Materials | Methods of preparation | How to use | Target pests |
Neem leaf extract
(Sridhar; Vijayalakshmi, 2002: pp. 24-25) 1-2 kg of neem leaves Mortar and pestle Used cotton cloth Pot Soap Strainer String 10-12 kg of neem leaves are needed for 0.4 ha |
Pound neem leaves gently. Place in a pot. Add 2-4 liters of water. Cover the mouth of the pot securely with the cloth and leave it as such for 3 days. Strain to get clear extract. |
Dilute 1 liter of neem leaf extract with 9 liters of water. Add 100 ml of soap. Stir well. Spray on the infested plants. |
nAphids Colorado beetles Grasshoppers Grubs Japanese beetles Leafhoppers Locusts Planthoppers Scales Snails Thrips Weevils Whiteflies |
Neem seed extract
(Sridhar; Vijayalakshmi, 2002: pp. 24) 3-5 kg of neem seeds Mortar and pestle Used cotton cloth Earthen pot Soap Strainer String |
Remove the shells. Pound seeds gently. Place in a pot. Add 10 liters of water. Cover the mouth of the pot securely with the cloth and leave it as such for 3 days. Strain to get clear extract. |
nDilute 1 liter of this extract with 9 liters of water. Add 100 ml of soap. Stir well. Spray on the infested plants. |
Aphids Beetles Bugs Grasshoppers Grubs Flies Leafhoppers Locusts Moths Nematodes Planthoppers Scales Snails Thrips Weevils Whiteflies |
Neem seed powder extract (Singh; Singh, 2000: pp. 5-7)
Matured, dried neem seeds Mortar and pestle Basin, pail Muslin pouch Strainer Soap (5 ml/10 l of water) Water |
nRemove shells and pulps from seeds in the desired amount. Then pound seeds gently in such a way that no oil comes out. Once done, put the desired amount of powder in a pail of water. Stir well for about 10 minutes and steep for at least 6 hours but not more than 16 hrs. Stir it again for another 10 minutes. Strain. Add soap. Stir well. |
Refer to Table 1 for the neem powder and water ratio for the control of specific pest Spray on the infested plants thoroughly. Spray early in the morning or late afternoon. |
Cotton bollworm Aphids Colorado beetles Cotton leaf roller Cutworm Diamondback moth Fall armyworm Grasshopper Japanese beetles Leaf miner Leaf hopper Locust Mexican bean beetle nWhiteflies |
Neem seed oil suspension in water
(Singh; Singh, 2000: pp. 5-7) 5 kg of finely ground neem seeds 1/2 liter of hot water Soap Basin |
Put the finely ground seeds into a basin. Add hot water little by little until it is possible to knead the mixture. Knead and press the mixture to get the oil. Approximately 650-750 ml oil is extracted from this mixture. |
Refer to Table 2 for the oil and water ratio Take desired amount of neem oil and mix with soap before adding water. Stir thoroughly to prevent oil separation. Fill-in the knapsack sprayer. Spray thoroughly on infested plants. |
Aphids Brown planthopper Flea beetle r Leafhopper Potato tuber moth Psyllid Scale insects Whitefly Whorl maggot |
Notes:
1. Neem seed extract should be milky white in color and not brownish. If pounded with the seed coat on, 1 ½ times the amount of seeds are required.
2. It is very important to add the soap with the oil before adding water. It should be used immediately otherwise oil droplets will start floating. A knapsack sprayer is better for neem oil spraying because it has the tendency to mix the extract while in the process of spraying.
3. The 3 extract formulations can also be used for fungal diseases control including those that are soilborne. Neem cake can be used as soil manure- to improve the soil condition and to control various species of nematodes.
Table 1. Recommended powdered kernels and water ratio for various pests
(Singh; Singh, 2000: pp. 5-7)
Pests |
Powdered kernels in grams (g) per liter (l) of water |
n
Powdered kernels in kilograms (kg) per 600 liters (l) of water per hectare (ha) |
Dessert locust |
5 |
3 |
Hairy caterpillar Giant looper Gypsy moth Migratory locust |
10 |
6 |
Leaf miners |
15 |
9 |
Cabbage aphid Cutworm Japanese beetle |
20 |
12 |
Chafer beetle Colorado potato beetle Flea beetle |
30 |
18 |
Corn earworm |
r
40 |
24 |
American bollworm Aphids Cotton leaf roller Diamondback moth Grasshopper Leaf hopper Leaf miner Red locust Mexican bean beetle Mustard aphid Whiteflies |
50 |
30 |
Fall armyworm |
60 |
36 |
Pod fly |
80 |
48 |
Citrus leafminer |
100 |
60 |
Table 2. Recommended neem oil in water suspension for various pests
(Singh; Singh, 2000: pp. 5-7)
Pests b> |
Neem oil in milliliter (ml) per liter water |
Neem oil in liter (l) per 600 liters (l) of water per hectare (ha) |
Potato tuber moth Red and yellow scales Tortoise beetle |
10 |
6 |
Psyllid Whitefly |
15 |
9 |
Midge Whorl maggot |
20 |
12 |
Cotton aphids Flea beetle Gall midge Leafhopper |
30
|
18 |
Brown planthopper |
100 |
n 60 |
None; the proper use of neem has not been associated with any side effects.
Azadirachtin is relatively harmless to butterflies, bees, ladybugs, and wasps since these beneficials feed on nectar and pollen. Azadirachtin must be ingested to be effective so that pests which feed on plants are affected by its content. However, constant spraying of flowering plants with highly concentrated neem products affect bees since they carry contaminated pollen and nectar to the hives (National Research Council, 1992).
A study was conducted on neem products and their effects on mortality, growth, and reproduction of 7 species of earthworms. Various neem products were incorporated in the upper 10cm soil layer of tomato plots. None of the materials had negative side effects on earthworms. Positive effects on weight and survival were found in soil treated with ground neem leaves and ground seed kernels under greenhouse conditions. Reproduction was slightly favored over a period of 13 weeks in a neem-enriched substrate in rearing cages (Rossner; Zebitz, 1986: pp. 627-632).
Azadirachtin has no side effects on birds and other animals (Martineau, 1994). There is no toxic residue left to contaminate the environment and insects do not develop resistance to neem (Prakash; Rao, 1997: pp. 35-103).