. dubia (4 × 2 m) + A. vera) and A. vera sole cropping systems, respectively. Percentage of some of the phytochemicals [+(-salsolidine); cetyl alcohol, myristic acid, cyclopentane and 5-triazole, 3ethyl was less under closest spacing (2 × 2 m) and sole cropping system; however in wider spacing (3 × 2 and 4 × 2 m) percentage of these phytochemicals was higher. Intercropping of A. vera significantly affected the growth of M. dubia; however, there was no such effect on volume and biomass production when extrapolated to hectare basis. This study substantiate that M. dubia spatial geometries had positive allelospoly on A. vera growth, biomass and phytochemicals in A. vera pulp. Hence, tree spatial geometry is essential parameters to be considered for growing medicinal plants under agroforestry systems.