FLAX Resistant to Wilt Developed at Experiment Stations

Flax wilt is caused by a fungus (Fusarium lini). Seed treatment is not effective because this soil-borne fungus may infect a susceptible flax plant at any time after the roots come in contact with the soil. The use of wilt-resistant varieties, therefore, is the only safe insurance against loss.

The State agricultural experiment stations of North Dakota and Minnesota have developed several new wilt-resistant varieties of flax.  Linota, Buda, Bison, and Rio are improved varieties distributed by the North Dakota station. The Minnesota station has developed and distributed three varieties—Chippewa, Redwing, and Winona.

The Linota and Buda varieties-are well adapted to the heavy soils of the Red River Valley in North Dakota and adjoining Minnesota.  Both are highly wilt resistant and more or less resistant to rust. The plants are midhigh (28 to 36 inches), the flowers blue, and the seeds small. The Chippewa variety, a Minnesota selection from Primost (Minn. No. 25), is similar in type of plant to Linota. It also has given satisfactory yields in the Red River Valley. Winona is wilt resistant, but quite susceptible to rust. Bison flax, recently distributed in North Dakota, has larger seeds than those of Linota and Buda. The plants are of medium height, and the flowers are the slightly deeper wisteria blue. This variety has not yet been tested widely, but, if found satisfactory, its large seeds will make it popular with linseed crushers.

Rio is a selection of the Argentine type of flax. It is earlier and more uniform in ripening than the commercial Argentine variety and therefore more desirable. The plants are short to midhigh (18 to 24 inches) and somewhat later in maturing than common flax. It has large blue flowers and large, tightly closed bolls. The large seeds usually yield a somewhat higher percentage of oil than common flax-seed. Besides being highly wilt resistant, this variety is entirely immune from rust, which makes it valuable to the plant breeder.  Unfortunately, it is very susceptible to pasmo, another injurious flax disease.

The Redwing variety, recently developed by the Minnesota station, is not yet available for commercial sowing. This valuable early variety can be distinguished from most varieties by its light blue flowers. It is resistant to both wilt and rust and has strong stems which rarely lodge when grown on rich soils.