Description and Uses
Azadirachta indica (Neem) is a
tropical
tree from
East India . It is mainly grown for its
medicinal crops
, which have a
very long shelf life. The crop is harvested by
hand picking. It starts flowering after
5 -
12 years. The yield will be
30 kg/tree/year, but in its top season there will be a yield of
55 kg/tree/year. Other crop types include;
mulch, repellent pesticide, timber, oil, medicinal, ornamental, The
shoot is used as
inedible . The
seed/nut is used as "
anti-biotica, anti-fungal, high vitamin-C content, anti-oxidant, malaria prevention, " with
Azadirachtin (300 -
2500 ppm) as its significant
phytochemical. There is
neem-oil extracted by
cold pressing from the
tree's
seed/nut yielding
40% -
48% oil. The
tree's wood is called
neem wood and has a density of
680 -
700 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the
tree's growing speed is
medium, it's energetic value is
4200 ckal/kg and the wood's drying speed is
fast. After
40 years the
tree can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal.
Azadirachta indica has a lifespan of
300 years.
Environmental limitations
The tree is
15 meters tall with a crown of
15 meters wide. The
tree prefers a planting distance of
600 cm and a row distance of
1,400 cm. It is
fast growing and
intolerant to shade.
Azadirachta indica has a
deep root-system and it has symbiotic associations with the
Glomus intraradices fungi
(endo-mycorrhiza). It is
not able to fix nitrogen with
"Rhodospirillaceae bacteria. The name(s) or string of bacteria include(s)
"not applicable ". The
tree's flower-morphology is
hermaphroditic and is pollinated by
insects.
Azadirachta indica is
evergreen and
a bit allelopathic and has
no thorns.
Azadirachta indica thrives in an altitude of
0 to
1500 meters above sea-level
(tropical). The minimum temperature is
-1°C; optimally between
15 -
40°C. The optimal rainfall is
1000
mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between
400 -
1200mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between
6.0 -
7.0 in a soil texture of
sand. To salt it is
tolerant to wind
tolerant and to fire
intolerant.
Pests and Diseases
Azadirachta indica is susceptible to the following pests:
Aonidiella orientalis
, Pulvinaria
, Helopeltis antonii
. And it's susceptible to the following diseases:
Angular leaf spot ,
,
.
Seed Propagation
Seeds are
recalcitrant and can be stored for
1 months. There are approximative
3900
seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed:
- (1) Store harvested seeds in water or in the fruit at room temperature
- (2) Soak the seeds overnight in warm water before sowing.
- (3) press the seeds twice its size in the soil soil.
