Introduction
| The niger (Guizotia abyssinica L. f. Cass.) crop is grown for seed
used for extracting oil which is about 37 to 43 per cent of the seed weight.
The oil is used for culinary purposes, for anointing the body, for manufacturing
paints and soft soaps, for lighting and lubrication and for manufacturing
cosmetics. The oilcake is a well-known cattle feed. The crop sheds a large
quantity of dry leaves in the field and thereby adds organic matter to the
soil. |
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Varieties
The following are some of the traditionally cultivated varieties of niger.
|
State
|
Variety
|
Duration in days
|
Special characteristics
|
|
Karnataka
|
`No. 16’
|
120
|
Seed medium, black, yields 420 kg/ha, oil content
42 per cent
|
|
Karnataka
|
`No. 24’
|
120
|
Seed medium, black, yields 410 kg/ha, oil content
41 per cent
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
`Ootacamund’
|
120-130
|
Seed shining black, yields 340 kg/ha, oil content,
41 per cent
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
`N 5’
|
90
|
Seed shining black, yields 220 kg/ha, oils content
37-36 per cent.
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
`N 87’
|
80
|
Seeds shining black, yields 300 kg/ha, oil content
37-38%
|
|
Maharashtra
|
`Niger B’
|
115-120
|
Seed black, yields 350 kg/ha, oils content 37-39
per cent.
|
|
Orissa
|
`GA.2’
|
135-145
|
Seed bold, shining black, yields 280 kg/ha, oil
content 42 per cent.
|
|
Orissa
|
`GA.10’
|
135-145
|
Seed bold, shining black, yields 310 kg/ha, oil
content 42 per cent.
|
Varietal Improvement
According to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, ICAR,
Government of India, in 1999-2000 JNS 7 and JNC 11 have been found superior
in yield to the existing checks in the multilocation trials. Nitrogen (100%)
through urea and seed treatment with phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB)
gave highest yield at all locations. A total of 483 kg breeder seed of 3
recommended varieties was produced.
Important hints for getting maximum yields of niger
- Thinning at the appropriate time to produce sturdier plants.
- Applying 20 kg of N and P each per hectare.
- Inter-cultivation twice to control weeds and to conserve soil moisture.
- Harvesting the crop in time to avoid the shattering of seed.
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