| Introduction: |
|
Linseed
(Linum usitatissimum L.). In India, it is grown mainly for seed used for extracting
oil. The oil content of the seed varies from 33-47%. Linseed oil is an excellent drying
oil used in manufacturing paints and varnishes, oilcloth, waterproof fabrics and linoleum
and as an edible oil in some areas. Linseed-cake is a very good manure and animal feed.
Linseed is used in making paper and plastics. |
Requirement |
|
Its cultivation is
confined to low elevations, but it cane be successfully grown up to 770 metres. Areas with
the annual rainfall ranging from 45-75cm are best suited for its cultivation. The seed
crop does well under moderate cold, but the fibre crop grows best in cool moist climates.
It does best on clay
loams, deep clayey black soils. It does well on the deep clayey black soils of central and
peninsular India and on the alluvium loams of the Indo-Gangetic plains except The sandy
and badly drained heavy clays, |
Varieties |
|
'K-2',
'T-397', 'No.55', 'NP (RR) 9', 'S-48', 'Jawahar-17', 'Jawahar-7 (R-7)', 'M-10',
'Nayurbhanj', 'LC 185', 'Hira', 'Mukta', 'Neelum','B-67','B.S.44'. |
| Cultivation |
|
Fields
of linseed are prepared as for other crops. A fine weed-free seed-bed is prepared for
sowing. Aldrin or Chlordane 5% dust at the rate of 25-30kg per ha is mixed within soil
during the last ploughing before sowing to protect the seedlings against white-ants and
the early damage from cutworms. |
| Sowing |
|
The
main season for sowing linseed is October to November. The crop is sown either broadcast
or is drilled in lines 20 to 30cm apart. For broadcast sowing the seed-rate is kept at
40kg per ha. For line-sowing, the seed-rate varies from 20-30kg per ha, depending upon the
seed size. |
Fertilizer |
|
Under
rainfed conditions, the fertilizer dose including 30kg of nitrogen (N) and 15 kg of
phosphorus (P) per ha is given. Under irrigated conditions, the linseed crop requires 60kg
of N and 30kg of P per ha. The deep placement of fertilizer at sowing in the case of the
rainfed crop gives better results. Under irrigated conditions, nitrogen is applied in two
splits-half the dose as basal and the other half at the first irrigation, 40-50 days after
sowing. The rainfed crop generally requires no interculture. When the crop is irrigated,
one weeding becomes essential. |
| Pests and diseases |
|
|
|
Wide spread and serious
pest of linseed. The growing of early varieties and mixed cropping are reported to reduce
the incidence of the pest. |
|
|
|
Linseed rust and wilt
are the most serious diseases. To control growing of resistant varieties are recommended. |
|
Harvesting and yield |
|
The
linseed crop starts, maturing by the middle of February, depending on winter spread and
sowing time. Harvesting is done when the crop is dead ripe with a sickle or by uprooting
the plants. When the fibre is also desired along with seed, the harvesting of the crop is
done at the stage of capsule maturity even when the crop is light green. The average yield
of a pure crop varies from 210 to 450 kg per ha of seed under rainfed cultivation. The
irrigated crop may yield 1,200-1,500 kg per ha. |
