Niger seed (Guizotia abyssinica) ኑግ

Description

The niger plant is a stout, erect annual herb that grows up to a height of 2 m . The root system is well developed, with a taproot that has many lateral roots, particularly in the upper 5 cm. The stems are soft, hairy, hollow with a diameter up to 2 cm, and branched. Their colour is pale green, often stained or dotted with purple, and become yellow with age. The leaves are opposite, sometimes alternate at the apices of the stems. The limbs are simple and sessile. The leaf blade is lanceolate to obovate, 3-23 cm x 1-6 cm, variable in shape, with a margin that is either entire or toothed, ciliate, softly hairy on both surfaces. Leaves are usually dark green, but the lower ones have a distinct yellow colour. The inflorescences are arranged in apical or axillary cymes surrounded by leafy bracts up to 3 cm long. The flowers are capitula, ranging from 15 to 50 mm in diameter, bright yellow becoming golden yellow as they mature. Each flower produces about 50 seeds. The seeds are small achenes (actually a fruit), 3-6 mm long x 1.5-4 mm broad, glossy black in colour

In Ethiopia, niger is a major source of edible oil and provides about 50% of the country’s oilseed production. Ethiopian niger seeds contain about 40% oil . In India, niger oil is only 3% of oilseed production  Niger oil is pale yellow, with a nutty taste and a pleasant odour. It is mostly used for cooking, as well as in paints and for the extraction of perfume from flowers . Niger seeds are used as food in many Ethiopian dishes, condiments and snacks: “litlit” or “chibito” are niger seeds roasted and ground with salt, then mixed with roasted cereals. They are traditionally served during coffee ceremonies

In Ethiopia, niger oil cake is the main protein supplement for livestock . In Western countries, niger seeds are important components of birdseed mixtures . The whole niger plant can be used as fodder for sheep, but it is unpalatable to cattle, to which it is only acceptable as silage. Niger is a valuable cover crop between cereal crops and it can be turned into green manure .