Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

142 Nim
Figure 16.8 Widely-spaced double rows of A. indica are necessary for adequate fruiting
in this genetic trial.
amounts of seeds during the time that neem seedlings were being mass distributed
throughout Haiti. However, a significant step was made in 1990 with the importation of
a West African and Caribbean collection made by Agridyne, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT).
These seed lots were established in a 1991 genetic test designed to evaluate differences
in survival, growth, seed yield, and azadirachtin concentration over a period of 5 years.
The results after 2 years are encouraging, though differences in height growth have only
been detected between the top seed lot from Niger (4.8 m) and the slowest-growing seed
lot from Puerto Rico (3.6 m). There were no differences in survival. Several of the neem
have flowered and fruited, indicating that the trial may yield seed of sufficient quantities
for early azadriachtin assays (Fig. 16.8).
The Neem Vision: Continued research must be directed toward enlarging and improving
the genetic base of neem in Haiti. Currently, only a narrow genetic base is available
for wide-scale management of neem seed production. Every effort must be made to
keep abreast ofprogress being made to conduct provenance-wide collections ofA. indica.
The use ofsterilized seedlings grown in the source country and packed in moist peat
moss should be investigated as an alternative to seed for shipment of germplasm to
Haiti.
Currently, neem is being harvested from unimproved trees growing as windbreaks,
shade and roadside plantings. Silvicultural research must continue to study the optimal
conditions for fruit production. The relationship between tree density (trees ha· l ) and
azadirachtin yield (kg ha ol ) must be determined for various site conditions if neem is to
be managed economically for the pesticide industry. An operational method already has