09-08-2013, 03:23 PM
Role of Neem in control of fungal diseases
ABSTRACT
Neem (Azardirachta Indica.) is believed to be the native of India grown in nutrient poor soils, in arid habitats and has tremendous potential for human use. The importance of neem was identified as bio fungicides by modem scientific community in early as 1959. As a fungicide neem oil is mainly used as a preventive and when disease is just starting to show. It coats the leaf surface which in turn prevents the germination of the fungal disease. Neem oil is effective against rots, powdery mildews, rusts, scab, leaf spot, blight, leaf curl of peach and leaf spot that can be cured by the application of neem oil. Essential oils extracted from the seed of neem have antifungal activity. Neem oil was quite effective for Aspergillus spp., Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus spp. and Aspergillus spps. Neem is also used as pesticide. Neem probably is the world most efficient insect repellent with extracts from its fruit, kernels, leaves, and twigs, which yield a compound known as "azadirachtian" and which is systemic in action and has both insecticidal and fungicidal properties.