Abstract
This paper presents a three-year study of the influence of different amounts of nitrogen on the properties of flax plants and fibres. At the same time, the acclimatization ability of five different cultivars of fibre flax was estimated through the valorisation of their morphological (technical stem length, stem thickness) and physical-mechanical properties of the fibres (length, fineness, tenacity). Cultivar trials with fibre flax were set up across three years (2008–2010) at the following locations: the experimental fields of the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb on anthropogenized Eutric Cambisol and the College of Agriculture at Križevci on pseudogley on level terrain. The selected cultivars were fertilized without and with different nitrogen rates (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg/ha) in different time. The trials were carried out according to the RCBD in four replications. According to the results of the three-year study of flax and fibres, significant differences were established among the cultivars and among the added nitrogen rates under study. Based on the results of the morphological and textile-technological properties of flax, the cultivars Viola and Agatha achieved higher values at the location of Križevci, where it was not necessary to add more than 30 kg N/ha.
Highlights
Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) was one of the earliest ancient plants to be domesticated by humans and grown for seed, oil and the strong fibres produced in its stems [1]
Significant differences were recorded among the cultivars for the investigated properties of fibre flax, except for stem thickness in 2008 at Križevci and in 2010 at both locations; fibre length in 2010 at Zagreb; fibre fineness in 2008 at Križevci, 2009 at Zagreb and 2010 at both locations; and fibre tenacity in 2008 at Zagreb and 2010 at Križevci (Tables 2 and 3)
This paper presents a systematic and interdisciplinary evaluation from a three-year study on the effect of different amounts of nitrogen on the properties of flax plants and fibres through the valorisation of their morphological and physical-mechanical properties
Summary
Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) was one of the earliest ancient plants to be domesticated by humans and grown for seed, oil and the strong fibres produced in its stems [1]. Flax fibres are used as textile raw material, at first for composing cords and weaving yarn, and for fashionable garments or high-quality fabric upholstery. Its numerous existing applications and the constant development towards more innovative materials make flax a plant of growing industrial interest, especially for the use of flax fibres as composite reinforcement. It may be assumed that the newly formed climate conditions would cause the reduction in the valuable properties of flax plant and fibres. Sowing a suitable cultivar is an important factor to enhance growth, yield and the components and quality parameters of flax depending on which area it is planted in with regard to climatic conditions. Nitrogen fertilization plays an important role in increasing the productivity and quality of flax
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