Flax Agronomy Jessica Pratchler, PAg 1 and Jessica Weber, AAg 2 1 Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation; Melfort SK 2 Western Applied Research Corporation; Scott SK
1617 one of the first crops brought to Canada 1888 first breeding effort at AgCanada s Experimental Farms Branch 2014 heart healthy claim for ground whole flaxseed Lowers blood cholesterol levels Canada is a leading exporter of flaxseed Kazakhstan is the new leader Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 2
Everything in 5s! 1. 5 petals, sepals, and anthers per boll 2. 5 boll compartments 10 seeds can develop 3. Flowering lasts 15 to 20 days 4. 75% bolls ripe swathing or desiccation stage 5. Average TKW 5 g Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 3
Flax should be grown on cereal stubble Canola and Mustard have negative consequences due to phytotoxicity, nutrient and moisture depletion, non-mycorrhizal fungi host Research shows barley and wheat stubble is better than oats (trash management) Legume stubble can be good as well No-till better than conventional Flax provides suitable stubble for most crops Helps to break disease and pest cycles Little residue to harbour disease, hinder soil warming, and ease of seed placement Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 4
Multiple types: Oilseed Traditional (Brown, High ALA) Northern Specialty (Linola low ALA, NuLin very high ALA) Fibre All varieties - have Rust Resistance and moderate to Wilt Golden varieties light seed coat, high ALA for health food market Solin varieties - have low ALA for directed markets, yellow seed coat Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 5
(Sask. Crop Insurance, 2016) Provincial Average = 25.5 bu/ac Most common seeded varieties CDC Bethune and CDC Sorrel (avg. 26 bu/ac) CDC Neela (2 years) Highest average yield 29 bu/ac Norlin and Omega (5 Years) 26 bu/ac Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 6
Optimal plant density:400 to 450 plants/m 2 30 to 50 kg/ha seeding rate 50% mortality rate 60 to 73% success rate = hard to achieve optimal density Need sound seed with good seed placement 1 to 1.5 inches deep Seed treatments Higher seed rates Help compete against weeds and accelerate crop maturity Know your TKW and factor in Hard to recover from a poor start Limited ability to increase number of flowers per plant, set number of seeds per pod, small seed = need a lot of plants Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 7
Row spacing 6 to 8 inch optimal agronomic performance Flax develops slowly and has an open plant canopy Early weed control is essential; ensure vigour What effect does wider row spacings have on the optimal agronomic performance of flax? Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 8
plants/m2 plants/m2 650 600 550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 650 2014 600 2015 4 plants/m 2 550 500 14 plants/m 2 450 400 350 300 250 200 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 Row Spacing (inches) Row Spacing (inches) Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 9
bu/ac bu/ac 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2014 50 45 2015.44 bu/ac 40.73 bu/ac 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 0 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 Row Spacing (inches) Row Spacing (inches) Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 10
To Treat or Not to Treat? Seeding Rates: Low (35 kg/ha) Medium (55 kg/ha) High (70 kg/ha) Seed Treatment: Check Fungicide (Vitaflo) Nutrient (Awaken) Fungicide + Nutrient Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 11
1000 900 CHECK NUTR FUNG DUAL plants / m 2 800 700 600 500 400 B B A A 300 200 100 0 IH-13 ME-13 AVG Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 12
bu/ac 60 55 50 45 CHECK NUTR FUNG DUAL A Site dependent = seed treatment as insurance policy A A A 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 IH-13 ME-13 AVG Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 13
Early Seeding vs Late Seeding Seeding Rates: Low (40 kg/ha) Medium (55 kg/ha) High (70 kg/ha) Seed Date: Early and Late May Variety: FP2454 and CDC Bethune Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 14
Yield increased between 40 and 55 kg/ha, then stabilized between 55 and 70 kg/ha Traditional varieties: Late seeded yielded better than earlier, Northern varieties: yielded the same at each seeding date In Melfort, Northern variety yielded better than traditional by roughly 6% Seed flax when it best fits your schedule! If seeding is delayed may want to consider a northern variety Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 15
Seeding Rate * Date * Treatment Seeding Rates: Low (40 kg/ha) Medium (55 kg/ha) High (70 kg/ha) Seed Date: Early (May 5 th ) and Late May (May 29 th ) Seed Treatment: Insure Pulse (600 ml/ 100 kg seed) Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 16
Plant Density (plants/m 2 ) 600 500 Seeding Date p<0.0001*** Seeding Rate p<0.0003** Seed Treatment p<0.6280 92% a 33% a a 400 b 300 b 200 100 0 Early May Late May 35 kg/ha 55 kg/ha 75 kg/ha Indian Head 2016 Seed Treatment increase density by 11% ST Response similar for each seeding date Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 17
Yield (bu/ac) 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 a 3 bu/ac 104 days to maturity Early May Late May b Seeding Date p<0.0002** Seeding Rate p<0.9323 Seed Treatment p<0.1976 35 kg/ha 55 kg/ha 75 kg/ha Indian Head 2016 75% yield increase between early vs late may Early seeded at 75 kg/ha yield decreased due to disease Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 18
Early Seeding Decrease reliance on herbicidal weed control Decrease disease and insect risk Earlier harvesting Shorter decrease lodging risk Capitalize on early moisture, sunlight capture, avoid head during flowering Potential yield advantage Handles cold temperatures (-3 @ cotelydon, -8 @ 3 leaf stage) Late Seeding Warmer soil increase emergence rates Less responsive to seeding rate Late maturity increase seeding rate to decrease Use northern varieties Yields consistent between seeding dates Stands well can straight cut late Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 19
Nutrition Flax is very dependent on mycorrhizae. Fertilizer particularly P inhibits mycorrhizae Need to have soil well supplied by P (and other nutrients) Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 20
Nitrogen Side or MRB 30 to 70 lb N/ac Phosphorus Sensitive to seed-placed P2O5 - above 15 lb/ac not recommended Side or MRB Potassium & Sulphur Often non-limiting Micronutrients Yield increases generally not obtained with application Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 21
Seed Yield (bu/ac) 60 50 Yield continue to increase at high rates 40 30 20 10 d c Overall F-test: P < 0.001 Quadratic: P = 0.017 0 20 50 80 110 140 b b Nitrogen Rate (kg N/ha) a Almost 10 kg of N was needed to increase flax yield by 1 bu/ac Be mindful of delays to maturity (~10 days), worse with low plant stands Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 22
Objective: to evaluate the response of flax to varying rates and combinations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer, including higher N and P rates than are typically recommended or utilized. Locations: Brandon, Indian Head, Melfort, Redvers, Scott, Swift Current, Vegreville, and Yorkton Years: 2016, 2017, & 2018 Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 23
16 Treatments Total N as 46-0-0 P 11-52-0 Side-band: 1 inch down; 1 inch over Nitrogen Rate (kg N/ha) Phosphorus Rate (kg P 2 O 5 /ha) 0 0 50 20 100 40 150 60 Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 24
2016 Affected by N and N*P interaction at Scott, Swift Current, Yorkton, and Brandon Up to 37% decline in plant density as N rate increased but never brought below threshold (300 plants/m 2 ) Reaffirms that flax is quite susceptible to injury at high rates of N and high rate of P are less of a concern Good seed/fertilizer separation required or higher seeding rates Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 25
Plant Density (plants/m2) 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 a ab bc c 0 50 100 150 Nitrogen Rate (kg N/ha) N Rate p<0.0002** P Rate p<0.5369 N * P p<0.6904 (Melfort Only) 0 20 40 60 Phosphorus Rate (kg P/ha) Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 26
Maturity 2016 Nitrogen Rate effect Increasing N rate delayed maturity by 2 to 5 days Later maturity coincided with higher yields Maturity 2017 No noticeable maturity effects in but 0 kg N/ha rate matured faster Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 27
Yield (bu/ac) 60 50 40 b N Rate p<.1233 P Rate p<0.1465 N * P p<0.9787 Melfort Only ab a ab 30 20 10 3.5 to 19.3 bu/ac 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Nitrogen Rate (kg N/ha) Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 28
Yield (bu/ac) 60 50 40 b ab ab a N Rate p<.1233 P Rate p<0.1465 N * P p<0.9787 30 20 10 0 Rare and weak responses low residual P sites had highest responses Not uncommon due to AM fungi relationship 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Phosphorus Rate (kg P/ha) Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 29
Conclusion: Max yields were observed at 169 kg N/ha; but economically estimated at 110 kg N/ha If using high rates of nitrogen fertilizer, higher seeding rate is beneficial in case of adverse effects to plant establishment MRB? Although P response in flax is inconsistent, current practices are non-limiting and can be a management tool to help build up residual soil P levels Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 30
Disease Control Rust Last major epidemic in 1970 Only survives on flax Genetic resistance but potential for new races Powdery Mildew Reported first in 1997 Some genetic resistance Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 31
Disease Control Pasmo Above ground tissue and susceptible over entire growing season Overwinters prefers high humidity and frequent rain Defoliation, premature ripening, and boll drop No genetic resistance need fungicide Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 32
Seed Yield (bu/ac) 70 60 50 40 30 20 Site (S): P < 0.001 Fung (F): P < 0.001 S x F: P < 0.001 ns ns ns *** ns *** CHECK * ** HEADLINE ns *** 10 0 Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 33
IHARF data alone 10% yield benefit averaged over 6 years Drier spring fungicide tends to have less efficacy Environmental Response = Scout & Insurance policy Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 34
Integrated Weed Management: Currently only 6 modes of actions (1,3,4,6,8,14) and Groups 1,4 & 6 in-crop use Pre-Emergent PRE - Seed Sulfentrazone (Group 14) Authority Group 14 (PPO inhibiting) Broadleaf weed species Treflan (Groups 3) Fall applied applications Broadleaf & grass weed species Avedex (Group 8) Wild oat In - Crop Clethodim, Poast Ultra, Quizalofop (Group1 ) Grass weed control Buctril M & Curtail M (Group 4 / 6) Bromoxynil & Basagran (Group 6) Broadleaf weed control Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 35
Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 36 Kurtenback et al. 2017
Taller varieties can withstand weed pressure better and improve yields Same effect at each seeding rates Under no weed pressure, no significant yield difference between heights and seeding rates Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 37 Kurtenback et al. 2017
Best Weed Control and Crop Tolerance: Cadet (fluthiacet-methyl) Group 14 Broadleaf control Possible registration Armezon (Topramezone) Group 27 Broadleaf control- mostly mustard Minor use registration Pyroxasulfone (Zidua) Group 27 PRE (3-5 days) Grass control Probably not Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 38 Kurtenback et al. 2017
Ensure optimal plant densities are achieved (300 plants/m 2 ) Seed later consideration for putting flax into rotations Good seed placement Seed treatments Insurance over consistent results Narrow row spacing Ensure fertility and maturity are balanced Optimal N rates maybe changing Watch for fertilizer leaking into seed row MRB? P response variable P replacement strategy? Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 39
Ensure early weed removal Open canopy weak competitor early like other oilseeds Integrated weed control is KEY! Taller variety Increased seeding rates Earlier seeding Multiple MOA Ensure disease pressure is minimal Scout all throughout the growing season Good fungicide response and can be economic if disease is present Oilseed Producer Meeting - February 2018 40
This project was supported by the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) initiative under the Canada-Saskatchewan Growing Forward 2 bi-lateral agreement Oilseed Producer Meetings - 2018 41