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Guizotia abyssinica is an erect, stout, branched Annual plant herb, grown for its edible oil and seed. Its cultivation originated in the and Ethiopian highlands, and has spread to other parts of Ethiopia. Common names include noog/nug (Ethio-Semitic and Eritrean ኑግ nūg or ኒህዩግ nihyug); ramtil or ramtilla; niger or nyger seed (all pronounced ); inga seed; and blackseed. Noug has been described as semi-domesticated, self-incompatible crop with yellow flowering heads and seeds. Recent studies have revealed the regional genetic diversity of some noug populations grown in Ethiopia based on RAPD and AFLP markers.
| 30%–40% |
| 10%–25% |
| 12%–18% |
| 10%–20% |
| 10%–11% |
The seed, technically a fruit called an achene, is often sold as birdseed as it is a favourite of finches, especially the Carduelis and the greenfinch ( Chloris). In the birdseed market, niger is often sold or referred to as thistle seed. This is a misnomer resulting from early marketing of the seed as "thistle" to take advantage of the finches' preference for thistle.
The Wild Bird Feeding Industry (WBFI) has trademarked the name Nyjer "... to eliminate product confusion and the offensive mispronunciation of Niger as well as to promote a positive image for the use of 'Guizotia abyssinica' as a wild bird feed."
In 1982, the USDA ordered that imported niger seed must be heat sterilized to kill the contaminant dodder seed. This treatment, however, was insufficient to kill seeds of other Federal noxious weeds, including Asphodelus fistulosus (onion weed), Digitaria spp. (includes African couchgrass), Oryza spp. (red rice), Paspalum scrobiculatum (kodo millet), Prosopis spp. (includes mesquites), Solanum viarum (tropical soda apple), Striga spp. (witchweed), and Urochloa panicoides (liver-seed grass). In 2001 a new treatment required that imported niger seed must be heat treated at for 15 minutes.
In 2002, the 'EarlyBird' variety of Guizotia abyssinica with a crop maturity of 65 days was developed and adapted to grow in the United States. The 'EarlyBird' variety of Guizotia abyssinica is protected by U.S.D.A. Plant Variety Protection Certificate Number 9900412. A second variety of Guizotia abyssinica submitted to the U.S.D.A. for Plant Variety Protection (Application Number 200500140) called 'Earlybird 50' has a crop maturity of 50 days and is a shorter, more dense plant with a higher yield and is less susceptible to lodging than the 'EarlyBird' variety. Both varieties have short enough maturities to make production feasible in many U.S. growing regions. Guizotia abyssinica is not a Federal noxious weed and is now in commercial agricultural production in the United States often grown as a first or second crop before or after wheat, maize, soybeans, and Cucurbitaceae. Niger is self-sterile and requires bees for cross pollination.
Physical characteristics of oil
| 1.4655–1.4673 |
| 187–195 |
| 112–129.0 |
| 0.5–1.0% |
| 0.5–0.75% |
| 24.5–27.8°C |
| 0.2–2.0% |
Fatty acid composition of niger seed oil
The seed's oil is widely used for industrial purposes such as soap making, paints preparations and preparation of different types of emulsions. welcome to THE DML Group | Exporters of Indian Cotton, Spices, Pulses, Grains & Oil Seeds
The seed is used as bird food. As the seeds are so small, specialized bird feeders are manufactured for niger seed. In the United Kingdom the seeds attract and .
Due to its concentration of caffeic acid and other phenolic compounds, the seed extract of Guizotia abyssinica can be incorporated into culture media to be used in differentiang colonies of Cryptococcus sp. from other yeast colonies, given that the former will produce melanic pigments and be darker colored, and the latter won't. Strachan AA, Yu RJ, Blank F. (1971). Pigment Production of Cryptococcus neoformans Grown with Extracts of Guizotia abyssinica. Applied Microbiology, 22(3):478–479.
1.7%–3.4% 5.8%–13.0% 5.0%–7.5% 13.4%–39.3% 45.5%–65.8%
Culinary and medicinal uses
Niger seeds are used for human consumption in the southern parts of India. In Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, niger seeds (called valisalu/ valasulu in Telugu language, uchellu/ gurellu in Kannada, and karale in Marathi language) are used to make a dry chutney, which is used as an accompaniment with breads such as chapati. They are also used as a spice in some Curry. In Ethiopia, an infusion made from roasted and ground niger seeds, sugar and water is used in treating common colds.
Other uses
A paste or gruel made from slightly roasted and ground niger seed, mixed with roasted and ground (Amharic: telbah) and hot water, is traditionally used in Ethiopia in treating leather.
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External links
C.J.P. Seegeler (1983). 9789022008157, Center for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation. . ISBN 9789022008157
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