DG Assures On Tomato Disease Eradication

The Acting Director
General of National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria, Prof. Mohammed Kabiru Yakubu, has assured that the disease ravaging tomato farms known as Tuta Absoluta  would soon go extinct.
In a statement by AgroNigeria,  obtained by our correspondent in Port Harcourt recently, Kabiru explained that the institute has been into research on biocides before the commencement of the current administration.
He disclosed that a project that was  sponsored by the federal government called the Neem Project was able to develop Neem-based fertilizer.
According to him, the research also succeeded in extracting Neem-based oil and a bio-active chemical substance, called Azadirachtin.
“Azadirachtin is a biocide that is highly effective pesticide against so many pests including Tuta absoluta”, he said.
He discloed that the biochemical substance of Azadirachtin is about 0.6 per cent in the Neem kernel, adding that it is also from the Neem  kernel that the institute produce the oil and the residue that is then used in the production of fertilizer.
The NARICT boss further explained that the efficacy of Azadirachtin on Tuta  absoluta has been proven and well documented internationally.
“Right now, we have a committee that will optimize the process for the extraction of  Azadirachtin so as to be able to cater for  then needs of the country.
“We are working in collaboration with the National Agricultural  Extension, Research Liaison  services (NAELS),” he said.