Objective
1. Breeding short flax with improved yield potential.
2. Analyzing fatty acid (including ALA) concentration in large-seeded flax lines.
3. Developing herbicide tolerant flax lines.
Project Description
In the past, flax has been an important crop for prairie producers. Between 2016 and 2020, over 942,000 acres of flax was seeded annually in Canada, with almost 83% of that production occurring in Saskatchewan. Recently, however, flax acreage in Canada has dropped significantly to 610,000 acres in 2023, 504,000 acres in 2024, and a forecasted 447,000 acres in 2025. Something needs to be done, and quickly, to persuade farmers to remain in and return to flax production. Prices are strong, and interest is returning, but the declining acreage has local processors concerned about a lack of supply. Flax remains an underutilized crop — the many agronomic challenges of the currently available flax varieties have resulted in producers not attempting to grow flax or limiting their flax acreage. J4’s proposal tackles two of the biggest agronomic challenges experienced by flax producers: the hassle of flax fibre and the lack of herbicide options. J4’s proposal also explores a trait that would be of significant benefit to producers and processors: increasing the size of flax seed without affecting the seed’s oil content and concentration. Many producers are dissuaded from growing flax because of the hassle of flax’s fibrous residue. During harvest, long flax fibre is more difficult to cut than cereal straw. Following harvest, the flax fibre in the residue that remains in the field does not break down over winter and, if it is not otherwise removed from the field, it wraps in equipment used for seed preparation in the following year. Solving flax fibre issues would increase the ease of crop production and support the expansion of flax acreage in Saskatchewan. One way that J4 Agri-Science is attempting to combat the fibre hassle is by developing shorter stature flax cultivars. As much of the flax plant is stem, and existing machinery allows for the harvest of shorter crops such as lentil, decreasing the height of the plant will reduce the amount and length of flax fibre in the field while remaining manageable for production. J4 has developed cultivars with a range of heights and seed sizes in previous breeding projects. In this project, J4 will be focusing on the additional understandings and improvements that are necessary for the production of these short-statured line. In relation to the structure of the flax plant, this project’s end goals are to (a) determine if yield potential is negatively correlated with plant height and (b) determine if oil content and concentration is correlated with seed size. Work must be done to understand whether lower yields are due to short stature or if backcrossing with adapted varieties and increased selection pressure will allow for high yielding short cultivars. Similarly, an understanding of the correlation between seed size and oil content will be conducted, and selection for increased oil concentration and ALA concentration will occur. Another trait that will improve the uptake of flax among growers is herbicide tolerance. There are few herbicide options currently available for flax, and flax is not a competitive crop to weed pressure. The yield potential of flax and the quality of the flaxseed can be greatly reduced by uncontrolled weed pressure. Developing herbicide tolerance could increase the groups of herbicides currently registered for flax, allowing for better IPM strategies, and increasing herbicide options for intercrop strategies. J4 has identified potential imidazolinone (Group2) and metribuzin (Group5) resistance mutations. A concentration analysis, a study on the additional effects of the mutation, and backcrossing to remove unwanted mutations have to occur before these lines can be commercialized. An irradiation mutation population, which will yield more complex mutations, will be developed and J4 will attempt to unearth additional resistances, such as in-crop group 14 and additional resistances in group 4 and group 27.
J4’s approach to flax breeding is novel and exciting. The flax industry is looking for innovation, and J4 aims to provide producers with traits of interests that are not available in commercial lines. Reducing flax fibre, increasing the seed size of flax without negatively affecting oil content and concentration, and increasing herbicide options for producers will provide significant added benefits to flax producers and processors. J4 has been successful in the early stages of its flax breeding program and is well poised to provide the Canadian flax industry with the traits of interest that they desire but are currently lacking.
