Azadirachta indica has few serious pests, but several scale insects have been reported to infest it. For example, Aonidiella orientalis (feeding on sap of young branches and young stems), which is the most vigorous pest. It is also affected by Pulvinaria maxima and Helopeltis antonii which both feed on the sap. In India, a shoot borer damages the plant. Rats and porcupines attack and occasionally kill A. indica seedlings and trees by gnawing the bark around the base. Mistletoes that affect A. indica are Dendrophtoe falcata and Tapinanthus spp. In India and elsewhere, Psuedocercospora subsesessilis is the most common fungus attacking the leaves, causing the shothole effect. In India, the bacterium Pseudomonas azadirachtae may damage leaves (Orwa et al. 2009).
These pests and diseases are not considered major threats to the global A. indica population.
Name
Emma Hemmerlé
Scientific Name
Azadirachta indica
Common Name(s)
Neem
Type of Use
Extractive (i.e., the entire organism or parts of the organism are removed from its environment)
If extractive, for the target species, is this use
Non-Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of
Only parts or products of the organism (e.g., feathers, leaves, branches, eggs, nuts)
Details of parts/products taken
There were three main forms of wood harvesting: progressively coppicing, bole removal and root digging;
Local people (e.g., individuals, communities, co-operatives)
Is the use part of a strategy to generate conservation incentives, to finance conservation, or to improve tolerance/stewardship?
No
Is there evidence that the use is affecting the conservation status of the species? HIDE
Yes – use is improving the status (e.g., population is increasing or stabilising, extraction effort OR catch per unit effort is decreasing or stable)
Is there evidence that the use is affecting natural selection?
Unknown/not recorded
Is there evidence that the use is affecting poaching of illegal wildlife trade?
Unknown/not reported
The combination of selective cutting procedure and the regenerative capacity of the neem tree ensured that the firewood supply remained adequate over recent years.
Is there any evidence that this use of the species is having a knock-on effect on the status of non-target species
Unknown/not recorded
Unknown/not recorded
Details of assessment carried out
he results show that SSWH (small-scale wood harvesting), incorporating coppicing, stand tolerance, balanced with total bole cutting and root removal, and based on socio-cultural supports, has created a modified yet sustainable system of SSWH. It is concluded that these systems may contribute to tree stand conservation.
Has a valuation of financial flows from this use at the site/national/international level been recorded
Campbell, M. O. (2005). The Impact of Small-Scale Wood Harvesting on Neem Azadirachta indica A. Juss Stands in the Coastal Savanna of Ghana. Area, 37(1), 8–16. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20004425
Threats/pressures impacting the species at the scale of this record
Is there any gender/age specificity in the various roles
Yes
While both men and women practised SSWH, the particular situations of male and female stakeholders occasioned different preferences and approaches. Both groups were aware of conservation and energy issues, and there was little difference in terms their long-term perspectives. However, the logistics of harvesting compelled women to pay particular attention to location, and load weight, and this, rather than a stronger conservation ethic, created a slight gender imbalance with regard to coppicing over heavier cutting.
How many of these local jobs accure to the following categories?
How many people outside the local area are employed
Is there any evidence of other economic benefits associated with this use beyond direct income and jobs