Niger seed commonly known as Ramtil is an erect, stout, branched annual herb, grown for its edible oil and seed. Its cultivation originated in the Ethiopian highlands, and has spread to other parts of the world. The seed, technically a fruit called an achene, is often sold as bird feed. The leaves are arranged on opposite sides of the stem. At the top of the stem leaves are arranged in an alternate fashion. Leaves are 10-20 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. Ramtil flower is yellow and, rarely, slightly green. Fruit is normally called achene which is club-shaped, obovoid and narrowly long. The achenes are black with white to yellow scars on the top and base and have a hard testa. The embryo is white. It bears a fairly thick, adherent seed coat and can be stored for up to a year without deterioration.
| Name | Niger seeds |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Guizotia abyssinica |
| Native | Ethiopia |
| Common/English Name | Ramtil, Inga seed, Niger, Niger-seed, blackseed,noog/nug, nyger, nyjer, Niger-seed oil, ramtil oil |
| Name in Other Languages | English: Inga seed, niger, niger-seed, niger-seed oil, ramtil oil Ethiopian
French: Guizotia oléifère, niger, graines du, noug
Portuguese: niger, verbesina-da-Índia Thai: เมล็ดไนเจอร์, met nijoe |
| Plant Growth Habit | Erect, stout, branched annual herb |
| Growing Climate | Adapted to different environments: cool tropical Eastern Africa, hotter tropical and subtropical lowlands of India and temperate Europe |
| Soil | Grow on almost any soil as long as it is not coarse-textured or extremely heavy. It is usually sown in areas with a rather poor soil or on heavy clay soil under poor cultural conditions. Niger tolerates waterlogged soils since it grows equally well on either drained soils or waterlogged clays. Niger is extraordinarily resistant to poor oxygen supply in soil because of its ability to develop aerenchymas under these conditions. |
| Plant Size | Average of 1.4 m, but can vary considerably as a result of environmental influences and heights of up to 2 m |
| Root | Well developed, tap rooted with many lateral roots, particularly in upper 5 cm. |
| Stem | Soft, smooth to slightly rough, hairy, hollow, up to 2 cm in diameter, branched, pale green, often purplish stained or dotted, becoming yellow with age, hairy with multicellular white hairs |
| Leaf | Arranged on opposite sides of the stem; 10-20 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. The leaf margin morphology varies from pointed to smooth and leaf color varies from light green to dark green, the leaf surface is smooth. |
| Flower | Yellow and, rarely, slightly green. The heads are 15-50 mm in diameter with 5-20 mm long ray florets. Bright yellow become golden yellow as they mature. Each flower produces about 50 seeds. |
| Flowering Season | Aug to September |
| Seed Shape & Size | Club-shaped, obovoid and narrowly long, 3-6 mm long x 1.5-4 mm broad, 4-angled |
| Seed Color | Glossy black with white to yellow scars |
| Flavor/Aroma | Pleasant odor |
| Taste | nutty taste |
| Season | Sep to October |
| Major Nutrition | Isoleucine 0.307 g (18.36%) Valine 0.362 g (17.14%) Threonine 0.237 g (13.47%) Histidine 0.162 g (13.15%) Tryptophan 0.054 g (12.27%) Leucine 0.388 g (10.50%) Lysine 0.294 g (8.79%) |
| Health Benefits |
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