Neem Leaf Powder Reduces Ralstonia solanacearum Population Density, Bacterial Wilt Severity and Enhances Tomato Fruit Yield

The study was planned to determine the effects of dietary incorporation of Neem (Azadirachta indica), Moringa (Moringa oleifera), and Jute (Corchorus olitorius) leaf powder on production performance, carcass traits, and blood indices of broiler chickens as a substitute for the antibiotic. A total of 200-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were divided randomly into 5 experimental groups. Whereas groups T1, T2, T3, and T4 were offered basal feed supplemented with 2% Neem Leaf Powder (NLP), 2% Moringa Leaf Powder (MLP), 2% Jute Leaf Powder (JLP), and antibiotics, respectively. In this research, the total feed consumption of birds was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the T1 and T2 group than in the T3 and T4 group. Final live weight was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in 2% MLP treated group T2 followed by T1, T3, and T0 group. Significantly (P < 0.05) better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found in the T2 group compared to T0, T3, and T4 groups. There found no significant (P > 0.05) effect of treatments on the survivability percentage of birds. All the treatment groups showed an insignificant (P > 0.05) effect on dressing percentage and organs (liver, heart, and gizzard) weight of broiler chicken. Weight of immune organs (spleen and bursa) and blood parameters (concentration of hemoglobin, glucose, and cholesterol) were not influenced (P > 0.05) by dietary addition. Birds fed the lower amount of feed, higher body weight, and improved FCR were found in the 2% MLP treated group. In overall aspects, the effectiveness of 2% MLP addition was better than 2% NLP and 2% JLP as an antibiotic alternative.

An experiment was carried out to study effect of Neem leaf powder on proximate composition and organoleptic evaluation of broiler chicken. One hundred and sixty, day-old broiler chicks assigned into four treatment group with four replications having 10 broiler chicks in every replication in a completely randomized design. Treatment details include: T0 (control) without neem leaf powder, treatments T1, T2 and T3 had given basal diet with 5 gm, 10 gm and 15 gm neem leaf powder per kg of feed. The result found that feeding neem leaf powder with diet of broiler had no significant effect on moisture, protein, fat and ash content in breast and thigh muscle. There was no significant difference in organoleptic parameters of broiler chicken. It was suggested that neem leaf powder can use in broiler ration without negative effect on proximate composition and sensory attributes of broiler chicken.

Neem leaves are recognized for their potential as an immunomodulatory, antifungal and antioxidant properties. A feeding trial was conducted to discern the influence of dietary inclusion of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder on carcass traits, serum immunological status and economical production of broiler Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total number of 144-day-old chicks of Japanese quail were randomly assigned into four treatment groups, with 36 Japanese quail per treatment having three replicates of 12 birds each. Birds of treatment T1 (control group) were fed a basal diet (starter and finisher), whereas in treatment groups T2, T3, and T4, the basal diet was incorporated with 0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.00% neem leaf powder, respectively. Results showed supplementation of 1.0% neem leaf powder improved the serum immunoglobulin concentration of broiler Japanese quail during the whole trial period. Carcass traits among various treatment groups were similar. Higher profitability was found in 0.50 percent neem leaf powder treatment group when all the birds were sold at market price. It can be concluded that 0.50 to 1.0 percent neem leaf powder can be incorporated in feed for good health status and desired economical production of the broiler Japanese quail.

A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of herbs Azadiracta indica (Neem) and Ananus comosus (Pineapple) for the control of ascaridiosis in chicken. Neem leaf powder (@100 mg /kg feed /day), Pineapple leaf powder (1gm /kg feed /day) and combined preparation (100 mg +1gm /kg feed/day) were found effective against Ascaridiagalli. The percent efficacy by declining rate of EPG and worm count revealed that combined preparation of Neem and Pineapple leaf powder was most effective, followed by Pineapple leaf powder and Neem leaf powder at 28 day post treatment. The present study revealed that Neem and Pineapple could be safe and effective dewormer and may provide an alternative of chemical anthelmintics.

Solanum scabrum Mill., commonly known as African nightshade, is an important indigenous vegetable in sub-Saharan Africa, valued for its nutritional and socio-economic benefits. However, its production in the Buea Municipality, Cameroon, is threatened by bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, alongside other diseases such as Verticillium wilt and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV). This study aimed to assess the incidence and severity of bacterial wilt and other diseases affecting S. scabrum in Buea Municipality, identify the bacterial pathogen using cultural characteristics and evaluate the effectiveness of common management practices employed by farmers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted across five major production sites; Bolifamba, Bwitingi, Koke, Molyko, and Muea between November to December, 2023. Disease incidence and severity were assessed using quadrat sampling. Symptomatic plants were collected for pathogen isolation and characterization through cultural, morphological, and biochemical methods. A pathogenicity test was conducted to confirm the causal organism. The efficacy of selected management strategies, including the application of Mancozeb, ginger extract, black pepper extract, and wood ash, was tested under field conditions. Bacterial wilt recorded the highest incidence (32.48%) and severity (1.68%) across the study area, with Koke and Bwitingi being the most affected sites. Verticillium wilt and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus disease (TYLCV) had lower incidences of 4.68% and 6.14%, respectively. Cultural identification confirmed Ralstonia solanacearum as the causal agent of bacterial wilt based on colony morphology, gram-negative reaction, and pathogenicity tests. Field trials indicated that Mancozeb significantly reduced disease incidence (41.3%) and severity (13.6%) compared to other treatments. Wood ash was the least effective, resulting in the highest disease incidence (91.5%) and severity (54.5%). Bacterial wilt, caused by R. solanacearum, poses a significant threat to S. scabrum production in Buea Municipality. Although some management practices are employed, their efficacy remains limited. Integrated disease management approaches, incorporating resistant varieties, improved cultural practices, and appropriate biocontrol methods, are recommended for sustainable control of bacterial wilt in S. scabrum. Keywords: Solanum scabrum, Disease, Incidence, Severity, Bacterial wilt, Ralstonia solanacearum, Management

A feeding trial was conducted to discern the influence of dietary incorporation of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder on growth performance and haemato-biochemical parameters ofJapanese quail for 6 weeks. A metabolic trial was conducted during the last week of the feeding trial to assess nutrient utilization. A total number of 144-day-old chicks of Japanese quail were randomly assigned into four treatment groups, with 36 Japanese quail per treatment having three replicates of 12 birds each. Birds of treatment T1 (control group ) were fed a basal diet (starter and finisher), whereas in treatment groups T2, T3, and T4, the basal diet was incorporated with 0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.00% neem leaf powder, respectively. Results showed supplementation of 0.25% neem leaf powder improved the performance of Japanese quail in terms of body weight gain and performance index during the whole trial period. Nutrient utilization among various treatment groups was similar. The hematological values showed no significant a lterations i n d ifferent groups. Th e biochemical attributes among the treatment groups were similar, but a considerable decrease in the level of cholesterol and glucose was observed with an increasing level of neem leaf powder in the diet. Activities of ALT, AST, and ALP were lowest in the T4 group. It can be concluded that 1 percent neem leaf powder can be supplemented in feed for good health status and desired performance of the birds.

Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) is the major seed destroyer in stored grain, causing both quantitative and qualitative losses. Traditional approaches utilizing chemical insecticides including fumigants to address this problem present environmental risks and health concerns. Focusing on the scenario, a study was conducted at laboratory condition of entomology division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) to assess the efficacy of different botanicals for the management of rice weevils in stored rice. Employing a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications, the experiment comprised four treatments alongside an untreated control, namely Neem (Azadirachta indica) oil, Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) seed kernel powder, Neem (A. indica) leaf powder, Biskatali plants (Polygonum hydropiper) powder and Control (untreated). The findings unveiled that the highest percent of insect mortality was found in neem oil (85%) was followed by biskatali plant powder (75%), neem leaf powder (61.67%), and mahogany seed kernel powder (60%), respectively. The lowest emergence of F1 progeny was recorded in neem oil-treated seeds compared to mahogany seed kernel, Neem leaf powder, biskatali, and untreated control, indicating the efficacy in managing the reproductive capacities of rice weevils. Additionally, neem oil also exhibited the least weight (%) loss of grain compared to other treatments. Regarding seed germination, biskatali plant powder showed the highest germination rate (94%), followed by neem leaf powder (90%), mahogany seed kernel powder (89.67%), neem oil (88%), and control (80.67%), respectively. The research findings indicated that the neem oil and biskatali plant powder have the greatest potential to minimize the current use of synthetic insecticides for rice weevil management in stored rice. SAARC J. Agric., 22(2): 197-207 (2024)

To study severity of bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and other diseases on tomato cultivar in summer, seedlings were transplanted on March 15, April 5, April 11, May 5 and May 20, 2001 in Horticulture Farm of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur. Plants started wilting and dying 10 to 12 and 18 to 25 days after transplanting, respectively. The highest percentage of plants wilted from the second week of May to the second week of June. Fruit rot and viral disease also appeared as serious problems, which caused up to 62.7% fruit rot and 80.0% plant infection, respectively. In rotten fruits, conidia and acervuli of Colletotrichum phomoides were found, whereas viral disease could not be diagnosed. Fruit set and yield were very low in general, although comparatively higher yield was obtained in the first two plantings which decreased drastically and reached to zero in the last two plantings. Higher varietal susceptibility to bacterial wilt and viral disease and unfavourable weather could have caused low fruit set, low yield and high fruit rot. Studies on varietal screening and epidemiological aspects would be prioritized in future. Cultivation of Pusa Ruby tomato will not be suitable in this existing situation at Rampur and similar conditions during summer Keywords: Ralstonia solanacearum , viral disease, Lycopersicon esculentum , yield J. Inst. Agric. Anim. Sci. 25:31-37 2004

This study was conducted to determine the effects of seed treatments using Neem leaf powder, pepper fruit powder, camphor, groundnut oil and wood ash in combination with five different packaging materials (cloth bag, paper bag, glass bottle, polythene bags and plastic container) on the viability and germination vigor of cowpea seeds. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized block design in a 5 by 6 factorial with three replications. 1 kg of dried cowpea seeds with a uniform moisture content of 11% were stored for 6 months in different packaging materials in combination with six different seed treatments: No treatment (control), Camphor (Chemical treatment) -4 g/kg of seeds, Neem (Azadirachta indica L.) leaf powder (Botanical) -10 g/kg of seeds, Groundnut Oil / Palm oil - 5 ml/kg seeds, Powdered Dry pepper (Capsicum spp) -10 g/kg of seeds and wood ash 1 kg/kg of seeds. Indoor temperatures were between 25.3 and 30.7°C, outdoor temperatures between 26.1 and 31.1°C and relative humidity between 61.0 and 82%. Results obtained from the study showed that packaging material and seed treatment had high significant effect on the vigor and germination percentage of cowpea seeds. Germination of seeds treated with powdered pepper (73%) and neem leaf powder (72.5%) were significantly higher than other treatments. Seeds stored in plastic containers had the highest vigor and germination percentages (61.1 and 77.1% respectively) followed by glass bottle (60.3 and 72.2% respectively) after 6 months storage period. It seems that for better storage of cowpea seeds for a period not exceeding 6 months it is preferable to use plastic containers and glass bottles in combination with dry powdered pepper or neem leaf powder to maintain seed vigor and viability. Key words: Cowpea, germination, packaging material, seed treatment, vigor.

Azadirachta indica (Neem) leaf powder as a biosorbent for removal of Cd(II) from aqueous medium

The adsorption of basic dye, Methylene Blue Dye (MBD) onto neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder (NLP) and activated NLP with sulphuric acid was compared in this investigation. The surface analyses of NLP and activated NLP (particle size distribution, porosity, pore volume, pore diameter and BET surface area) were conducted using sophisticated instrument. The process parameters like adsorbent dose, pH, temperature and contact duration have been studied. The experimental data were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm, in which adsorption capacities and intensities were evaluated. Three kinetic models, pseudo first-, second-order and Elovic equations were applied to describe the adsorption process, in which correlation coefficient for each kinetic equation were calculated and evaluated. First published online: 11 Oct 2012

Synthetic pesticides have been found to increase the yield of agricultural products over tenfold. However, the effects of pesticide misuse around the world include costly environmental pollution and disruption of the balance of nature in addition to their high cost and non-availability. Hence the need for search for alternative pesticideformulations to avert these undesirable effects. A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaf powder and organic fertiliser for management of M. incognita in soybean(Glycine max) production. A screenhouse experiment was conducted to test the efficacy of neem leaf powder (NLP) and organic based fertiliser (OBF), alone and a combination of 50% each of the NLP and OBF against root galling and Meloidogyne incognita multiplication on soybean and their potency in grain yield improvement. Theexperiment was laid out in completely randomised design with three replications. Although all treatments were effective in reducing root galling and nematode reproduction, NLP applied alone gave the highest reduction (92.59 %) in gall formation and nematode multiplication (82.07 %), followed by NLP + OBF and then OBF alone. Increases in grain yield ranged from 103.08 to 108.46% in response to organic soil amendment. Integration of the two organic substances is a better and more promising strategy since it reduced the quantity of organicfertiliser that had to be transported to farmer’s field by 50%.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of crude neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder against strongyle infections in cattle. Based on copro-examination, 30 cattle positive for strongyle infection with at least 250 [eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces] were selected and grouped as A, B and C (10animals/group). Group A and B were treated respectively with fendendazole and neem leaf powder @ 5 and 500mg/kg body weight, whereas Group C served as infected untreated control. Faecal sample from each animal of these groups was examined on day 0, 7, 14 and 28 post treatments and EPG was determined. The result showed significant decrease (p<0.05) in EPG in Group A and B after day 7 post treatment but there was no significant variation in terms of EPG in control group. Thus it can be concluded that crude neem leaf powder has anthelmintic property and it can further be studied to isolate the active component to produce herbal anthelminthics.

Due to an inevitable disadvantage of chemical or physical synthesis routes, biosynthesis approach to nanoparticles, especially metallic oxide is attractive nowadays. Metallic oxides nanoparticles present a new approach to the control of plant pathogens. ZnO nanoparticles (ZNPs) have very important role in phytopathology. In current study, biosynthesized ZNPs were tested against two devastating bacterial pathogens including Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria and Ralstonia solanacearum causing bacterial leaf spot and bacterial wilt in tomato. ZNPs were produced using a new extract from the plant Picea smithiana using an environmentally friendly, cost-effective and simple procedure. Zinc acetate was added to P. smithiana extract, stirred and heated to 200°C. The white precipitation at the bottom were clear indication of synthesis of nanoparticles, which were further dried by subjecting them at 450°C. X-ray diffraction pattern determined that the ZNPs had a crystallite size of about 26nm, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated a peak between 450 and 550cm-1 and the particle size estimated by dynamic light scattering was about 25nm on average. Scanning electron microscopic analysis indicated that the particles were hexagonal in shape 31nm in diameter. Antibacterial tests showed ZNPs synthesized by P. smithiana resulted in clear inhibition zones of 20.1 ± 1.5 and 18.9 ± 1.5mm and 44.74 and 45.63% reduction in disease severity and 78.40 and 80.91% reduction in disease incidence in X. compestris pv. vesicatoria and R. solanacearum respectively at concentration of 100µg/ml. Our findings reveal that the concentration of ZNPs was important for their efficient antibacterial activity. Overall, the biosynthesized ZNPs have been found to have effective antimicrobial activities against bacterial wilt and bacterial leaf spot in tomato.

In this study, we investigated the ability of DL-3-aminobutyric acid (BABA) to protect tomato against bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. This was combined with studies of accumulation of total phenolic compounds, free and total salicylic acid (SA), and activity of enzymes related to plant defence, i.e., polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and catalase (CAT). Under greenhouse conditions, tomato plants pre-treated by soil drenching with BABA profoundly reduced disease severity of bacterial wilt compared to plants receiving a soil drench with water. Thus, BABA reduced leaf wilting index by 75.3 % and vascular browning index by 69.9 %, without any in vitro inhibitory activity on the pathogen. BABA treatment significantly reduced the population of R. solanacearum in stems of tomato plants and additionally also significantly increased both fresh and dry weight of roots and shoots of tomato plants compared with the inoculated control. Application of BABA resulted in a high increase in PPO activity both in plants with and without inoculation. Compared to water-treated plants, treatment with BABA also induced a significant increase of total phenolic compounds as well as of free and total SA in leaves of both inoculated and non-inoculated tomato plants at all sampling times. CAT activity decreased in tomato plants treated with BABA in comparison with the water-treated control plants and the decrease in activity correlated with an increasing total SA accumulation. These findings suggest that BABA treatment resulted in induction of resistance to bacterial wilt in tomato.