Cultivation of Fiber and Oil Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) in No-tillage and Conventional Systems. Part I. Influence of No-tillage and Conventional System on Yield and Weed Infestation of Fiber Flax and the Physical and Biological Properties of the Soil

Abstract

Studies on planting crops no-till have been carried out extensively in many countries. So far, studies have not been conducted in the cultivation of flax. The purpose of this study was to compare no-till and conventional cultivation of flax on weed control, yield of fiber flax and seed, and the physical and biological properties of the soil. Precipitation in the years of study was significantly different and modified the effect of the treatments. Yields of whole flax plants with seeds and yields of straw in the dry year were higher, and in the year with optimal rainfall lower with no-tillage than conventional cultivation. Flax seed yield, regardless of the year, was higher in the no-till system. No-tillage, regardless of weed control, reduced the number and weight of weeds, compared to conventional cultivation with plowing. No-tillage resulted in a higher moisture content and lower soil capillary capacity than with conventional tillage. Cultivation systems did not affect the bulk density of topsoil but no-tillage contributed to an increase of humic substances content in the soil environment.