How to: Prepare Super Organic Pesticides from Neem Seed

Neem seed is from the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica), a tropical evergreen tree. It is originally from India now found throughout Africa. The use of Neem is one of the effective ways to organically control the pests of crops.

Pests are a constant threat to Agriculture. They cause substantial yield losses in the year. One of the effective ways of controlling the pests whiles protecting the environment is with the use of organic pesticides within the farming system.

Some prefer organic pesticides as the method for pests control in Agriculture. This is because it uses non-toxic substances. They also greatly enhance the ecological balance, promotes biological diversity and protects the environment.

Read also: Organic Farming: Types, Principles, Methods and Importance

At the end, you will be able to make organic pesticides from neem seed kernel extracts yourself. Neem seed extracts are;

1. The Neem Seed Kernel oil
2. The Neem Seed Kernel solution

METHOD 1: NEEM OIL

1. Seed Collection, Cleaning, drying and sorting of seeds

Collect matured seeds from the neem. Clean the ripe seeds to remove the skin. Dry the seeds to reduce the moisture content and to make decortication easier. You should also pick out foreign materials like stones and dirt from the seeds.

2. Shelling and winnowing

When the seeds are dried, shell it. You can pound with a pestle in a mortar to get clean kernels. Winnow afterwards to separate the seeds from the shells.

3. Crushing the kernels and sieving

Now, crush the cleaned neem kernels by pounding with a pestle in a mortar to get a fine mesh. Winnow the pounded neem kernel. Then sieve to get a fine powder.

4. Streaming over boiling water

Stream the neem powder by placing it over boiling ware for between 15 – 20 minutes. This turns it into a dough from which you can extract the oil.

5. Oil extraction using the pressing machine

After forming the dough, enclose it in a fine cloth and place it in the barrel of an oil extraction machine. By the mechanism of the oil presser, the hot dough is pressed for the oil to flow out. Collect that is into a clean container.

6. Formulation of the neem extract as a pesticide

At this point, you have extracted the oil. What is left is the rate of application as an organic pesticide. The recommended rate for most crops is 0.25ml of neem oil to 20litres of water. You can spray this on the crops with a knapsack. Or a broom by sprinkling the liquid on the leaves of the crops.

Read also: Why is Organic Fertilizer Better?

METHOD 2: NEEM SOLUTION

Materials for Neem Seed Kernel Solution

To prepare 100 litres of 5% neem seed extract solution, you need;

1. Neem seed kernels (well dried) – 5 kg
2. Water – 100 litres
3. Detergent – 200 g
4. Muslin cloth for filtering

Procedure

1. Take 5kg of well-dried Neem seed kernel (Only the kernel).
2. Grind the kernels into powder.
3. Then you soak the powder overnight in 10 litres of water.
4. Stir with a wooden plank in the morning till the solution becomes milky white.
5. Filter through a double layer of muslin cloth
6. Top up or dilute the volume to 100 litres.
7. Add 1% detergent. Mix little water to the detergent and make into a paste. Then mix it in the solution. This will help stick to the surfaces of the leaves.
8. Mix the solution well and spray on crops.

*** Points of note ***

• Do your collection of the Neem fruits during the bearing season. Air-dry them under shade. Do not use the seeds over eight months of age. Beyond that age, the seeds lose their potency.
• Always use freshly prepared neem seed kernel extract.
• For effective results spray the solution in the later hours of the afternoon.

Read also: Managing Crop Pests with Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Pests Controlled with Neem extracts

Neem seed kernel extracts control many insect pests. These include stalk borers, beetle larvae, butterfly and moth caterpillars. Also, true bugs, plant and leaf-hoppers, adult beetles, mealy bugs, thrips, fruit flies, scale insects etc.

Advantages of Neem Organic Pesticide

Neem seed kernel extracts have many uses and benefits in organic farming. Some of the advantages are;

1. The seeds are available in most places in the tropics.
2. It is not difficult to prepare and less expensive.
3. It is environmentally friendly.
4. You only need simple equipment to apply them.

References:

A Guide to Organic Pesticide preparation from Neem seed extract – (sgp.undp.org)

Neem Seed Kernel Extract – ( vikaspedia.in)

Featured image source: Primal Group