Growing Food: A Guide to Food Production

Growth period: 100–150 days.
Temperature: very frost tolerant. Semi-dwarf types are adapted to temperate
climates.

resistant.

Pests and diseases: rarely a problem; locusts, grasshoppers and armyworms
sometimes attack.

YIELD
When intercropped with finger millet in India Niger seed yields about 100–200
kg/ha. Pure stand yields have been recorded in both India and Ethiopia of about
300–400 kg/ha, 400–600 kg/ha in Kenya. 1.2 MT/ha is possible with good growing
conditions.
Oil yields are 30–50% of dried seed yield.

UTILISATION

• drying oil which is yellow in colour and tastes of nuts. Seeds can also be used
  fried or as chutneys and condiments, or fed to caged birds. In Ethiopia they are


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  making paints. It is used as a substitute for olive oil, can be mixed with linseed
  oil, and is commonly used as a (less expensive) adulterant for rape oil, sesame

  
  


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  cattle. This black oilcake is comparable in feeding value to undecorticated
  groundnut cake. Up to 30% can be added to laying poultry rations. It is
  sometimes used as manure and/or soil improver.

  
  

LIMITATIONS

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  extract oil from Niger seed than from other oilseed crops.

  
  

Rainfall: about 600–1800 mm a year for all types. Dwarf types are more drought

Altitude: the optimum is around 2000–2200 m, but it can be cultivated from about
1600–2600 m.

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Oil is used for cooking, for making soap and for lighting; some is used in

Seeds of Niger seed are crushed, giving about 30% of a clear, edible semi-

Whole plant can be used to attract bees, and also as a green manure (before

pressed with honey and made into cakes.

oil, etc.

flowering).

Presscake is used as a high protein (30–35%) food for animals, especially

Yields are rather modest.

seed.

The growing crop needs a well prepared seedbed, with very few or no weeds.

The seeds are very small, and it is more difficult for subsistence farmers to

There is a shortage of improved varieties and of large quantities of good quality

GROWING FOOD – THE FOOD PRODUCTION HANDBOOK