Influence of seeding depth and seedbed preparation on establishment, growth and yield of fibre flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) in Eastern Canada

Research was conducted at the Macdonald Campus of McGill University (Quebec, Canada) at three sites in 1997 and one site in 1998 to determine the effects and interactions of seeding depth (0, 1, 2, 4 or 6 cm) and seedbed preparation (i.e. soil rolling): none, rolling before or rolling after seeding on fibre flax (cv. Ariane) establishment, growth and yield. Seedbed preparation had little impact on the parameters measured while seeding depth had a variable effect on plant density, plant height, stem diameter and retted straw yield. Seeding depths of 1-4 cm provided consistently good establishment, growth and yield results. In 1997, there was an interaction between seeding depth and seedbed preparation on plant height, branching ratio and retted straw yield, although results were generally variable and tended to be site-specific. In 1998, there was an interaction between seeding depth and seedbed preparation on plant height and stem diameter prior to harvest, with the results varying for all seeding depth-seedbed preparation treatment combinations except for the 2-cm depth treatment. Rolling of the seedbed before seeding on lighter soils and at a depth of 2 cm on most soils can improve establishment, growth and yields of fibre flax under eastern Canadian growing conditions.