Production technology and industrial uses of dual purpose linseed (Linum usitatissimum): An overview

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a rabi crop of India, grown both for seed and fibre since very long time. The varieties, which are grown for seed and fibre both, are known as dual purpose linseed. In India, oil flax is under cultivation in 16 states, while dual purpose linseed is being grown in few pockets. As climatic conditions of the country does not suit much for the cultivation of fibre flax, but dual purpose linseed varieties like ‘Gaurav’, ‘Jeevan’, ‘Nagarkot’, ‘Shikha’, ‘Rashmi’, ‘Meera’, and ‘Parvati’ may be grown in Himachal Pradesh, some districts of Punjab, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Tawa command area of Madhya Pradesh and Kota command area of Rajasthan. A good crop of dual purpose linseed can be obtained by sowing of these varieties under irrigated situation (2–3 irrigations) during last week of October to mid November using 50- 60 kg seed/ha at a row distance of 20 cm, fertilizer application of 60- 90 kg N + 13.2–17.6 kg P + 25- 33.3 kg K/ha along with need based plant protection measures. Development of improved varieties having quality fibre with good seed yield, refining agro-techniques, proper post-harvest technologies especially retting and scutching techniques along with the testing of quality standards and suitable government policies are essential for the promotion of this crop in India.