Flax is one of the oldest crops with deep roots in Ukrainian tradition. Its cultivation in Ukraine plays an important role in the agricultural sector, as it is known for its numerous advantages, including high quality fiber and seeds.
However, despite its historical importance, flax is not as widespread as other oilseeds, but its cultivation is gaining momentum due to the growing demand for environmentally friendly and natural products.
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Use of flax products
Flax is not only an important agricultural crop, but also an invaluable health product. Flaxseed oil is a high-quality food and medicinal product with many beneficial properties.
Due to its unique components, flaxseed oil is actively used in dietary nutrition, especially for people with disorders of fat metabolism, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
The oil also helps to lower cholesterol levels due to its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, which is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health. In addition, flaxseed oil has restorative properties in diseases such as liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, and fatty liver.
In addition to oil, flaxseed has other beneficial properties. The mucilage formed when the seeds are soaked has an emollient effect and is used to treat various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis and colitis. This makes flax an important component in folk medicine.
Flax seeds are also used to produce the drug linetol, which is used to treat skin burns, making flax valuable not only in the food but also in the medical industry. In pre-war Ukraine, flaxseed oil was a staple in Polissia, where locals grew a special flax called mezeumok to produce oil and make fabrics.
An important part of flax processing is the cake that remains after the oil is pressed. It contains a significant amount of protein, fat and fiber, making it a valuable animal feed. The cake is especially useful for feeding pigs, as it has a high nutritional value. Flax also produces chaff after threshing, which, although it has a lower nutritional value, can also be used as feed.
Flaxseed is widely used not only in dietary nutrition, but also in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Flaxseed products are added to creams, ointments and other skin care products due to their soothing and regenerating properties. Due to its versatility, flax continues to be an important ingredient for maintaining health and beauty.
What flax varieties are common in Ukraine
In Ukraine, there are several flax varieties that are widely used due to their agronomic characteristics and high productivity. The Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Cultivation in Ukraine currently includes 12 varieties of flax. Here are some of them:
- Southern night. The applicant is the Institute of Oilseeds of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences. This variety has a growing season of 84-86 days, and the oil content in the seeds is 45-46%. The yield is 1.7-1.8 t/ha. “Yuzhnaya Nitsa” is characterized by high resistance to drought and is able to provide high potential productivity. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the steppe zone of Ukraine, where it is able to adapt to dry conditions.
- Golden. The applicant is the Institute of Oilseeds of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. This late-ripening variety has a growing season of 95-103 days and an oil content of 49-51% in the seeds. The seed yield is 2.0-2.3 t/ha. The peculiarity of this variety is its high content of linolenic acid (about 70%), which makes it ideal for technical use of oil. It is also characterized by chlorophyll deficiency at the top of the plants throughout the growing season. It is recommended for cultivation in steppe regions.
- Glorious. The applicant is the Institute of Oilseeds of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The growing season of this variety is 87 days, and the weight of 1000 seeds is 7.8 g. The yield of Slavnyi reaches 25.3 c/ha. The fat content in the seeds is 49.2%, the oil yield is 12.4%. The variety is resistant to lodging, shattering and drought, and has excellent disease resistance. It is recommended for cultivation in the Steppe zone of Ukraine.
- Blue and orange. The applicant is the National Research Center “Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”. This variety has a growing season of 90 days, with a yield of 20 c/ha and a seed fat content of 41.3%. ‘Blue Orange’ is characterized by resistance to drought and lodging, and has good disease resistance (8-9 points).
- VNIIMK620. The applicant is the All-Russian Research Institute of Oilseeds named after V.S. Pustovoit. This variety has a growing season of 80 days and a seed yield of 20.0 c/ha. The fat content in the seeds reaches 51%, which makes it very promising for oil production. “VNIIMK620 is resistant to shattering, lodging and relatively resistant to drought, with a disease score of 7-8.
- Kiwika. The applicant is the Institute of Oilseeds of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences. The yield of Kiwika is 16.2 c/ha, and the growing season lasts 82 days. The fat content is 43%. This variety is characterized by relative resistance to lodging, shattering and drought, and the level of disease damage is at the level of 7-9 points.
- Reliable. The applicant is the A.A. Zhdanov Donskoy Research Station. The yield of this variety reaches 28.2 c/ha, and the growing season is 85 days. The fat content is 50.0%. ‘Nadezhdiy’ is resistant to lodging, shedding and drought, and is characterized by high disease resistance (9 points).
- Sympathizer. The applicant is the National Research Center “Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”. The yield of Sympatika seeds is 23 c/ha, and the growing season is 82 days. The fat content is 42%. This variety is also resistant to lodging, shattering and drought, and the level of disease damage is 8-9 points.
These flax varieties are widely used in Ukraine for oil production, as well as raw materials for other products such as oilcake and cosmetics. Each variety has its own advantages and is ideally suited to specific agro-climatic conditions, making flax an important element of the country’s agricultural strategy.
How flax is grown
Flax is one of the oldest crops grown by humans for fiber and oil. In Ukraine, flax is grown both for textile production and for the oil industry, in particular for the production of high-quality linseed oil, which is used in many industries, from food to paint and varnish.
However, growing this crop requires specific knowledge and approaches, as flax is sensitive to environmental conditions and needs careful maintenance. An important part of flax cultivation is the right choice of predecessors in the crop rotation, as well as ensuring optimal agronomic conditions for the growth and development of this plant. In this section, we will look at the main features of flax cultivation.
Placement of flax in the crop rotation
Proper placement of flax in the crop rotation is an important factor that significantly affects the yield and health of plants. Growing oilseed flax on the same field for several years can lead to a decrease in yield.
This is due to the action of endogenous factors, such as plant root secretions, and exogenous factors, such as pathogens, including fusarium, stem rot, and other diseases that remain viable in the soil for up to seven years. Therefore, it is advisable to return flax to the same field no earlier than in 6-8 years.
To avoid such problems, it is important to choose the right predecessors in the crop rotation. The best predecessors for flax are winter cereals, legumes, melons, potatoes, corn for green fodder and other row crops, after which the field remains free of weeds. It is especially effective to plant flax after a pause in the crop rotation, which helps to avoid the accumulation of diseases in the soil and ensure high yields.
It is not recommended to sow oilseed flax after sunflower, rapeseed, Sudan grass and other crops that can promote disease development or degrade soil quality. However, oilseed flax has one important advantage: it quickly clears the field after harvest, making it a good predecessor for subsequent winter or spring crops.
Proper placement of flax in the crop rotation contributes not only to high yields, but also to soil health, preventing the accumulation of pathogens and providing optimal conditions for further crops.
Soil cultivation for flax
Proper soil cultivation is a key step in flax cultivation, as it affects not only yields but also plant health. The main tillage after preliminary stubble peeling includes plowing to a depth of 25-30 cm using plows with skimmers. It is important to avoid tilling the topsoil to the surface, as this can negatively affect the soil structure and fertility.
Pre-sowing tillage for flax consists of harrowing the seedbed and cultivating it. To achieve the best results, combined tools such as Europak are often used to effectively prepare the soil for sowing, ensuring an even distribution of moisture and creating optimal conditions for seed germination.
The choice of agrotechnical measures for basic tillage depends on many factors: the predecessor, weed infestation, soil moisture and other conditions. After harvesting the previous crop, stubble is peeled to a depth of 6-8 cm using disk tools. 10-12 days after this operation, the main tillage is carried out – plowing to a depth of 23-25 cm.
After that, two to three cultivations are required before the onset of frost to control weeds and ensure optimal conditions for flax growth. This integrated approach to soil cultivation helps to create favorable conditions for flax cultivation and ensures a high yield.
How to fertilize the soil for sowing flax
Oilseed flax has a short growing season and a poorly developed root system, so the crop is very sensitive to proper fertilization. Since flax absorbs mineral fertilizers well, it is important to provide it with optimal conditions for growth and development through proper soil fertilization.
- Optimal fertilizer application rates for flax are: nitrogen – N45-60, phosphorus – P60-80, potassium – K70-90. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied for basic tillage, while nitrogen fertilizers are applied in the spring, immediately before sowing, during pre-sowing cultivation. When applying nitrogen fertilizers, it is important to ensure that they are evenly distributed over the field to achieve the best results.
- Fertilizer doses can also vary depending on the predecessors. After stubble crops, the recommended fertilizer rate is: nitrogen – N45-60, phosphorus – P60, potassium – K45-60. After row crops, it is recommended to reduce the dose of nitrogen fertilizers to N30-45, while increasing the dose of potassium to K60.
In addition to macronutrients, flax also needs trace elements such as boron, manganese, zinc, cobalt and copper. They play an important role in plant development and are essential for the normal growth and productivity of flax. Therefore, the correct application of micronutrients at all stages of crop development is an important condition for obtaining high yields.
Sowing flax
To ensure high yields of oilseed flax, it is important to prepare the seeds properly and sow them in a timely manner. Seeds are treated 2-3 months before sowing to prevent diseases and pests. Various treatments are used, such as Vincit 050 CS (1.5-2 l/t), Cruiser 600 FS (2 l/t) and Modesto Plus 510 FS (16.7 l/t). In addition, trace elements are added: boric acid (1.5 kg/t), copper sulfate and zinc sulfate (2 kg/t each).
Oilseed flax should be sown as early as possible, simultaneously with early crops. This ensures better development of the root system, faster growth and outcompetition of weeds, which gives the plants an advantage in the competition for moisture and nutrients. Early sowing also allows plants to develop successfully under favorable weather conditions – relatively low temperatures and sufficient soil moisture.
Conventional grain seeders with anchor coulters are used for sowing, which provide row spacing of 15 cm. The seeding rate is 5-7 million germinating seeds per hectare, or 50-70 kg of seeds per hectare. If flax is grown for fiber and oil, the seeding rate is increased by 10-15 kg.
Flax seeds are planted to a depth of 3-4 cm, taking into account good soil preparation and sufficient moisture. In dry conditions, when soil moisture is limited, the seeds can be planted to a depth of 5 cm to ensure better contact with the moist soil layer.
Proper care of flax crops
To achieve a high yield of oilseed flax, proper crop care is an important step. The first operation after sowing is rolling the crops with ring spur rollers, which ensures uniform contact of the seeds with the soil and improves germination. If the soil forms a crust, it is destroyed with ring spur rollers, especially on narrow-row crops.
The main tasks in care are the control of weeds, pests and diseases, as well as fertilizing the plants to ensure proper development. Particular attention should be paid to crop cleanliness before the budding phase, when flaxseed plants are still growing slowly and cannot effectively compete with weeds.
Weed control is carried out by treating crops with herbicides. The most effective herbicides for flax are those approved in Ukraine, such as Agritox, Achiba, Bazagran M, Barclay Gallup 360, Shogun, Centurion, and others. Herbicide treatment is best carried out in the herringbone phase (when plants are 3-12 cm high) at an air temperature of 15-20°C.
In terms of pest control, the main threats to flax are the flax flea beetle, gamma moth, flax bollworm and meadow butterfly. To control them, it is important to prepare the soil well before sowing, to sow early, to kill weeds, and to use chemicals such as insecticides. Maintaining spatial isolation between flax fields also helps to avoid pest transmission.
Disease protection is also an important part of crop management. Oilseed flax can be affected by diseases such as Fusarium, anthracnose, bacteriosis, ascochitosis and smut, which can significantly reduce yields and deteriorate product quality. To prevent diseases, it is important to clean the seeds, sow at the optimum time and carry out pre-sowing seed treatment.
In addition, proper care of flax crops is essential to prevent yield losses due to lodging. This is ensured by timely agrotechnical measures and the use of appropriate crop protection products.
How flax is harvested
Oilseed flax can be harvested using several methods: direct harvesting, two-phase harvesting, or desiccants. Direct harvesting is recommended in dry conditions when the flax has reached the early yellow ripeness stage. At this point, about 25% of the bolls are yellow, and the remaining 75% are yellow-green. If harvesting is delayed, the risk of disease damage to the seeds increases significantly, and too early harvesting can lead to seed losses of up to 65%, when about 70% of the bolls remain green.
In the case of two-phase harvesting, flax is first cut into swaths when 65-75% of the bolls are ripe, and the cutting height is 12-14 cm. The seed moisture content is 25-35%. After that, the swaths are picked up and threshed when the seed moisture content drops to 12% or less. This method minimizes losses and ensures better preservation of seed quality.
To reduce losses and accelerate ripening, desiccation is often used – treatment with special preparations that dry flax leaves and bolls. This method allows you to start harvesting 2-10 days earlier, facilitates mechanized harvesting and reduces losses.
If flax is grown not only for seeds but also for fiber, the LK-4A flax harvester is used. It pulls out the stalks by the root, combs the seed pods, which are collected in a trailer, and the flax straw is laid on the field for further processing and transformation into trista. The trista is then collected in rolls and sent to the flax mill for processing.
The seed mass is dried under sheds or in open areas, and then threshed using retrofitted grain combines for further processing and storage.
Conclusion
Flax cultivation is a responsible process that requires compliance with agrotechnical standards at every stage. The quality and volume of the final product depends on the right choice of fertilizers, soil and seed preparation, and harvesting.
The optimal combination of cultivation and care technologies helps to achieve stable results, increase yields and quality, and efficient use of resources.
