Cultivation of Linseeds or Flax Fiber Crop in India

Linseed, linola, and fiber flax are all synonyms for the same plant. (Linum usitatissimum) belongs to the family  Linaceae. Flax is an upright annual plant with slender stems that can reach a height of 120 cm, and its flowers have five petals, are 1.5 to 2.0 cm in diameter, and are either vivid blue or white.

The linseed crop originated in India, where it was first cultivated in the region known as the “Fertile Crescent.” It is one of the world’s oldest fiber crops and has been used for creating linen for 5,000 years. In northern Europe, flax fiber has been used to make textiles since the Neolithic era.

Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Odisha, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Nagaland are the principal linseed-growing states in India.

Globally, linseed occupies up to 32.23 lakh hectares of land, producing 30.68 lakh tonnes with an average productivity of 952 kg/ha. in India, it is cultivated on 1.7 lakh hectares, producing roughly 1 lakh tonnes of produce and 574 kg/ha, respectively.

Classification of Linseed/Flax Fiber Crops:

a) Flexfiber: The “bast fibers,” or bark, of the linseed plant’s stem are removed to produce flax fiber.
b) Linseed: Brown or yellow-seated varieties with 35–45% oil and 18–26% protein are referred to as linseed. Linseed oil is very significant since it may be the most accessible plant source of omega-3 fatty acids.
c) Linola:  It is created as a premium oilseed crop; LinolaTM is a registered trademark from the linseed/flex crop. In contrast to linseed, it has yellow seeds and yields a vegetable oil that has a higher proportion of linolenic fatty acid and a lower level of alpha-linolenic fatty acid. The resulting oil is an edible polyunsaturated oil that can be used in culinary applications. 

Uses of Linseed/Flax fiber:

A) Flaxseed:

1) Because of its inherent properties, flax is a sought-after commodity for oil and fiber by producers looking for substitutes for goods made of chemicals and plastic.

2)  Manufacturers use the oil to make eco-friendly goods like linoleum flooring and certain paints and dyes. Fine papers and industrial fiber products, like the inside paneling of some cars, are made from flax straw that has been partially or fully treated.

B) Flex Fiber:

1)  Sweeteners made from pulp
 Recycled paper pulp can be strengthened with a smaller amount of flax fiber in place of virgin wood fiber since flax fibers are significantly longer and stronger than virgin wood fibers.

2) Geotextiles
Insulation:  A combination of coarse and fine flax fibers can be blended and processed to produce insulation batts with similar insulation properties to fiberglass batts, frequently used to insulate walls and ceilings.

3) Composites made of plastic
Fiberglass. Flex fiber is used in many plastic composite applications; it can be utilized in place of fiberglass. Flax fibers are less expensive, lighter, and more springy than fiberglass. Furthermore, using flax fibers during the production process consumes less energy. Additionally, flax fibers burn or break down more readily than fiberglass.

C) In some areas, it can also be used as an edible lubricant. Undoubtedly, linseed cake is both a good manure and animal feed.

Climatic Requirements for Linseed/Flax Fiber Cultivation:

Linseed is just a rabi crop (cool season).  It requires a temperature range of 10°C at the lowest and 38°C at the highest.  The oilseed crop requires 15 to 20 degrees Celsius for seed development and 25 to 30 degrees Celsius for germination and the vegetative phase.

The ideal rainfall is between 700 and 750 mm per year.  A healthy crop of linseed can also be grown with 450–500 mm of evenly distributed rainfall. A height of 400 to 500 mm above sea level is a good fit. High temperatures and drought during the early phases of seed filling are harmful, reducing yield and quality.

Soil Requirement for Linseed/Flax Cultivation:

 It thrives on fertile, medium-to-heavy, well-drained soils, particularly silty loam, clay loam, and silty clays with a pH range between 5 and 7. This crop is grown in three different ecosystems: irrigated, rainfed, and uterine. In Eastern States, growing linseed in utera systems under paddy fallows is the most common approach.

Important Varieties of  Linseed/Flax Crop:

Source: DIRECTORATE OF OILSEEDS DEVELOPMENT

Field Preparation for Linseed/Flax Cultivation:

• Rainfed marginal and sub-marginal soils are frequently used for their cultivation.
• Two to three harrowings are followed by two to three ploughings of the field
• Weeds and other debris should not be present in the seedbed.
• Linseed needs a fine, solid seedbed that is free of plough pans and compaction.
• Larger clumps ought to be less common. After every nice shower, it is recommended to use a hoe to make soil mulch to preserve moisture.

Cropping systems of Linseed or Flax crop:

 Linseed as a pure crop;  Cultivation is limited to areas where no other crop can be grown. Production is extremely low and susceptible to pests and disease outbreaks. 

As a sequential crop; 

• Hybrid maize – linseed + wheat;
•  Groundnut – linseed + wheat;
•  Early rice – linseed;
•  Linseed + chickpea/wheat.

As an intercrop:

Linseed + chickpea/wheat/potato/safflower

Seed and Sowing Linseed/Flax Fiber Cultivation:

a) Seed Treatment; 
Before sowing, seed should be treated with Agrosan G.N. or Ceresan at a rate of 5 g per kg of seed against the attack of seed-borne pathogens. 

b) Sowing Time ;

•   Oct – Nov 15th
• second  fort night of October is the best time

c) Seed Rate, Spacing, and Method of Sowing ;

Seed Rate:

•  Seed rate for broadcasting system: 40 kg per ha 
• Seed rate for drill system: 25-30 kg per ha

Spacing: Row spacing 25 to 30 cm and Plant spacing 7 to 10 cm

Method of Sowing: 

The field can be ploughed first when the moisture level is most suitable. However, if the soil is sufficiently moist, shallow sowing of seeds is always beneficial. 

For good tillage, the field must be plowed two or three times and harrowed two or three times. The best way to maintain moisture is to use a hoe to create soil mulch.

In standing paddy fields, seeds are dispersed under Paira/Utera conditions. If the seed is sown the same day or the following day at a very shallow depth, a good plant stand can be guaranteed.

Manure and Fertilizer Requirements in Linseed/Flax Cultivation:

 Apply 5 tons of FYM per ha and reduce the 25% of inorganic fertilizer quantity. The fertilizer dosage for rainfed conditions is:

• Better results are obtained when fertilizer is sown deeply in the case of a rainfed crop. Half of the nitrogen dose is applied as a basal dose, while the other half is given 40–50 days after seeding.
• At the time of seeding, 10 kg of nitrogen per hectare is applied to the relay crop.  Particularly in dryland farming, NPK fertilizers are sprayed 5–10 cm below the seed and in moist soil layers.
• The recommended amount of P2O5 per hectare for linseed varies depending on the kind of soil. K₂O kg/ha is recommended. The usual guidelines for the Indian subcontinent are as follows;
  

  Nitrogen (N)	Phosphorus (P)	Potash (K)
  20-60 kg/ha	10-30 kg/ha	30-60 kg/ha

• Linseed has a higher NPK requirement from bud development to peak flowering.
• Gypsum is used to add 30 kg/ha to soils that are poor in sulfur.
• It is thought that linseed is somewhat vulnerable to deficiencies in B and Zn. Therefore, it has been recommended to apply 1.0 to 1.5 kg of B and 20 to 25 kg of ZnSO4 per hectare to calcareous soils or freshly limed soil.

Water Management in Linseed/Flax Cultivation

This crop is more than 90% rainfed; even then, one or two irrigations at 35 and 75 DAS can enhance the yield. Three to four irrigations may be required on light soils. Grain filling, flowering, and branching are crucial watering phases.

Weed Control  in Linseed/Flax Cultivation:

Manual Control: one hoeing is required after 15 days of sowing, and apply two hand weeding after 20 and 40 days of sowing

Chemical Control: Apply  pendimethalin @ 1 kg/ha, followed by metsulfuron methyl @ 4 g/ha  or fluchloralin or trifluralin @ 1.0 kg/ha as a pre-emergence herbicide

Cuscuta seeds should be separated before sowing to guarantee hygienic growing. Herbicides such as isoproturon 75 WP at 1 kg/ha applied post-emergence at 30 to 35 DAS could control other weeds.

However, if wide-leaf weeds are also an issue, 2,4-D (Na) @0.5 kg/ha may also be added to the tank along with isoproturon.

Diseases and Pest Management in Linseed or Flax cultivation;

Apply preventive measures in the field, like solarization, crop rotation, tolerant varieties for sowing, and avoid continuous cultivation of the linseed crop in the same field. 10-15 days of early sowing may reduce the chance of bud infestation

Control of diseases: For alternaria blight, apply Zineb 75% WP @ 500 g in 150 liters of water, and for powdery mildew, apply sulphur @ 16 -18 kg /ha 

Control of Pest: For Bud fly control, apply azaderactin @ 300 PPM and for aphid control, apply oxydemeton methyl 25 EC or dimethoate 30 EC @ 1 litre/ha or imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 0.01% when at least 10% plant population with 25- 26 aphids/ plant is observed. 

Harvesting and Threshing of Linseed or Flax Crop:

Harvesting is done in April when the crop has reached maturity. When the leaves of the crop dried, the capsule color turned brown, and the seeds gave a shiny appearance, it is a sign of maturity. At this time, plants are sickled.

Harvested crop kept in the field 4-5 days afterward, capsules are separated from the branches of the plant for obtaining the seeds and the rest of the plant stalks are processed for obtaining the fibre.

Yield:

• Rainfed condition – 800-1000 kg/ha
• Irrigated condition – 1600-2000 kg/ha
• Protective irrigated condition – 1200-1500 kg/ha

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