Adverse effect of neem oil on arecanut fruit setting

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Date

2007-02-08

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Abstract

Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod coastal areca belt has Se^n^^iilmiA^-fbr adverse effect ofneem on arecanut production since 1997. Neem and similar planfBaseapesticides have been used as a prophylactic spray against scale infestation from the day of opening of areca spathe at regular intervals. This comes in the way of natural pollination which otherwise is wind mediated by - (i) making the male flowers not to open or dry up fast, (ii) aggravating the temperature effect and (Hi) mechanically blocking the entry of pollens into the receptive female flowers. An observatory study in the field and in the laboratory comprising three spray liquids viz., two unbranded but in vogue with the farmers (one neem based and the other cashew nut shell liquid based) and another Neemazal (10,000ppm Azadirachtin) from EID Parry (I) Ltd. at three concentrations in a CRD model, has confirmed the negative impact of these pesticides on arecanut pollination. Pollens deposited on the control agar media with no spray solution only germinated and hence thephyto-toxicity on the areca inflorescence is indicated.

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Keywords

arecanut, fruit setting, neem oil-adverse effect

Citation

Indian J.Arecanut, Spices and Medicinal Plants. 2000 v-2 i-1 p-1-5