High value birdseed for the Midwest
Niger, Guizotia abyssinica, is a new crop
alternative with potential for cultivation in the Midwest. Investigators with the Alternative Crops
Research Program at Western Illinois University are studying niger as a
possible new addition to the current cropping regime in the western part of
Illinois. Niger is most known in the
United States as a high dollar birdseed for use in finch and other feeders.
Traits
Niger is an annual, oilseed crop that is primarily grown
in Ethiopia and India. The plants can
survive under dry conditions and have few insect or disease pests in the
United States. The seeds of the niger
are extremely fine, and are not considered a noxious weed.
Prior Research Projects
