LINSEED

Linseed (Linum usitatissimum). In India, it can be cultivated largely for seed meant for eliminating oil. The oil amount of the seed differs from 33-47%. Linseed lubricate is a superb drying lubricant used for processing paints as well as varnishes, oil cloth, water-resistant fabric and even linoleum also like an edible lubricant in certain zones . Linseed-cake is certainly a fine manure as well as livestock feed. Linseed can be used for making papers and also plastics.

Does best on deep clayey black soils, clay loams. It grows well in areas where there is high rainfall. Soil pH (5.0-7.0).

T 397 (1984): The plant attains the height of 60-75cm having branching nature. It has green color leaves and blue color flowers. It has round medium capsules. The seeds (7.5-8gm/1000seeds) contain 44% of oil content. It gives an average yield of 4-6qtl/acre.

Jawahar 23 (1985): The plant attains the height of 45-60cm. It has white color flowers which grows simultaneously. The seeds (7-8gm/1000seeds) contain 43% of oil content. It gives an average yield of 4-6qtl/acre. It is resistant to wilt, rust and powdery mildew.

LCK 8528: (Shikha) (1998): It gives an average yield of 5-6qtl/acre of seeds and 4-5qtl/acre of filament.

RLC 6: (Kiran) (1998): The variety gets mature in 115-120 days. It gives 3-4qtl/acre yield in irrigated areas and gives 5-6qtl/acre yield in non irrigated areas. The seeds contain 42-43% of oil content. The variety is resistant to rust and powdery mildew.

LMH: 62 (Padmini) (1999): Gives an average yield of 3-4qtl/acre. The seeds contain 42-45% of oil content. The variety is resistant to powdery mildew and moderately resistant to blast and Lucerne caterpillar. The variety gets mature in 120-125 days.

RL 933: (Meera) (2000): Blue color flower variety which is resistant to rust, wilt and powdery mildew. Gives an average yield of 6-7qtl/acre and contains 42% oil content. Bright brown grains variety which gets mature in 130 days.

RL 914 (2002): It is a late sown variety. Blue flower variety having brown color seeds. Gives an average yield of 7qtl/acre and contains 40-42% of oil content. The variety gets mature in 130-135 days.

Pratap Alsi 1: White flower variety which is grown only in irrigated areas of Rajasthan.  Gives an average yield of 8qtl/acre and contains 40-41% oil content. The variety matures in 130-135 days.

Pratap Alsi 2: It is grown only in irrigated areas of Rajasthan. The variety matures in 128-135 days and gives an average yield of 8-9qtl/acre. The seeds contain 42% of oil content.

Other state varieties:

LC 2063 (2007): This variety is suggested for irrigated areas. It has 158-160 days of maturity in rainfed and irrigated areas respectively. It has blue and profuse capsule bearing flowers. Its seeds are medium sized and contain 38.4% oil. This variety is resistant to powdery mildew. Its average yield is 4-5qtl per acre.

LC 2023 (1998): This variety is suggested in irrigated as well as rainfed areas. It is tall with blue colored flower and its seed contain 37.5% oil and yield 4.5qtl/acre. It matures in 155-165 days. It is resistant to powdery mildew.

Surbhi (KL-1): It is best yielding variety which is resistant to rust, lodging as well as powdery mildew and drought. It matures in 165-170 days and contains 44% oil. Its average yield is 3-6 qtl/acre.

Jeevan (DPL-21): It is a dual purpose variety. It is tall with average height of 75 cm and 85 cm. The seed is brown colored, medium in size and flowers are blue colored. It matures in 175-181 days. It is resistant to wilt, rust and powdery mildew and yield is 6qtl/acre of seed.

Pusa-3, LC-185, LC-54, Sheela (LCK- 9211), K2
 

Area needs to be ploughed two to three times along with two to three harrowing to get an excellent tilth. To sustain moisture, it is best to generate soil mulch by using a hoe.

Time of sowing
The time of sowing varies from first fortnight of October to mid November in different states. For double purpose variety do sowing in first week of November. Rainfed crop requires early sowing. Early sowing also helps the crop to escape from powdery mildew, rust disease.

Spacing
Use row to row spacing of 30 cm and plant to plant spacing of 7-10 cm.

Sowing depth
Depth of sowing should be 5-8 cm.

Method of sowing
Linseed is usually sown by broadcasting or by drilling in rows.
 

Seed rate
For sowing one acre, by drilling and line sowing method , use seed rate of 6-7.5 kg . For broadcasting method, use seed rate of 18kg/acre.

Seed treatment
Seed can be treated with fungicide Vitavax @2 gm/kg seed. By doing seed treatment, it will help crop to protect from collar rot.
 

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Use 12 kg of N (25 kg of urea) as well as 6 kg P2O5 (40 kg superphosphate) per acre at sowing. Under irrigated conditions, half dose of N with full amount of P should be applied as basal dose at time of sowing. The remaining N is applied with the first irrigation 35 days after sowing.

Weeds are controlled by herbicides. The important weeds of linseed include Anagallis arvensis, Vicia hirsuta, Fumaria parviflora, Melilotus spp., Chenopodium album, Phalaris minor etc. Spray isoproturon 75 WP@500 gm/acre in 200 liters of water either before or after 1st irrigation or pre- emergence within 2 days of sowing.

If two irrigations are available, then first irrigation is given at 40-45 days (at the time of branching development) and then second irrigation is given at 60-75 days (at the time of bud development). If only single irrigation is available then irrigation is given after 50-60 days of transplanting.

• Pest and their control:

Lucerne caterpillar: It causes damage to leave as well as to pods.

Control: Spray 450 gm of sevin/Hexavin 50 WP (carbaryl) or 400 ml of malathion 50 EC in 80-100 Ltr of water/acre.

• Disease and their control:
  

Rust: It is like pink spot on leave surface, pods and stems.
Control: spray with sulphur @7 kg/acre or Indofil Z-78 @500 gm in 250 ltr of water.

Wilt: Young crops are more prone to this disease. Crops firstly turn yellow and then die.
Control: Cultivate the varieties which can tolerate this disease

Crop is ready for harvesting when the bolls turn completely brown. They are harvested in April.

After harvesting, pack the plants and place it on threshing area for 4-5 days for drying. Threshing is conducted by beating the crop with sticks or even trampling by bullocks.