Spring Linseed Agronomy

Geographical area

Anywhere in the UK.

Soil type

Spring Linseed can be grown on all soils.

Sowing date

Spring Linseed has a flexible sowing window, which allows you to sow the crop when the conditions are ideal to clear up any problem weeds prior to sowing.

Soil temperatures need to be in the region of 6-8oC

Most of our customers sow their crops from mid-March through to mid-April, although May planting (providing there is moisture available) isn’t an issue and only has a marginal effect on harvesting date due to day length response.

Delayed drilling can have a positive effect on black grass control:

• More time to use glyphosate pre-drilling.

• Reduced blackgrass germination.

• Reduced black grass competition.

Row width

Row widths of 10 – 30 cm show little difference in yields.

Seed depth

Any modern drill will handle Linseed easily.

Linseed requires a fine firm seedbed, created with as few passes possible.

Linseed can be direct drilled.

Soil conditions/ temperatures are more important than sowing.

• Drill at 15 - 25 mm into moisture – we see more problems from crops being drilled too deep rather than shallow, so you must check. This is particularly important if you are using a newer generation of tine drills.

• Ensure good seed to soil contact.

• Do not over consolidate.

• If seedbeds are puffy then consider rolling prior to drilling.

• Rolling post drilling can be of benefit to conserve moisture, pushing flints/stones out of harm’s way allowing lower cut at harvest (which makes cutting easier!) or where a pre-emergence herbicide is to be used.

Seed rate

Seed rates are dependent on the thousand grain weight (TGW). Through our extensive research we have changed are seed rates from 650 seeds/m2 to 800 seeds/m2 with Nulin (VT50) having the higher seed rate of 1000 seeds/m2 to ensure a good plant population. This equates to 60-80kg/ha or 24-32kg/acre however this will depend on variety and the thousand grain weight (TGW).

Weed control

Start clean – dirty stubbles should be sprayed off prior to cultivation.

Pre-emergence Weed Control:

With high levels of herbicide resistance to post-emergence grassweed herbicides, Avadex used pre or post drilling of the crop is an excellent tool to manage herbicide resistance and should give full control of Wild Oats and adequate Blackgrass and Brome control. Where control is not full, weeds will be sensitised to later herbicide applications.

We recommend the following:

See EAMU box for product links.

PGR

Growth regulation on Spring Linseed is often not needed, however in the case of an early sown crop on fertile sorry, an application of a Metconazole based product can be used.

Pests

The Flax Flea Beetle is the main pest for Spring Linseed (different from the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle found in Oilseed Rape). The beetle will eat away at the first true leaves on the cotyledon.
The threshold for chemical control is 10-15 beetles/m2.
More information on the flax flea beetle can be found in our bulletins.
To control the Flax Flea Beetle you can use Hallmark which is approved on an EAMU at a rate of 75ml/ha or CleanCrop Corser at 150ml/ha. Both are effective against the Flax Flea Beetle and both are approved or use on Spring Linseed.

See the EAMU box for product links.

Disease

Due to the short growing season of Spring Linseed thanks to our early maturing varieties, leaf/tissue diseases are rare so fungicides are not used pre-flowering. In forward crops, a late onset of Septoria linicola can sometimes occur. This can be dealt with a robust application of a Difenconazole product. Post flowering in wet seasons, Botrytis can develop on the seed bols so Tebuconazole is recommended as a preventative option. Please see EAMU section for approved products.

Fusarium guide #1

Fusarium guide #2

Fertiliser

Linseed does not make great demands on phosphate or potash.

If your P and K indices are at maintenance levels, application can be done at any stage during the crop cycle.

Linseed, unlike cereals, does not redistribute nitrogen from the stems and leaves to the grains. This means that early nitrogen application to build the crop canopy has little effect on yield. Excess nitrogen applications can in- crease the risk of lodging, as no plant growth regulators are applied to spring linseed. The flipside of this coin is that the only determinant of yield occurs after the start of flowering. To short the crop of nutrients and water at that time severely reduces yield.

Only apply sufficient nitrogen early on in the crop’s life (late March - April) to ensure adequate crop height and canopy development, whilst minimising lodging risk.

The remainder and balance of the Nitrogen will be applied towards green bud stage (early May – at least a month after the first application) to ensure optimum yield. If the crop is under drought stress at this time total rates may be reduced. In recent years sulphur deficiency, has become an issue with arable crops in most areas of the country so add 30-75 kg/ha of fertiliser Sulphur to the first Nitrogen application depending on deficiency.

Green bud applications will be described in bulletins.

Trace elements

Trace Elements should be applied to rectify known field deficiencies. Best practise usually see’s these applied with post-emergence herbicides to reduce sensitivity of the Linseed.

Crop height

Crop heigh ranges between variety and growing season, but can be between 30cm – 60cm.

Variety

Spring Linseed varieties have been screened for important characteristics – earliness to harvest, standing ability, yield and Omega 3 content. This ensures you have the best varieties for your farm whilst growing the quality the market needs. Chasing an extra few percent of yield at the expense of earliness or standing power is false economy.
The “EasyCut” varities Marquise and Empress have established themselves as favourites with customers looking for easy harvesting, high yielding characteristics.
The high Omega-3 varieties Omegalin and Nulin (VT50) have found favour with those seeking additional premiums for oil quality.

Harvest date

A well-managed Linseed crop should be ready to harvest after completing the Wheat harvest – typically late August/early September. Linseed should flow well through the combine even with green stems.

Harvesting

Always desiccate Linseed for an early and easy harvest. Glyphosate are approved on Linseed as a desiccant. See the Eamu box below for product links.
Desiccation of Linseed is based on the colour of seed and overall look of the crop. The lower leaves will have fallen off and the stem will still be green. Seeds will be full sized, plump and ivory (for both brown and yellow seeded varieties). Pods are likely to be yellowy-lime green in colour.
Harvest from 14 days after spraying although this will be dependant on timing and weather post-desiccation. Most combines handle linseed well. However, there are reports of linseed straw wrapping around the rear rotor of CLAAS Lexion combines due to the rubber paddles attached to it which snag the straw. This affects 2013 and older combines and a standard set of Linseed rotors are fitted to all newer models of the CLAAS Lexion combines.

Crop specification

Contract dependent. Requirements differ based on end use.

Yield

Premium Crops average yields for our Spring Linseed varieties is 1.7 – 2.3t/ha.

Straw

Linseed straw can be disposed of either by chopping or burning.

Drying and storage

Linseed will typically be harvested at 8.5% to 12% moisture, with the market standard being 9%. Linseed can be dried in any system that will handle OSR, with similar temperature settings. Care needs to be taken when drying linseed on-floor or in a bin system. Linseed, being a flat seed has a very high resistance to airflow, so the drying front can stall after about a metre or so, resulting in a hard, wet layer. To avoid this, do not dry linseed on-floor above a metre in depth, or in a bin system you will need to rotate with an empty bin. For a Protimeter conversion chart, click here.

Useful links

Crop Passport

FOSFA 9A Form

Combining Instructions

Health and Safety Data Sheets

Please click on the links below to download the relevant H&S Data Sheets for our seed treatment products.

Take Off PGA - Safety Data Sheet

Integral Pro Seed Treatment Label

Kick Off Seed Treatment - Safety Data Sheet

EAMUS

Fully Approved products for Linseed

Links are provided below to the Authorisation document for each of the products.

This list is not exhaustive - for a complete list of products approved for Spring Linseed please visit the HSE database.
All products below were Authorised at the time they were added to this list, while Premium Crops do regularly check the validity of the products and update the list accordingly, it remains the Grower's responsibility to make sure that the Authorisation remains valid at the time any product is used.

Ally SX FMC Agro Limited

Afrisect 500 EC (cypermethrin) Agriphar S.A.

Dow Shield 400 Corteva Agriscience UK Limited

Eagle Interfarm UK Limited

Eagle Sumitomo Chemical (UK) Plc

Eagle Bayer CropScience Limited

Fusilade Forte (fluazifop-P-butyl) Nufarm UK Ltd

Fusilade Max (fluazifop-P-butyl) NuFarm UK Ltd MAPP NO. 19013

Jubilee SX FMC Agro Limited

Laya (metsulfuron-methyl) Life Scientific Limited

Roundup Biactive Monsanto (UK) Limited

Roundup Biactive GL Monsanto (UK) Limited

Roundup Energy Monsanto (UK) Limited

Roundup Flex Monsanto (UK) Limited

Roundup Klik Monsanto (UK) Limited

Roundup Metro XL Monsanto (UK) Limited

Roundup POWERMAX Monsanto (UK) Limited

Permasect 500 EC Arysta LifeScience Benelux SPRL

Supasect 500 EC (cypermethrin) Agriphar S.A.
EAMUs for Spring Linseed

Detailed below are the products listed by the Health and Safety Executive as having an Extension of Authorisation for a Minor Use of a Plant Protection Product. (EAMU)

It is essential that anyone who needs to use a product in accordance with an Extension of Authorisation must read the text of the Extension of Authorisation before commencing any spraying operation. Links are provided below to the Authorisation document for each of the products.
All products below were Authorised at the time they were added to this list, while Premium Crops do regularly check the validity of the products and update the list accordingly, it remains the Grower's responsibility to make sure that the Authorisation remains valid at the time any product is used.

Ambarac (metconazole) Life Scientific Limited

Avadex Excel 15G (tri-allate) Gowan Comercio Internacional e Servicos Limitada

Avadex Factor (tri-allate) Gowan Crop Protection Ltd

Balistik (clethodim) Arysta LifeScience Great Britain Ltd

Basilico (mesotrione) Life Scientific MAPP 18028 final use by 28/02/2025

Basilico (mesotrione) Life Scientific MAPP 19927

Butisan S (metazachlor) BASF Plc

Calisto (Mesotrione) Syngenta Crop Protection UK Ltd MAPP 1232 final use by 28/02/2025

Calisto (Mesotrione) Syngenta Crop Protection UK Ltd MAPP 19756

Caramba (metconazole) BASF Plc

Centurion Max (clethodim) Interfarm UK Ltd

Clayton Comply Clayton Plant Protection Limited

CleanCrop Corsair (lambda-cyhalothrin) Agrii, a trading name of Masstock Arable (UK) Ltd

Contest (alphacypermethrin) BASF plc

Defy Syngenta UK Limited under MAPP Number 16202

Difcor 250EC (difenoconazole) Q-CHEM nv

Difenostar (difenoconazole) Life Scientific Limited

Filan (Boscid) BASF plalc - see also; Filan (MAPP 11449)

Hallmark with Zeon Technology (lambda-cyhalothrin) Syngenta UK Ltd

Juventus (metconazole) BASF plc

Katamaran (metazachlor) BASF plc

Klartan (tau-fluvalinate) Adama Agricultural Solutions UK Ltd

Lambdastar (l lambda-cyhalothrin) Life Scientific Limited

Makila 500 SC (metazachlor) Novastar Link Limited

Markate 50 (lambda-cyhalothrin) Agrovista UK Ltd

Mavrik (tau-fluvalinate) Adama Agricultural Solutions UK Ltd

Maxim 480FS (fludioxonil) Syngenta UK Limited

Metaz 500 (metazachlor) Novastar Link Limited

Metazacare (metazachlor) AGROCARE Chemichals Kft

Metfin 90 (metconazole) Clayton Plant Protection Limited

Rapsan Solo (metazachlor) Belchim Crop Protection Limited

Rapsan Solo (metazachlor) Certis Belchim B.V.

Proline 275 (prothioconazole) Bayer CropScience Ltd

Quidam UPL Europe Ltd

Select Prime (clethodim) Arysta LifeScience SAS

Sultan 50 SC (metazachlor) Adama Agricultural Solutions UK Ltd

Sunorg Pro (metconazole) BASF plc

Toprex (difenoconazole and paclobutrazol) Syngenta UK Ltd

The above is a list of all products listed on the HSE website and as such does not represent Premium Crops' endorsement or recommendation for use.

Please note an EAMU does not ensure a product is safe to use.

Emergency Authorisation

Emergency Approvals (EA) have been granted for desiccant Spotlight Plus to use on linseed seed production crops only until the 30th September 2024.

Any usage must comply with the stewardship rules, viewable here.

A record of use form must be completed and sent to uk.stewardship@fmc.com by 31^st December 2024.