Spring Linseed - How do we maximize its potential as a Break crop.

With increasing weeds, pests and disease problems in the main stay of the arable rotation, growers are looking to extend their rotations into something which offers them a chance to break the cycle. Linseed can offer you that break, although careful management and attention to detail are a must, if this crop is to be a success!

As with most crops, ground conditions and climatic conditions at planting are much more important than calendar date. Spring Linseed is no different and requires, warm, moist, fine seedbeds for even rapid establishment, where soils are a minimum of > 5oC and warming. Drill at 15-25mm, pre-emergence herbicide dependent and consolidate.

Although its traditionally later drilling slot (April) gives growers a chance to culturally control weeds, a pre-emergence herbicide is recommended, as weed control options are limited and often on EAMU’s. Pre – emergence options include Tri-allate, Metazachlor,and Mesotrione, moisture at drilling a key to successful control.  The best blackgrass option post emergence comes in the form of Clethodim, which still seems to give effective control. The broadleaved post emergence armoury includes Bentazone, Amidosulfuron & Metsulfuron.

With the luxury of no CSFB to worry about, this break crop is a unique break, although flax beetle activity must be monitored to ensure early plant survival. EAMU’s are available, but of course applied at the grower’s own risk

Crop nutrition is fairly simple, with a small amount of seedbed N, P & K required to kick off crop growth, a top up of nitrogen sulphur when bolls are visible should tick all macro nutrient boxes. However, linseed has a hidden hunger for manganese, magnesium and zinc, so tissues tests should be taken at early stem extension to analysis and justify micronutrient applications.

The crop is finished off with a simple fungicide program, targeting Septoria Linicola at stem extension and Botrytis spp during flowering. As with most diseases, inoculum builds in warm wet conditions and spores are splashed by rain events through the canopy. A label application of Tebuconazole will control both diseases or you can apply Metconazole, Difenoconazole, Prothioconazole or Boscalid under an EAMU application, to reduce fungicide resistance build up.