This article summarizes the activities and achievements of the International Neem Network with main focus on recent activities, including the discussions and outcome of the International Neem Workshop, held 14-15 March 1996 in Bangkok, Thailand.

For a general description of the International Neem Network, its objectives, organization, networking principles, and activities in the early stages of the Network, please refer to the article by A. Thomsen and O. Souvannavong in Forest Genetic Resources No. 22 (1994).

BACKGROUND
Following the recommendations and agreements of the First and Second International Consultations on Neem Improvement, Bangkok (Thailand) January 1993, and Jodhpur (India) March 1994, the International Neem Network was established with the long term objective to improve the genetic quality and adaptability of Neem and to improve its utilization, throughout the world, as a contribution to development in the countries concerned, with particular focus on meeting the needs of rural people. The Network collaborators decided to undertake activities in relation to provenance exploration, seed collection and exchange for establishment of internationally coordinated trials. The Network collaborators also decided to undertake research in seed physiology and technology, genetic diversity and reproductive biology, as well as studies on variation in chemical compounds.
National institutions of 21 countries, in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, are collaborating in the Network (Table 1). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) also participate in the Network activities, as well as a number of FAO/UNDP regional forestry field projects viz. "Improved productivity of man-made forests through tree breeding" (FORTIP), based in the Philippines; "Afforestation and Reforestation - Formulation of National Policies" (STRAP), based in Vietnam; and "Forestry Research Support Programme for Asia-Pacific Region" (FORSPA), based in Thailand plus the "ASEAN Tree Seed Centre Project" (also in Thailand). The Network is coordinated by a panel formed by Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE, India), Royal Forest Department (Thailand), Institut Sénegalais de Recherche Agronomique, (ISRA, Senegal), Département forestier du Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD-Forêt, France), DANIDA Forest Seed Centre (DFSC, Denmark), FORTIP and FAO. Global coordination is entrusted to FAO, which facilitates inter-regional cooperation and exchanges of information and genetic material.

Table 1. Countries collaborating in the International Neem Network and focal point institutions

Country	Focal point institution
Bangladesh	Forest Research Institute
Burkina Faso	Centre National de Semences Forestieres and Institut de Recherche en Biologie et Ecologie Tropicale
Chad	Direction des Forêts et de la protection de l'Environnement
Denmark	Danida Forest Seed Centre
France	CIRAD-Forêt
Ghana	Forest Research Institute
India	Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
Lao P.D.R.	Department of Forestry
Mali	Institut d'Economie Rurale
Myanmar	Forest Research Institute, Yezin
Niger	Direction de l'Environnement
Nepal	Forest Research and Survey Centre
Nicaragua	Centro de Mejoramiento Genetico de Semillas Forestales
Nigeria	Federal Department of Forestry
Pakistan	Pakistan Forest Institute
Philippines	Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau
Senegal	Institut Sénegalais de Recherche Agronomique
Sudan	Forestry Research Institute
Tanzania	National Tree Seed Project
Thailand	Royal Forest Department
Vietnam	Forest Science Institute

During 1993 and 1994, seed-sources were surveyed and documented throughout the natural range of the species and in areas of introduction. Pilot seed collection and exchange were undertaken to improve the procedures used in these difficult operations, Neem seed having a recalcitrant or intermediate behaviour. A training workshop was organised in July 1994, in Coimbatore (India), to familiarise Network collaborators with the improved procedures.

EXCHANGE OF SEED AND ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL PROVENANCE TRIALS

Exploration, identification and collection
25 seed sources, representing the entire eco-geographical variation in the range of distribution of the species, were identified for seed collection and exchange among Network collaborators in 1995, for establishment of international provenance trials. All seed sources to be included in the international trials have been described using a common set of descriptors, including maps, and published in a booklet. A number of collaborators have, in addition to the seed sources identified for international trials, selected and collected a number of additional, local seed sources to be included in the national trials.
The seed collection took place between March and August 1995. Seed collection followed common procedures worked out by a working group of the Network. In all cases seeds were collected from at least 25 trees, 100 meters apart. Immediately after collection and appropriate processing, the seed was rapidly dispatched to other Network collaborators (see Table 2).

Table 2 Seed sources exchanges during 1995 and recipients. No information available about seed sources exchanged to Philippines.

Recipient country Seedlot no.

B G D

I N D

L A O

M Y A

P A K

S E N

S R L

T H A

V I E

T A N

N I C

T C A

N E P

S U D

B F A

M A L

N I R

N I G

Chamwino (25/TAN/Cha)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Ban Bo (21/THA/Bo)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Doi Tao (22/THA/Doi)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Ban Nong Rong (20/THA/Non)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Tung Luang (19/THA/Tun)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Vientiane (11/LAO/Vie)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Sunyani (23/GHA/Sun)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Ramannaguda (10/IND/Ram)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Sagar Chanatoria (08/IND/Sag)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Balharshah (09/IND/Bal)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Chitradurga (04/IND/Chi)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Ghaati Subramanya (07/IND/Gha)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Mandore (03/IND/Man)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Allahabad (05/IND/All)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Annur (06/IND/Ann)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Yezin (12/MYA/Yez)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Myene (13/MYA/Mye)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Nazir Hat (01/BGD/Naz)

*

*

*

*

Chapai Nawabganj (02/BGD/Cha)

*

*

*

*

Multan (17/PAK/Mul)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Tibbi Laran (16/PAK/Tib)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Lamahi (14/NEP/Lam)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Geta (15/NEP/Get)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Kuliyapitiya (18/SRL/Kul)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Bandia (24/SEN/Ban)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

BGD: Bangladesh; IND: India; LAO: Lao P.D.R.; MYA: Myanmar; PAK: Pakistan; SEN: Senegal; SRL: Sri Lanka; THA: Thailand; VIE: Vietnam; TAN: Tanzania; NIC: Nicaragua; TCA: Chad; NEP: Nepal; SUD: Sudan; BFA: Burkina Faso; MAL: Mali; NIR: Nigeria; NIG: Niger.

Seed exchange and nursery production in 1995
Systematic collection and exchange of recalcitrant/intermediate seed requires efficient and well coordinated action. A total of 25 provenances, from 11 countries, were successfully collected and exchanged among 19 countries in 1995, as shown in Table 2. The International Neem Network now holds the experience how to collect and exchange Neem seed efficiently.

Nursery production of seedlings followed common guidelines developed by a working group of the Network and presented in a booklet on procedures for the nursery phase. The nursery production was successful in most countries, and a sufficient number of plants of acceptable quality was raised for trial establishment. In some countries surplus seedlings were available. The Network recommended that these seedlings be used to establish ex situ conservation stands/provenance stands, in which provenances are kept separately and isolated from outside sources to avoid the risk of mixing genetic material of unproven quality and adaptability with the local genetic resources of Neem (genetic pollution).

Guidelines for the design and establishment of trials
The objective of the international provenance trials of Neem is to study, on multiple sites, the genetic variation, the overall adaptation and growth of the provenances included in the trials, in which material which represents the entire eco-geographic variation of the species is included, and to assess site/provenance interactions.

Guidelines for trial design and establishment were prepared by a working group on trial design. Considering the extent of variation, across the Network, in trial site conditions and number of seedlings available, it was not considered realistic, nor desirable, to use one single design for all the trials. Instead, the guidelines were designed to provide practical advice for the design and establishment of statistically sound, robust trials, adapted to local conditions and available resources. The guidelines were based on well known experimental principles.

Establishment of international provenance trials
The international provenance trials were established in collaborating countries from May to October 1996, following the above guidelines. Table 3 indicates, for different countries, the number of trials established. For some countries, information related to the number of trials is only preliminary or unknown (shown in the table as "na"). A total of some 30 international provenance trials of Neem were established in 1996. The number of provenances collected as part of the international programme, which was included in the trials, varied between 15 and 25. In addition, some countries included local seed sources as "controls". In accordance with the general principles of the International Neem Network, establishment and maintenance of trials and funding of these activities is the responsibility of the country, i.e. collaborating countries have provided funds for trial establishment, and they will also provide funds for the maintenance of the trials.

Table 3. Tentative number of established field trials.

Country	Number of trials established
Bangladesh	2
Burkina Faso	2
Chad	2
India	5
Lao P.D.R.	1
Mali	na
Myanmar	4
Niger	na
Nepal	2
Nicaragua	2
Nigeria	1
Pakistan	1
Philippines	na
Senegal	1
Sudan	na
Tanzania	4
Thailand	2
Vietnam	1

Note: For countries marked "na", the number of established trials is at present unknown.

SUPPORTIVE RESEARCH COMPONENTS

As mentioned above, in addition to the main Network activities on exchange of seed and establishment of international provenance trials, the network has a number of associated supportive research components, related to:

 
• Genetic variation and reproductive biology;
• Seed physiology and technology;
• Genetic variation in chemical compounds.

The activities related to each of these components are briefly described below.

Genetic variation and reproductive biology
This component is coordinated by CIRAD-Forêt, France. A research proposal has been prepared by CIRAD-Forêt in cooperation with concerned Network collaborators. The proposal was presented to the Government of France, but it was unfortunately not accepted. The research proposal is at the moment being updated and reformulated by CIRAD-Forêt together with concerned Network collaborators. Submission of the proposal to the European Union is envisaged, but other possibilities will also be considered.

Seed physiology and technology
This component is coordinated by the DANIDA Forest Seed Centre, Denmark. The work has been concentrated on seed storage and seed desiccation studies. A number of countries, which have agreed on common objectives and goals are collaborating in the seed physiology group, and are carrying out seed physiology research at the national level, using their own funds.

Some of the collaborators in the seed physiology and technology component in the International Neem Network are also participating in the project "Effective Conservation and Use of Intermediate and Recalcitrant Tropical Forest Tree Seed", coordinated by IPGRI and funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), thus providing useful linkages between these two, complementary projects (see the note on this project elsewhere in this issue of "Forest Genetic Resources").

Component on genetic variation in chemical compounds
This component is coordinated by the Indian Council for Forest Research and Education (ICFRE). Research is at present on-going in India and Thailand in this technical field, but many other network collaborators have shown interest in the work, and are planning to participate in developing this component further. Present activities include estimation of Azadirachtin content in Neem seed, determination of fatty oil variation in Neem seed, plus isolation and characterisation of active constituents in these compounds.

NETWORK PROGRAMME AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES

The immediate work programme of the International Neem Network will concentrate on the continued management and care of the established international provenance trials. Assessment of trials should be done already starting from year 1 (1997). To prepare for this activity, a working group headed by ICFRE, India has been created to develop guidelines for trial assessment, including identification of characters to assess and assessment methodology. In addition to this, the research components mentioned above will be continued and further developed.

Once these basic activities are well under way, the Network will - following a step by step approach - engage in further activities. These activities are still to be determined but following preliminary discussions at the recent Workshop of the International Neem Network in Bangkok in March 1996, and in accordance with the long term objectives of the Network, the following activities have been preliminarily identified:

 
• Further assessment/survey of the genetic diversity and variation of Neem;
• Coordinated activities in the conservation (in situ and ex situ) of the genetic resources of Neem;
• Genetic improvement and production of improved planting materials in countries concerned;
• Further studies on chemical compounds and their genetic variation, linked, and coordinated with, other genetic diversity studies.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE INTERNATIONAL NEEM NETWORK

Further information on the International Neem Network can be obtained from the Coordinator of the Network. Correspondence should be addressed to:

Chief
Forest Resources Development Service
Forest Resources Division
Forestry Department
FAO
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Fax: 0039 6 5225 5137
E-mail: [email protected]

The International Neem Network is publishing a newsletter, NEEM, which is edited and disseminated by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), India. The newsletter is available from ICFRE (in English only) at the following address:

Editorial & Publications Division
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
P.O. New Forest
Dehra Dun 248006
India

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED BY THE INTERNATIONAL NEEM NETWORK

Procedures for seed collection and exchange (The Yellow Booklet). February 1995.

Revised procedures and design in trial establishment: 1. Nursery phase (The Green Booklet). March 1995.

Revised procedures and design in trial establishment: 2. Field trial (The Red Booklet). April 1996.

Seed sources for the international provenance trials of Neem (The Blue Booklet). In press

Report of the workshop of the International Neem Network, Bangkok, 14-15 March 1996. May 1996.

All the above publications are available from the Network Coordinator (FAO).