Neem Tree Essay

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The neem tree (Azadirachta indica) is native to the seasonally dry, tropical woodlands of north-east India, and perhaps parts of Asia. It is a member of the Meliaceae family. The latinized name of neem, Azadirachta indica, is derived from the Persian (National Research Council [NRC], 1992). Two species of Azadirachta have been reported, Azadirachta indica A. Juss – native to Indian sub- continent and Azadirachta excelsa Kack. – confined to Philippines and Indonesia (Jattan et al, 1995 and Hegde, 1995). Neem has a strong root system with a deep tap root and extensive lateral roots. It flowers profusely over the winter/spring dry-season and the flowers are pollinated by bees and

Since each kilogram has about 4,000 seeds, annual seed production per tree is estimated to be 44,000–200,000. The seeds of neem appear to be short-lived. According to Rajiv (1996), neem seeds are viable for a period of only 8–10 days from the date of collection and opined that they are difficult to propagate in the nursery. Similarly, Read and French (1993) stated that neem is propagated primarily through seed, which has a short viability of 3–4 weeks. There are often large numbers of neem seedlings regenerating under mature neem trees and can live for up to 200 years. Nurseries propagate neem from seeds and tip-cuttings. Specimens can also be grown from root suckers (NRC,

In a bid to mechanize the various unit operations involved in the post-harvest processing of neem seeds, information and data on the behavior of these strength properties as a function of moisture is needed. Hence, the study of moisture dependent thermo-mechanical properties of neem seed. Parameters and information obtained will help in harnessing the potential benefits of neem seed. The utilization of the data generated would save energy and promote the design and development of appropriate, effective and efficient process machines. Besides processing and preservation, thermal conductivity and other properties such as specific heat and thermal diffusivity also affect the sensory quality of foods as well as energy saving during processing (Opoku et al., 2006). Furthermore, findings from this research will provide useful information for other disciplines ranging from engineering to medicine and