Sustainable Methods Based on Microbial Biofertilizers and Plant Repellent Extracts in the Cultivation of Aloe Vera

This work aimed to develop a biological cultivation and defense protocol that can be used by companies growing medicinal succulent plants. The protocol was characterized by the use of microbial biostimulants and plant extracts with repellent action (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, in particular, Effective microorganisms and extracts of neem, propolis, and horsetail) able to improve the growth and quality of Aloe vera plants especially for the production of gels for cosmetic and medicinal use. The experimental trial at Welcare Industries S.P.A. (Orvieto) showed a significant improvement of agronomic parameters analyzed on Aloe vera plants treated with Effective microorganisms and a significant reduction of the presence of mealybugs following treatments with repellents of plant origin. The application of symbiotic microorganisms and plant extracts for defense in agricultural operations can therefore ensure higher production standards, with a possible improvement in the agronomic quality of plants, also reducing the use of water and fertilizers. This experiment may be of particular interest to farms that want to focus on the production of succulents for medicinal and cosmetic use where plant quality levels must be high.