India is playing a crucial role in development of neem
as pesticide in agriculture and pest control industry.
Neem in India is used for many purposes
Veterinary medicine
Unani medicine
Cosmetics
Malaria control
- public health
CROP PROTECTION AGENT
Nitrogen efficiency
Agro-forestry
Silviculture
Ayurvedic medicine
Ancient medicine
Agriculture
Modren medicine
Antifertility and other medical application
Seed Sources and Genetic Variation from Wild and Introduced Neem
Neem has been widely planted in different climatic zones of India and used by Indians since
very ancient times. Introductions are so old and wide that our knowledge of its wild
distribution has become uncertain. For free breeding and germplasm collection, however,
this needs to be determined because seed source from wild-range are genetically more
valuable as they evolve after generations of natural selection for adaptability to various sites.
Special differentiation in the form of genetic variation is a characteristic feature of wild
populations. They have a broader genetic base. The wild distributional range of neem if
discovered will provide many wild provinces and varieties of genetic value. The pattern of
intraspecific variation needs to be studied and evaluated for superior germplasm selection
for improvement work.
Seed Source, Land Races and Single Tree Seed from Introductions
Neem introductions where comparatively recent, e.g., in different regions of Africa like
Estonia and Ghana, are likely to have a narrow genetic base and a narrow adaptability to
restricted sites depending on the number of seed origins (provenances) originally
introduced and the size of their parental populations, i.e., seed origins coming either from a
single parent tree to many; or, from a single population to many populations. The local
natural selection in these has taken place only for a short duration and on a very narrow
genetic base. These seed origins are likely to be less adapted when shifted to various other
sites even in regions of its own introduction. For example, large plantation failures of neem
are recorded in Sudan and Northern Nigeria where few trees otherwise grew well.
Differences in azadirachtin content from seed origins have been recorded from different
African, Indian and Burmese regions. Marked differences in azadirachtin of seed origins from
Togo, Sudan, Southern India and upper Burma have been shown. The highest yields were
obtained form Sudanese and Burmese origins. In Togo seed origins contained relatively
higher amounts of azadirachtin than other from Sudan. In another report seed origins of
single trees from Togo and India gave best yields whereas Sudanese and origins gave
lowest amounts. These provenances and tree varieties. Detailed investigations on genetic
variation of azadirachtin content and its inheritance pattern must be studied in neem.
Not much is known of history of introduction
of neem in different countries. In Indian
regions its introduction is, however, very
ancient and widespread to meet the needs of
traditional use in every home and for
medicinal use. Except for the
Indo-Southeastern region of Asia the
introduction of neem in other countries (like
Africa) is comparatively recent. Very old
introductions in India and adjoining regions,
therefore, have provenances of their own
which are fully adapted to different regions of
its introductions. Genetic variation in widely
spread neem provenances of India and
adjoining regions needs to be studies and
superior germplasm selected and evaluated
from this broad area. It has been observed
that the provenances of neem from eastern semi-arid to western extremely arid range of
Rajasthan desert show variation in adaptability from moist to extreme arid regions. Selection
from this range may yield highly desert-adapted superior fodder-producing germplasm.
Neem seed origins from Lucknow to eastern Indian regions showing more rainfall have
been observed to be very different in tree for and size than those of arid region. These fully
naturalized provenances grow in widely separated agroclimatic regions from very old
introductions and, therefore, they are fully adapted to grow on the local sites. The seed
origins of India and its adjacent regions are thus as valuable as those of wild populations for
tree improvement work.