Azadirachta indica

-Neem

• Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, nimtree or Indian lilac,is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae.
• It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta.
• It is native to the northeast of the Indian subcontinent and to Indochina, but is naturalized and grown around the world in tropical and subtropical areas.
• Its fruits and seeds are the source of neem oil. Neem (नीम/نیم) is a Hindustani noun derived from Sanskrit nimba (निंब).

USES:-

1. Neem leaves are dried in India and placed in cupboards to prevent insects eating the clothes, and also in tins where rice is stored.
2. The flowers are also used in many Indian festivals like Ugadi.
3. Neem is used as a vegetable in India. In Tamil Nadu, neem flower rasam is made using the flower, and in Bengal, neem begun bhaja is made using young neem leaves fried with eggplant. It is typically eaten as an appetizer with rice.
4. Neem tree products have been used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine for skin troubles and rheumatism, but there is insufficient clinical evidence to support their effectiveness. Neem appears to be safe for short-term use in adults, but long-term use may harm the kidneys or liver. Neem oil is toxic to small children and can lead to death. Neem has been used for various medicinal purposes, and the neem leaf has been particularly described for its medicinal utilities in treating inflammation, infections, fever, skin diseases, and dental disorders.
5. Neem is a key ingredient in non-pesticidal management (NPM), providing a natural alternative to synthetic pesticides. Neem seeds are ground into powder that is soaked overnight in water and sprayed on the crop. To be effective, it must be applied repeatedly, at least every ten days. Neem does not directly kill insects. It acts as an anti-feedant, repellent, and egg-laying deterrent and thus protects the crop from damage. The insects starve and die within a few days. Neem also suppresses the subsequent hatching of their eggs. Neem-based fertilizers have been effective against southern armyworm. Neem cake may be used as a fertilizer.
6. Tree: the neem tree is of great importance for its anti-desertification properties and possibly as a good carbon dioxide sink. It is also used for maintaining soil fertility.
7. Fertilizer: neem extract is added to fertilizers (urea) as a nitrification inhibitor.
8. Animal feed: neem leaves can be occasionally used as forage for ruminants and rabbits.
9. Teeth cleaning: neem has traditionally been used as a type of teeth-cleaning twig.
10. Neem leaves are used in ecoprinting (botanical printing) onto fabric in parts of Asia.

Cultural & Historical Importance:

• The name Nimai ('born under a neem tree'), of the Bhakti movement Vaishnava saint and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (believed to be an incarnation of Radha Krishna in Gaudiya Vaishnavism and ISKCON) is due to his birth under a neem tree.
• In 1995, the European Patent Office (EPO) granted a patent on an anti-fungal product derived from neem to the United States Department of Agriculture and W. R. Grace and Company.[38] The Indian government challenged the patent when it was granted, claiming that the process for which the patent had been granted had been in use in India for more than 2,000 years. In 2000, the EPO ruled in India's favour, but W. R. Grace appealed, claiming that prior art about the product had never been published in a scientific journal. On 8 March 2005, that appeal was lost and the EPO revoked the Neem patent.

Plantation:-

• Soil

  Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

• Temperature

  It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 26 - 40°c, but can tolerate 14 - 46°c [ ]. Mature plants tolerate some frost, but seedlings are more sensitive

• Water

  It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 450 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 200 - 2,000mm.