Objective
This project will showcase newly released flax varieties to local producers and highlight their superior agronomic traits over older, more common varieties that the producers are likely more familiar with. Producers are usually slow in adopting new varieties and seeing them grown in their local region might lead to a faster uptake.
In addition to providing visual comparison between varieties, this project will generate quantitative data on differences in height, days to maturity, lodging, and yield between new flax varieties.
Project Description
Flax is one of the major oilseed crops grown in Saskatchewan and a beneficial crop for farmers to include in their crop rotation. In addition to expanding producers’ market opportunities, flax diversifies their crop rotation, interrupts disease and insect cycles, and its root associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve soil carbon sequestration, soil structure, and increase soil organic matter. According to the 2025 SaskSeed Guide, a total of 211,731 insured commercial acres of flax were grown in Saskatchewan in 2024, accounting for around 83% of total flax production in the prairies. Data from Saskatchewan Crop Insurance shows that 20 varieties of flax were grown in Saskatchewan in 2024. Out of them, CDC Rowland was the most popular with 53,595 acres and made up 25% of total insured commercial acres in SK. The next most popular varieties behind CDC Rowland were CDC Glas (47,306 acres), CDC Sorrel (17,935 acres), and CDC Bethune (15,540 acres). These three varieties are relatively old – The CFIA website reports that CDC Glas was granted Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) in 2014, CDC Sorrel was granted PBR in 2008, and CDC Bethune was granted PBR in 2001. Since then, several new varieties of flax have been developed including CDC Rowland (brown seeded, PBR granted in 2019), CDC Kernen (brown seeded, PBR granted in 2023), CDC Esme (brown seeded, PBR granted in 2023), and CDC Dorado (yellow seeded, PBR granted in 2019). All new brown-seeded varieties have superior agronomic traits like larger seed size and higher yield in most areas compared to the Check variety CDC Glas. The new yellow-seeded variety, CDC Dorado, occupies a niche market and sells at a premium over brown flax. Additionally, CDC Dorado is shorter in height (i.e. less straw to manage) and is one of the earliest maturing varieties available to producers. Although the uptake of CDC Rowland (released 6 years ago) is gradually increasing, most producers are still growing older varieties. This could be due to lack of information about the genetic potential of new varieties or hesitancy in switching over from a variety that is “tried and tested”. Getting newer varieties in front of producers and generating local data will help overcome these barriers and accelerate their adoption.
