Increasing Flax Yields: A Closer Look at Fertilizer Utilization and Weed Management

Research results indicate that side-banding N with P at seeding will work well in flax production if there is good separation between the seed and fertilizer.

IPNI-1995-CAN-SK18

01 Mar 1999

1998 Annual Interpretive Summary

Increasing Flax Yields: A Closer Look at Fertilizer Utilization and Weed Management, 1998

Farmers have traditionally applied little fertilizer to flax because past experience has shown the seed is very sensitive to fertilizer. However, new placement options are available today, which may allow yields to be increased. The third year of a three-year project looking at improved fertilizer management in flax has been completed. An effort was made to find ways to improve P response by looking at several placement options (in-row, side-band and pre-plant band). Where P response occurred, placement option had little effect, but response tended to be favored when P was side-banded with N. This project confirmed that care must be taken to minimize damage from fertilizer to a flax crop and that dual banding N and P is likely the best method of fertilizer placement. SK-18