Neem |
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Neem (Azadirachta Indica) is a medium sized or large tree with straight trunk and deciduous in certain climates. This medicinal plant is originated in India. In India, neem occurs throughout most parts of the country, to an altitude of 3000 feet. Believed to be an auspicious tree, this is often cultivated in gardens and along roadside as avenue trees. |
Regarding its medicinal value it can purify blood. The bark is a bitter tonic, astringent and it is useful to break periodic sequence levers like malaria and is also used in various skin diseases. The tree gives the well-known Margosa oil, which is found to be useful in the treatment of leprosy and other skin diseases. Leaves in poultice form are used for healing of wounds. Leaves and bark contain margosine alkaloids, seeds contain margasopicrin, neem/margaso oil and glucosides. Seeds contain 40% of oil, which is yellow coloured. |
Dried stem bark, leaves and root bark. |
The timer of neem is very durable and used for house building, making agricultural equipment, and other furniture works. Dried leaves are placed along clothes to keep moths away. Oil from the seeds is useful in the manufacture of soap and as biological insecticides. Oil cake is used as a valuable biofertilizer and it is also useful to reduce the incidence of citrus canker and citrus leaf-minor diseases and for lightning lamp. |
Neem is an evergreen tree and it generally regenerates naturally. It is easily propagated both sexually and vegetatively. It can be planted using seeds, seedlings, saplings from juvenile as well as woody cuttings and micropropagation. It is propagated from seed. It should be sown immediately after collection. It may be sow first into polythene bag containing soil and then transferred to soil or can be sown seeds directly into soil. Seeds will germinate within one week after sowing. Frequent watering is not a must because it can withstand water stress to a considerable extent. |
Flowering in neem is spread over January to May. It starts fruiting in 4-5 years and becomes fully productive in 10 years. The major limonoid is azadirachtin. Its content ranges from 0.24% to 0.74% from the seeds. It is a hardy tree and stands pollarding, salinity and drought conditions well. New shoots will sprout in March. Flowers are small, sweet scented and white in appearance. Fruits are yellow berry (one seeded drupe) about 1 inch long. Flowers are small, sweet scented and white in appearance. Flowering takes place in the first week of April. |
A fully-grown tree yields about 50kg fruits and about 350kg leaves annually. Neem seeds lose their viability within 2-3 weeks and seeds are classified as recalcitrant. |