Developing agronomic practices for flax production in the Northeast

View the project final report

• 2013 annual report
• 2014 annual report

Commodities

• Agronomic: flax

Practices

• Crop Production: cover crops, intercropping
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research, workshop
• Production Systems: general crop production

On-farm production of oilseed crops is of growing interest to Northeast farmers. The number of oilseed growers in the region has increased from a handful to almost 75 producers in the last four years. Local farmers are pressing oil on farm and converting it to biofuel or selling it as high value culinary oil. The leftover meal is being used as animal feed, fertilizer, or as a binding agent. Preliminary feeding trials comparing homegrown vs. purchased canola meal indicate similar milk yield and quality. Several farmers in the area have tried to produce flaxseed with limited success. Through preliminary research results we have identified weed control as a primary barrier to production. Yields of 800 to 1500 kg ha-1 have been observed in the Northeast. Higher yields could potentially be obtained through alternative weed control and proper variety selection.

In addition to supporting a feed supplement market, this project aims to meet the needs of the growing “Buy Local” movement in Vermont. A growing segment of the population is demanding locally sourced food. Not only is growing flax meeting the demands for local food, it is providing a high value health supplement.

On-farm research evaluating best practices for flax production will be implemented on two farms in Vermont. Research data will be presented to the farming community through workshops, farm tours, and online resources.

Our goal is to identify regionally-adapted brown and golden flax genotypes that offer an optimal combination of early vigor, disease resistance, weed competitiveness, yield and oilseed quality—characteristics that serve at the foundation of growers‘ management strategies. We will meet this goal by conducting a flax variety trial in 2013. Varieties will be sourced based on the advice of colleagues in flax growing regions of the U.S. and Canada. These trials will generate much needed practical information for Northeast growers, as well as opportunity for comparing performance characteristics of selected groups of entries. Fertility will be supplied by animal manure. We will use a randomized complete block design, with four replicates; plots will be 2 x 10 m. Using a cone seeder, each entry will be sown at a population of 57 kg/ha as recommended for organic growers in mid to late April. Emerged seedlings will be counted in one 1-m row per plot at the one-to-three leaf stage. Date of flowering will be recorded as the day when 75% of the heads are in bloom. At head fill, incidence of leaf diseases will be recorded on a 1 to 9 scale. Maturity will be recorded when 75-90% of the seed bowls are brown. Weed biomass will be collected from within a randomly place 0.0625-m2 quadrate at harvest maturity. Lodging will be evaluated on a 1 to 9 scale. Plots will be harvested using an Almaco plot combine following maturity and grain weighed and moisture and test weight determined. Oil and meal yields will be determined with a KernKraft 40 oilpress located at the Borderview Farm. Oil and meal will be analyzed for nutrient and FA concentrations: DM, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, starch, water soluble carbohydrates, and minerals using wet chemistry by Cumberland Valley Analytical Services (Hagerstown, MD). Fatty acid profiles will be analyzed using gas chromatography in the Kraft Lab (Burlington, VT). This trial will be conducted at Borderview Farm.

We will also look at weed control strategies in flax. We expect narrow row, high-density sowing and wide-row/hoeing strategies, which have performed impressively in small grain production, to provide effective weed management in flax. Specifically, we will compare: (a) best organic management weed practices of local farms (e.g., elevated seeding rate, interseeding, and spring-tine harrowing, pre- and post-emergence, as conditions permit) with alternative strategies from northern Europe; (b) narrow-row (11 cm), high sowing density; and (c) wide-row (22 cm) with inter-row hoeing for weed control in flax. Weed management strategies will be evaluated using a randomized complete block, split plot design with four replications. Main plot treatments will be weeds (ambient weeds vs. condiment mustard, a surrogate weed); subplot treatments will be weed management practice (grower best management vs. narrow-row vs. wide-row with hoeing). Manure will be applied at approximately 50 kg plant-available N/ ha and incorporated in the spring. Immediately after primary and secondary spring tillage, main plots will be established with Idagold mustard (Sinapis alba) sown at 4 kg/ha; the subplots will be sown to flax immediately afterward. Stand counts will be taken at 15 and 45 days after planting. Weed density will be measured in four permanently established 0.125 m2 subplots, before, and two days after, each cultivation event. Prior to harvest, weed biomass will be measured in two randomly-located 0.25 m2 quadrates in each plot. Flax will be harvested using a small plot combine, dried, and subjected to the routine quality assessments described above. This trial will be conducted at Borderview Farm and Butterworks Farm.

We will also conduct a planting date study with two flax varieties to determine the range of best possible planting dates in our region. We will begin the study as soon as the soil is workable (mid-April) and continue one planting per week until the end of May. We will use a randomized split plot design with four replications, with planting date as the main treatment and cultivar as the secondary treatment. Plots will be 2 x 10 m. and seeded with a Carter cone seeder at a seeding rate of 57 kg/ha as recommended for organic growers. Emerged seedlings will be counted in one 1-m row per plot at the one-to-three leaf stage. Date of flowering will be recorded as the day when 75% of the heads are in bloom. At head fill, incidence of leaf diseases will be recorded on a 1 to 9 scale. Maturity will be recorded when 75-90% of the seed bowls are brown. Weed biomass will be collected from within a randomly place 0.0625-m2 quadrate at harvest maturity. Lodging will be evaluated on a 1 to 9 scale. Plots will be harvested using an Almaco plot combine following maturity and grain weighed and moisture and test weight determined. Oil and meal yields will be determined with a KernKraft 40 oilpress located at the Borderview Farm. Oil and meal will be analyzed for nutrient and FA concentrations: DM, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, starch, water soluble carbohydrates, and minerals using wet chemistry by Cumberland Valley Analytical Services (Hagerstown, MD). Fatty acid profiles will be analyzed using gas chromatography in the Kraft Lab (Burlington, VT). This trial will be conducted at Borderview Farm.