Neem Tree Advantages
- The neem tree provides a wide range of benefits and uses.neem image by fotomagic from Fotolia.com
The neem (scientific name: Azadirachta indica) is an Asian member of the mahogany family of trees. Common to India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the neem is a fast-growing tree that is characterized by a short, stout trunk; lush, green leaves; and fragrant white flowers. While the tree is valued for its multitude of uses in many Asian nations, it is considered an invasive plant in other regions, including some Sub-Saharan countries. - Every part of the neem tree---from its bark to seeds, resin and oil---is associated with numerous medicinal uses. Ground leaves are an effective remedy for eye disorders, prurigo, diabetes, intestinal worms, skin diseases (scabies, eczema, leprosy), ulcers and chicken pox.
Neem tree bark possesses analgesic and astringent properties and cures vomiting, nausea, skin diseases and general debility.
Neem fruit is effective in curing piles, leprosy, urinary disorders and worms.
Its oil is considered a simulative, antiseptic, antibacterial and alternative that is useful in the treatment of gingivitis, leprosy, ulcers and periodontitis. - According to Niir Board in the "Handbook on Neem Allied Products," the agricultural benefits of neem have been known since ancient times. Neem makes a viable fertilizer, insecticide and microcide and its compounds are used extensively in pest management. The chemical azadirachtin, extracted from neem seeds, has strong insecticidal properties and controls leaf miners, whiteflies, pear psylla and other insects. Other chemical derivatives of the neem tree are effective in controlling various nematodes, mites, mosquitoes and insects---many of which are responsible for destroying large maize and rice fields. The addition of neem leaves to farmyard manure makes an effective compost when applied over agricultural fields. Neem trees neutralize excess soil acidity due to their unique ability to mine calcium, therefore improving water holding capacity and soil fertility.
- Biomass is biological material that is derived from dead living organisms---such as gas, waste, wood and alcohol fuels---and that is used as a renewable source of energy. According to Opender Koul and Seema Wahab in the book "Neem: Today and in the New Millennium," neem trees produce 1,000 kilograms per hectare of biomass seven or eight years after planting. According to Nasir El Bassam in the "Handbook of Bioenergy Crops," full-grown trees yield between 10 and 100 metric tons of biomass per hectare, with the leaves contributing approximately 50 percent of that amount.
