A study was conducted to assess and evaluate the effect of harvesting maguey at different stages of maturity, namely: 3.0 years, T2=3.5 years, T3=4.0 years, and T4=4.5 years after planting. Results showed that harvesting maguey at different stages of maturity did not significantly affect per cent recovery and tensile strength of fibers. Highly significant differences were observed on the number and average length of leaves produced at harvest, fresh weight of leaves and dry fiber yield. Cost and return analysis revealed that at 4.5 years from planting net income was highest at P52,866.25, followed by 4.0 and 3.5 years after planting with net income of P25,963.75 and P18,387.20, respectively. Lowest income at P1,870.45 was obtained from harvesting maguey 3.0 years after planting.

The age of the plant is a critical factor in harvesting in maguey. Cutting of leaves from immature plant interferes and stunts growth resulting to poor fibers, while leaves from over-mature plants yield fibers of poor quality. Furthermore, as leaf matures, its photosynthetic function wanes and ceases and becomes food-dependent from the other photosynthetically-active leaves. While the timely removal of the mature leaves induces the development of new ones. In the field, existing farmers' practice on the age of harvesting varies. This can be attributed to the cash needs, workload and lack of knowledge as to the proper time of harvesting. On this account, it is imperative to assess and determine the effects of this practice on fiber yield and quality. Hence, this study.

Specifically, the study seeks to determine the optimum period of maguey from maximum fiber production and tensile strength.

An RCBD with four replicates was used in the study. The different harvesting treatments were designated as follows: T1=3.0 years from planting (YFP), T2=3.5 YFP, T3=4.0 YFP, and T5=4.5 YFP. Data on the number, length and fresh weight of leaves and weight of dried fibers, per cent fiber recovery, and tensil strength were gathered. The total cost of production incurred from land preparation up to the production of dreid fibers were recorded, and were used as the basis for computing the net returns per hectare. In theextraction and drying of fiber, the sea-water retting and sun-drying methods were employed, respectively.

Significant references were observed in terms of length and number of leaves; weight of fresh leaves and dry fiber yield. Results showed that maguey harvested 4 years after planting (YFP) yielded the longest (123.56 cm) most number of leaves (63.66 leaves) and highest herbage yield (4.5 tons/ha) compared to harvesting 3.0 YFP and 3.5 YFP. Weight of dried fiber was also highest (8.06 t/ha) when maguey was harvested 4.5 yfp. No significant differences was observed in per cent fiber recovery and tensil strength among treatments. It was also noted that mean tensile strength of the fibers were relatively lower (17.99 kg/g-m) compared to the value obtained by FIDA in its test in 1983, with tensil strength of 22.98 kg/g-m.

Harvesting maguey at 4.5 YFP obtained the highest net income at P 52,866.25 per hectare per year, while the lowest income at P 1,870.45 was realized when maguey was harvested at 3.0 YFP.

Extending the period of harvesting to 4.5 years is a good practice to obtain high fiber yield and increase in income. In case of dire cash needs, harvesting 6 months to 1 year is also profitable.

Table 1. Agronomic character, fiber yield and yield components of maguey as affected by different stages of maturity.
Treatment	Average number of leaves harvested	Average length of leaves harvested (cm)	Fresh weight of leaves (t/ha)	Dry fiber yield (t/ha)	Per cent Fiber Recovery (%)	Tensile strength (kg/g-m)
3.0 YFP 3.5 YFP 4.0 YFP 4.5 YFP	45.78b 48.25b 55.50ab 63.66a	79.08d 91.20c 110.43b 123.56a	68.91c 94.97bc 145.19b 202.72a	1.89c 3.80b 4.88b 8.06a	2.68 3.89 3.34 3.92	16.19 18.61 19.10 18.05

YFP - Years from Planting
Number of leaves: * Length of leaves: ** Weight of leaves: **
Fiber yield: ** Fiber recovery: NS Tensile Strength: NS
Number followed with similar letter has no significant difference at 1% DMRT.

Table 2. Cost andreturn per hectare of magueyharvested at different stages of maturity.
Treatment	Expenses	Fiber yield (t/ha)	Gross Income (P 9.00/kg)	Net Income per hectare (in pesos)	ROI (%)
3.0 YFP 3.5 YFP 4.0 YFP 4.5 YFP	15,139.55 15,835.30 17,978.75 19,628.75	1.89 3.80 4.88 8.06	17,010.00 34,222.50 43,942.50 72,495.00	1,870.45 18,387.20 25,963.75 52,866.25	12.35 116.12 144.41 269.43