The Effect of Tillage System and Proceeding Crop on Phosphorus Response of Flax
Assess the interactive effects of tillage system, preceeding crop and P management on flax production.
IPNI-1999-CAN-MB11
01 Mar 2000
1999 Annual Interpretive Summary
The Effect of Tillage System and Preceding Crop on Phosphorus Response of Flax, 1999
Flax is a major oilseed crop grown on the western Canadian prairies, with the majority of the production exported into the industrial oil market. Phosphorus fertilization of flax is a challenge as the crop is very sensitive to seed-placed starter P. Banding fertilizer P, either below or below and to the side of the seed row, is the preferred method of application with flax. In the absence of specialized seeding equipment, some farmers have resorted to increasing the P application in preceding crops, an attempt to supply residual P to the subsequent flax crop in rotation. Flax has been shown to have good association with VAM fungi, allowing it to expand its root absorptive surface area and potential P uptake. Growing flax after a mycorrhizal crop and using no-till seeding systems may help the flax rapidly establish an association with VAM and improve its ability to access soil residual P. This newly initiated research project will evaluate the role of preceding crop, tillage system, and P fertilization of the preceding crop in optimizing flax yield and quality.
In 1999, wheat and canola crops were grown at two test locations using various rates of fertilizer P, under both conventional and no-till seeding. While wheat associates with VAM, canola does not. Responses to fertilizer P additions were recorded on canola at both locations and wheat at one location. In 2000, tillage treatments will be carried out, and flax will be seeded into the canola and wheat stubble blocks. Flax will be evaluated for its response to residual fertilizer applications and preceding crop through an assessment of early season P accumulation, VAM infection, and crop yield and quality. MB-11