October 30, 2003

 

Niger Thistle as an Alternative Crop

Niger thistle has good potential as a new alternative crop for North Dakota farmers, according to Bob Henson, research agronomist at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center.

Niger thistle is commonly used as birdseed, but the current 70 million pound annual U.S. demand is all imported from China, Ethiopia, India and Myanmar. It is popular because it attracts many of the finch species such as goldfinches and pine siskins.

Although it’s called a thistle, the plant has nothing in common with thistle other than the seed. "The plant is part of the sunflower family and is actually a nice looking plant," Henson says.

"We’ve had research plots testing Niger thistle in the past but the varieties available at that time were not well adapted to our growing season," Henson says. "The development of a short-season cultivar in recent years has permitted successful growing of Niger in test areas in the Northern Plains.

Past research has narrowed recommendations for seeding rate and some herbicides are now labeled in Minnesota and North Dakota. Current studies center on agronomic management of the crop.

This year’s research focused on the effects of seeding rate and nitrogen fertilization on crop performance. A second trial evaluated the effect of swathing time on yield. Field experiments were conducted at several NDSU research extension centers, at the University of Minnesota and some on-farm sites.

"Yield was generally unaffected by nitrogen applications of 20, 40, or 60 pounds per acre suggesting that Niger may be a low-input crop," Henson says. "Swathing trials showed that there is some flexibility in scheduling harvest operations."

Henson has been working with Feather Feed Foods in Red Lake Falls, Minn. on marketing plans. "We know that the market is there and it’s growing which is a positive when producers consider growing Niger thistle," Henson says.

Experiment Station researchers in Fargo and at NDSU Research Extension Centers across North Dakota are continuing to work with new and alternative crops. Approximately 50 crops are grown in North Dakota, but only 10 to 12 are considered major crops.

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Source: Bob Henson: (701) 652-2951, robert.henson@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 282-2448, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu