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Neem
leaf oil has its positive characteristics
of controlling pests, with or without the
combination of synthetic fertilizers. As
farmers were started adopting Eco-friendly
fertilizers in their farms, it drove them
to use the Neem leaf oil with such bio-degradable
supplements. The naturally obtained fertilizers
are either from the wastes or from the existing
flora.
Recently, researches were made in combination
with organic wastes, which has the qualities
of repelling insects. One such organic waste
is Urine. It is known that urine of a human
being or an animal contains the plant essential
nutrients NPK, i.e. Nitrogen, Phosphorus,
and Potassium and therefore, used in the
manufacture of some plant supplements. Lab
tests were conducted with the animal wastes,
in particular, as some of the animal metabolic
wastes were seemed to possess insecticidal
properties. Testing of neem oil in combination,
especially with cow urine over the field
crops was effective against insects like
beetles, aphids, etc. Interestingly the
plant growth was also found to grow fertile,
and it is due to the urea content present
in the urine.
Sometimes Neem kernel extracts along with
insecticides like phosphamidon and dimethonate
were also used. This addition of the neem
kernel extract and some insecticides with
the Neem
leaf oil were used in a test that was
made in India and found to be effectual
against mustard aphids and coccinellid beetles.
Preparation of this organic fertilizer
is done by soaking chopped neem leaves in
a gallon of cow urine. The mixture is cold
pressed to obtain the pure combined product
of urine and the neem leaf extract i.e.
neem oil after removing the remains. In
case of using the neem kernel, the same
process is followed for the fertilizer extract.
The attained extracts were later mingled
with phosphamidon and dimethonate insecticides.
The formulated extract is made into a spray
solution by adding some pinches of detergents
and few ml of water to it.
Note: Spraying should be done three times
in the first year, i.e. 50, 60 and 70 days
after sowing and four times in the second
year, i.e. 50, 60, 70 and 80 days. The population
of the aphids in the fields is recorded
before and after the treatment of the pesticide
spray.
A farmer is two ways benefited by using
this combination of neem leaf oil and cow
urine, which means the neem leaf oil acts
as the organic pesticide
and cow urine serves as the crop urea supplement.
Thus it reduces the cost that is being spent
separately for pesticides and fertilizers.
Author: Adam Teaser - neem oil articles |
