Breeding For Organic Farming : Obtaining And Evaluation Of Flax Somaclonal Families

Plant calli culture could be used as a source of genetic changes (somaclonal variation). There are known several flax varieties, bred on the basis of somaclonal variation, with improved resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, plant height, seed yield and other traits. This method is useful for obtaining the new initial material for flax breeding, including for intensification of breeding for organic farming. Goal of the study was to obtain plants-regenerants from the calli culture of the fibre flax variety ‘Vega 2’ and to evaluate their agronomical traits and resistance to powdery mildew. For obtaining plants-regenerants was used early elaborated protocol of somatic calli cultivation. Ag…

Using Anther Culture Method for Flax Breeding Intensification

Flax breeding is a long and complicated process based on hybridization and following selection of the best plants. Because of possible occasional cross-pollination the development of genetically stable homozygous lines could last more than 15 years. For more rapid creating of initial material for flax breeding anther culture methods for producing doubled haploid (DH) lines could be used successfully. The goal of this study was to develop the best anther culture protocol for producing DH lines from hybrids included in Latvian flax breeding programme and to do preliminary field evaluation of obtained DH lines. F4 hybrids were used in the experiment. Method, most applicable for establishing of…

PHOSPHOROUS SEED COATING AFFECT TO GERMINATION, PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS AND YIELD OF RAPE

Rape (Brassica napus L. var. napus) is long ago-known vegetable of Brassicaceae in agriculture. It is important and valuable oil, forage, green-fertiliser and nectar plant. The experience of last years shows that rape is suitable for growing in conditions of Latvia, but investigations about its cultivars and growing technologies are not wide enough.The phosporus-fertilizer adding in the rape plantations is of great importance for increasing of its productivity. With the aim to reduce the expenses the phosphorus treated rape seeds are made use.In our investigations the velocity of seeds germination, germinating viability, germinating vigour, green pigments” quantity in seed-lobes and seeds” …

Physiological Aspects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Impact on Latvian Origin Cannabis Sativa L .

The aim of the present study was to evaluate nitrogen fertilizer impact on photosynthesis and yield of hemp, applying modern non-destructive methods. The main object of the investigation – hemp cultivar of Latvian origin ‘Pūriņi’. Laboratory and field experiments showed diverse effects of different nitrogen fertilizer doses on various parameters. Additional nitrogen fertilizer dose of 60 kg ha-1 is most effective as evaluated by chlorophyll content in hemp leaves and changes of chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters. Nitrogen fertilizer negatively affected fiber content in hemp stems, therefore while cultivating hemp only for fiber production use of nitrogen fertilizer should be reduced. Acc…

Physical Properties of Latvian Hemp Fibres

Each year more and more people focus on healthy, ecological and environmental-friendly living. Environmentally friendly lifestyle doesn’t mean that we are using only natural products, but attention is pointed to the manufacturing and production process also. The rapid development of recycled and biodegradable products causes expanding usage of hemp fibers both in household and technical textiles. The analysis of hemp cultivation and usage trends in the world and Europe shows that hemp cultivation and processing in Latvia has good perspectives. Product quality is influenced by raw materials. In this case it is hemp fiber descriptive characteristics. Hemp fibers are natural fibers and their p…

DISEASES DIVERSITY FOR FLAX GENETIC RESOURCES IN LATVIA

Flax ( Linum usitatissimum L) yield of stem and seeds and them quality is influenced by a number of harmful diseases but investigation about pathogens in recent years have not been done in Latvia.  Each stage of development of disease is important in the pathogen life cycle and requires certain condition. Goal of this study have identify possibilities of the pathogens and were assess disease severity depending on the genotypes on flax in variable environmental conditions. The resistance to the diseases for 24 flax genotypes and standard variety ‘Vega 2’ were evaluated. The field trials have been carried out over the period from 2015 to 2016 at the Research Centre of Priekuli, part of Vilani…

Yield development of flax varieties and lines within variable environment in Latvia

Flax is the multiple purpose crop cultivated in temperate region. Seeds of oil flax recently became important constituent for many industrial applications, such as pharmacy, medicine, food production <em>etc.</em> and have high prospective for use in Latvia. Understanding the underlying processes that limit seed yield in flax is major with respect to enhancing the breeding of flax for yield improvements. The aim of study was evaluated 29 flax varieties and lines (including 20 Latvian origins) plasticity of seed yield production in changeable environmental conditions. The experiment was carried out in the Agricultural Scientific Centre of Latgale on field trials over the period 2…

EVALUATION OF THE LATVIAN FLAX GENETIC RESOURCES AND PERSPECTIVE OF THEIR UTILISATION

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the oldest fibre and oil crop in Europe, including Latvia. In the middle of the last century growing areas of this crop was reduced dramatically. Nowadays flax attracted a great interest again as a fibre and oil processor, as well as a crop for diversification of agriculture and, in the same time, as a crop for producing high quality fibre for industry, high quantity oil for biofuel and high quality oil for feeding, food, and pharmacy (source of α-linolenic acid, linoleic acid and vitamins). We evaluated all available flax accessions of the Latvian origin and number of their hybrid lines. Agronomically important qualitative and quantitative traits, su…

The evaluation of disease resistance of flax genotypes in relation to environmental factors

CAMELINA SATIVA AS A CROP FOR DIVERSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE AND AS A PRODUCER OF HIGH QUALITY OIL

‘Camelina sativa’ is one of the oldest oil crops in Europe. Growing areas were reduced dramatically in 20-40-ties of the last century. Low price of rape oil and unclear composition of camelina oil were primary reasons of this process. Nevertheless, last years ‘Camelina sativa' attracted a great interest of scientists and oil processors as a crop for diversification of agriculture and, in the same time, for producing of the high quantity and quality oil for biofuel, feeding, food, and pharmacy (source of a-linolenic acid, linoleic acid and vitamins, especially E). In Latvia ‘Camelina sativa' is spread as a wild form but for the agriculture it is a new crop.The potential of me of ‘Camelina sa…