EFFICACY OF NEEM DERIVED BIOPESTICIDES AS AN APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF VEGETABLE CROP PESTS AMONG SUBSLSTENT FARMERS IN NIGERIA

The conventional way of protecting vegetable crops on the field against insect pest attack is through the use of various synthetic insecticides. Sometimes, the availability of the synthetic insecticides becomes a problem to the subsisteht farmers and usually when available, they are so expensive to procure except when subsidized by government or any other agency. Due to these problems, the neem tree has been reported to be rich in naturally occurring pesticides Virtually all parts of the neem tree can be used to formulate a biopesticide that contains a “cocktail” of active principles among which the most potent has been reported to be azadirachtin, oil, powder, cake and ‘aqueous’ solutions can be produced from any part of the tree. Neem biopesticides may work as an antifeedant, repellent, ovicidal agent, growth regulator and many more. It is in view of these that the prospects and use of neem seed derived biopesticides product is being considered as possible (l alternative to the use of synthetic insecticides.