Flax Plants Research Articles

Transcriptome profiling of flax plants exposed to a low-frequency alternating electromagnetic field.

All living organisms on Earth evolved in the presence of an electromagnetic field (EMF), adapted to the environment of EMF, and even learned to utilize it for their purposes. However, during the last century, the Earth's core lost its exclusivity, and many EMF sources appeared due to the development of electricity and electronics. Previous research suggested that the EMF led to changes in intercellular free radical homeostasis and further altered the expression of genes involved in plant response to environmental stresses, inorganic ion transport, and cell wall constituent biosynthesis. Later, CTCT sequence motifs in gene promoters were proposed to be responsible for the response to EMF. How these motifs or different mechanisms are involved in the plant reaction to external EMF remains unknown. Moreover, as many genes activated under EMF treatment do not have the CTCT repeats in their promoters, we aimed to determine the transcription profile of a plant exposed to an EMF and identify the genes that are directly involved in response to the treatment to find the common denominator of the observed changes in the plant transcriptome.

Physico-mechanical and morphological behavior of hydrothermally treated plant fibers in cementitious composites

There is an increasing interest in using natural fibers to replace synthetic fibers in fiber cement composites. However, the hydrophilicity and geometric instability of natural fibers undermines their suitability for this purpose. A potential solution is to apply hydrothermal treatment to modify the natural fibers before use. However, the efficacy of this treatment on all natural fibers is still unclear. This research investigated the influence of hydrothermal treatment cycles on three natural (plant) fibers and the resulting performance when used in fiber cement composites. African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) mesocarp fibers and bast fibers sourced from hemp (Cannabis sativa) and flax (Linum usitatissimum) plants were used. These fibers were subjected to six hydrothermal treatment cycles and assessed for tensile strength, vapor sorptivity, chemical and morphological differences. Both untreated and hydrothermally treated fibers were incorporated in fiber cement composites of varying compositions and characterized for flexural strength, porosity and mineralogical phases. The treatment affected the fibers differently depending on their composition. It enhanced fibers with high cellulose, low ketones and organic matter contents and was found to be milder on flax fibers than hemp and palm fibers. Dynamic vapor sorption time on treated fibers decreased by 1 hour 11 minutes, 4 hours 15 minutes and 5 hours 55 minutes in flax, hemp and palm fibers respectively. The cellulose decomposition peak was maintained at 375ºC in flax fibers but shifted from 330 to 375ºC in hemp fibers and 350 – 375ºC in palm fibers. FTIR peak ratios revealed that flax fibers lost lignin and hemicellulose proportionally while lignin degraded the most in palm fibers and hemicellulose in hemp fibers. The treatment enhanced the crystallinity of flax fibers better than hemp fibers but depleted the crystallinity of palm fibers. Flax and hemp fibers had increased tensile strength and improved the performance of fiber cement composites with hydrothermal treatment while palm fibers did not. Generally, hydrothermally treated flax and hemp fibers increased the specific energy (SE) by 6 – 24% and 2 – 19% respectively while palm fibers showed a decrease in SE by 20%. An enhanced bridging ability was exhibited by the treated hemp and flax fibers compared to their untreated fibers. The amorphous matrices of fiber cement composites with fly ash and crystalline matrices of fiber cement composites with palm oil fuel ash performed comparably well with flax and hemp fibers as reinforcement. The use of palm oil fuel ash in fiber cement composites offered greater resistance to fiber pull out and had a greater modulus of rupture (MOR) than those with fly ash. This resulted in untreated fibers performing better in fiber cement composites with palm oil fuel ash while treated fibers performed best in those with fly ash. Overall, hydrothermal treatment was an efficient means of enhancing the performances of fibers with high cellulose, low ketones and organic matter as reinforcement for fiber cement composites.

Usage of iron foliar spray in enhancing the growth and yield of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum L)

The ideal growth and development of linseed plants depend on receiving the necessary nutrients during the growing season when they are grown. Flax's yield and oil content increase using a foliar spray containing micronutrients. This study aimed to determine how foliar iron (Fe) treatment affected flax yield and its constituents. The experiment was set up at the adoptive research farm Sargodha in a randomized block design and three replicates. At the capsule filling stages and bud initiation of the flax crop, foliar sprays with varying concentrations of Fe (5.5%, 4.5%, 3.5%, 2.5%, 1.5%) and without Fe (control) were administered. Sulphate of iron (Fe) was used as the source of Fe. All treatments resulted in notable enhancements in agronomic characteristics such as grain oil contents, harvest index, biological yield, number of capsule formations, technical stem length, plant height, as well as physiological parameters including fluorescence yield (Ft), quantum yield (YII), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), electron transport rate (ETR), and chlorophyll contents. The results of this study suggested that the application of 3.5% to flax during the bud initiation and capsule filling stages increases the seed yield, yield attributes, and oil contents. In conclusion, foliar spray of Fe could enhance the yield of linseed crops.

Overexpression of Bacterial Beta-Ketothiolase Improves Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) Retting and Changes the Fibre Properties

Beta-ketothiolases are involved in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids and the metabolism of hormones, benzenoids, and hydroxybutyrate. The expression of bacterial beta-ketothiolase in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) results in an increase in endogenous beta-ketothiolase mRNA levels and beta-hydroxybutyrate content. In the present work, the effect of overexpression of beta-ketothiolase on retting and stem and fibre composition of flax plants is presented. The content of the components was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and biochemical methods. Changes in the stem cell walls, especially in the lower lignin and pectin content, resulted in more efficient retting. The overexpression of beta-ketothiolase reduced the fatty acid and carotenoid contents in flax and affected the distribution of phenolic compounds between free and cell wall-bound components. The obtained fibres were characterized by a slightly lower content of phenolic compounds and changes in the composition of the cell wall. Based on the IR analysis, we concluded that the production of hydroxybutyrate reduced the cellulose crystallinity and led to the formation of shorter but more flexible cellulose chains, while not changing the content of the cell wall components. We speculate that the changes in chemical composition of the stems and fibres are the result of the regulatory properties of hydroxybutyrate. This provides us with a novel way to influence metabolic composition in agriculturally important crops.

Comparative Analysis of G-Layers in Bast Fiber and Xylem Cell Walls in Flax Using Raman Spectroscopy.

In a response to gravitropic stress, G-layers (gelatinous layers) were deposited in xylem cell walls of tilted flax plants. G-layers were produced in both tension wood (upper side) as expected but were also observed in opposite wood (lower side). Raman spectral profiles were acquired for xylem G-layers from the tension and opposite side as well as from the G-layer of bast fibers grown under non-tilted conditions. Statistical analysis by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) clearly distinguished bast fiber G-layers from xylem G-layers. Discriminating bands were observed for cellulose (380-1150-1376 cm-1), hemicelluloses (517-1094-1126-1452 cm-1) and aromatics (1270-1599-1658 cm-1). PCA did not allow separation of G-layers from tension/opposite-wood sides. In contrast, the two types of xylem G-layers could be incompletely discriminated through PLS-DA. Overall, the results suggested that while the architecture (polymer spatial distribution) of bast fibers G-layers and xylem G-layers are similar, they should be considered as belonging to a different cell wall layer category based upon ontogenetical and chemical composition parameters.

Стійкість до вилягання і забур’яненість стеблостою льону-довгунця з урахуванням густоти посівів перед збиранням

Resistance of stalks to lodging and its weediness should be considered as factors of mechanized production of long flax, which form environmentally friendly preparation and harvesting of Roshen flaxseed. The aim of the study was to study the effect of stem density of long flax before harvesting on its resistance to lodging and weeding, as well as to determine the density of crops in the pre-harvest period, which allows the use of mechanization in harvesting long flax plants and combing stems, their spreading, lifting the flaxseed tape, forming its packaging, loading and transportation. Some of the results of experimental research of a number of scientists on the study of agricultural techniques and measures for the cultivation of flax and the materials of their own research and their generalization were used as initial data. The method of processing the initial data is based on correlation-regression analysis, based on the size of statistical samples used to determine the estimated indicators of qualitative and quantitative relationship of the studied results and factorial features of the processed correlation series and correlation tables. The range of variation of the studied features, the arithmetic mean and the standard deviation and coefficients of variation were determined. The search for the prognostic function was carried out by equalizing the experimental values of the performance traits depending on the factorial rectilinear and a number of curvilinear dependences with the calculation of the corresponding estimates of alignment, errors of regression equations and determination of the coefficient of determination. A negative correlation with the correlation coefficients of minus 0.460 and minus 0.597 was found between the resistance of the flax stalk to lodging and the density of the stalk, taking into account various experimental data, with correlations of the resistance of the stalk to lodging to the density of the stalk, respectively, 0.503 and 0.62, respectively. A negative correlation was also found between the weediness of the stem, the number and density of weeds in it and the density of the stem, with the determination of the corresponding paired estimates of this correlation. The equations of descending hyperbolas of quantitative change of effective signs depending on factorial are found.

РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ КОЛЛЕКЦИОННОГО ПИТОМНИКА ЛЬНА МАСЛИЧНОГО В УСЛОВИЯХ ТОО «СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННАЯ ОПЫТНАЯ СТАНЦИЯ «ЗАРЕЧНОЕ»

The article presents data on the most important indicators in the cultivation of oilseed flax, obtained during research at the Agricultural Experimental Station Zarechnoye LLP for 2022. The most intensive plant growth was observed after the flax plants passed the herringbone phase up to the flowering phase, the linear development of plants stopped. Intensive root growth in depth occurred in the early phases of development. During our research, flax plants have placed increased demands on heat, especially during the ripening period. At low air temperatures, the germination of seeds and the emergence of seedlings were significantly slowed down. According to the results of the research, promising varieties were identified that exceed the indicators of the standard variety. 36 varieties were sown in the nursery of oilseed flax in 2022. All of them are part of the world collection, they belong to Russian, Canadian, Ukrainian, etc. breeding. The domestic selection is represented by 6 varieties: Kustanayskaya-5, Kazar, Kostanay 11, Ilyich, Slavyachil, Altyn. The zoned Kazar variety was taken as the standard, which was located every 5 varieties. In regions where oilseed flax is cultivated, fusarium wilt is the main predominant type of disease. Resistance to fusarium wilt was determined by counting plants after germination and before harvesting in the infected area. Such varieties as Isilkulsky, Kinelsky 2000, Ilyich, Slavyachil, Kazar, Osean, Triumph, Istok, Antares, Kustanaysky 5 turned out to be moderately stable.

Effect of chitosan on the surface properties of cellulose-based paper obtained from the flax plant

The effects of chitosan, starch, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were studied to improve the surface properties of cellulose-based paper obtained from local raw materials. Polymers are incorporated into the paper canvas by spraying. The results showed that the addition of chitosan to paper webs made from cellulose fibers has improved surface properties compared to the effects of other additives. The effect level of starch was similar to that of chitosan, but it resulted in a lower water absorption potential of paper than chitosan at the same concentration. In many other properties, particularly for printing papers, the most important property being surface smoothness, chitosan treated papers are superior to starch or PVA treated papers.

Effect of chitosan substance on the mechanical properties of paper obtained on the basis of flax cellulose

Chitosan occurs in different molecular weights and degrees of deacetylation. Molecular weight and degree of deacetylation are the main factors affecting particle size, particle formation and aggregation. The use of chitosan improved the dry strength of the paper, especially by adding 1% low molecular weight chitosan. But the increase in concentration reduced its dry strength. This can be explained as follows. The connection must correspond to the distance between the segments between the fibers, because they form an inter-fiber connection area. Even if the water molecule is separated from the organic bond with the fibers or not, a large amount of water destroys the bond state of the paper. These factors are important in the paper industry. Paper-like materials were obtained on the basis of cellulose obtained from the stem of the flax plant. The effect of fibers and adhesives in the composition on the quality indicators of the obtained paper was considered. The effects of chitosan and starch glue were compared. It can be explained that the hydrogen bond on the fiber surface is mainly monopolized by the water molecule, because the fiber forms a macroscopic liquid bridge. The weakness of this bridge indicates the wet tensile strength of the paper.

梳刷气吸复合式亚麻（胡麻）蒴果收获试验台设计与试验

In view of the problem of plant entanglement threshing roller in the process of mechanized flax harvesting, a comb-brush air-suction composite flax capsule harvesting test stand was designed based on the harvesting method of harvesting capsules independently and then breaking the capsules to thresh them. The following four parameters were selected as experimental factors: the shape of comb tooth cross-section, the rotational speed of comb roller, the relative speed of machine travel and the air volume of centrifugal fan. The following four indicators were chosen as the experimental indicators: capsule removal rate, capsule breakage rate, capsule collection rate and plant winding rate. A four-factor and three-level orthogonal test was conducted. The results showed that the optimal combination of test factors was as follows: the shape of comb tooth cross-section was rectangular, the rotational speed of the brush roller was 90 rad/min, the speed of machine travel relative to the plant was 80 mm/s and the air volume of centrifugal fan was 6000 m3/h. Under the condition of better experiment parameters combination, the capsule removal rate was 96.45%, capsule shell breaking rate was 98.79%, capsule collection rate was 95.65% and flax plants winding rate was 2.52%. The comb-brush air-suction composite flax capsule harvesting test bench provided the feasibility scheme for the problem of plant winding thresher roller and capsule collection.

Antidiabetic activity of ethanol extract of leaves of flax plant (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Antidiabetic activity of ethanol extract of leaves of flax plant (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Antidiabetic activity of ethanol extract of leaves of flax plant (Linum usitatissimum L.)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate antidiabetic activity of ethanol extract of leaves of Flax plant (Linum usitatissimum) in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Ethanol extract of leaves of Linum usitatissimum (EELL) or glibenclamide was administered to the rats orally daily for 28 days. Blood glucose levels at weekly interval and on 29th day, serum biochemical parameters were carried out to evaluate its antidiabetic effect in diabetic rats. Blood glucose, creatinine, BUN, AST and ALT levels were significantly increased in STZ induced diabetic rats as compared to vehicle control rats. After 28 days administration of EELL showed the significant decrease in above levels as compared to diabetic control rats. The study results suggest that the ethanol extract of leaves of Linum usitatissimum clearly demonstrated the antidiabetic activity in an experimental model of rats.

Investigating the Role of Salicylic Acid in Determining the Lifespan of Short-Lived and Long-Lived Flax Species and Lines

Introduction: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation has been related to aging in both plant and human physiology. Leaked electrons from the electron transport system (ETS) react with molecular oxygen producing ROS, such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anions. There are numerous antioxidative mechanisms present in plants that aid in redox balance, one of which is the mild uncoupling of mitochondria. Uncoupling agents, such as salicylic acid (SA), can abolish the connection between oxidation and phosphorylation allowing electron transport to take place without the need for parallel ATP synthesis. “Uncoupling to Survive” Hypothesis states that uncoupling activity should be greater in long-lived species since uncoupled mitochondria result in reduced ROS production thereby increasing lifespan. Since ROS accumulation has been linked to lifespan in the Oxidative Stress Theory of Aging, the idea that long-lived species should exhibit greater antioxidative capacity than short-lived species is the foundation upon which this hypothesis is established. We tested this hypothesis in various flax species and lines differing in lifespan. Methods: Spectrophotometry was used to determine SA levels in plant tissue while respiration rates were measured using a dissolving oxygen electrode. Results: The “Uncoupling to Survive” Hypothesis does not seem to hold for flax since long-lived and short-lived species did not exhibit significant differences in oxygen consumption rates that would indicate differences in the uncoupling activity of their mitochondria. Discussion: However, early flowering lines exhibited lower levels of SA suggesting that flax plants do not require elevated SA expression to display the early flowering phenotype as seen in Arabidopsis species. In addition, SA significantly increased the oxygen consumption rates in wild-type and early flowering plants which further provides evidence for its role as an uncoupling agent. Conclusion: Our findings add to our understanding of the many roles that SA plays in plant physiology. Advantages of SA are well established in the cosmetic and medical communities and investigating its effects on plants can be beneficial. We also looked at the "Uncoupling to Survive Hypothesis" in plants, which helped us get a better grasp of the antioxidant mechanisms that may eventually reduce oxidative stress and lead to senescence.

The influence of the seeding rate on the yield of flax of the Phoenix variety in the conditions of the Smolensk region

The article presents the results of scientific research for 2018-2020 to identify the reaction of the flax Phoenix variety (Linum usitatissimum L.) to increasing seeding rates. The experiment was laid on the sod-podzolic medium loamy soil of a separate subdivision of the Smolensk Research Institute of the Federal State Budget Research Institution «Federal Research Center for Bast Fiber Crops». It was found out that with an increase in the seeding rate, there was an increase in the number of flax stalks per 1 m2. However, the number of boxes per plant and seeds per box decreased by almost 1.2–1.6 times. The greatest resistance of flax plants to lodging (5.0 points) was obtained at seeding rates of 16, 18 and 20 million units/ha. Further, with an increase in the seeding rate, the studied indicator decreased to 3.8 points. The increase in the seeding rate was accompanied by a decrease in the yield of flax seeds by 0.35 t/ha (or 41%) and an increase in the yield of flax - by 1.91 t/ha (or 34%). Optimal in terms of flax fiber content and its yield were variants with a seeding rate of 22 and 24 million germinating seeds per 1 ha. The fiber content in plants in these variants was 28.0–27.4%, its yield was 20.0-20.7%.

Phenotypic analysis of Longya-10 × pale flax hybrid progeny and identification of candidate genes regulating prostrate/erect growth in flax plants.

Flax is a dual-purpose crop that is important for oil and fiber production. The growth habit is one of the crucial targets of selection during flax domestication. Wild hybridization between cultivated flax and wild flax can produce superior germplasms for flax breeding and facilitate the study of the genetic mechanism underlying agronomically important traits. In this study, we used pale flax, Linum grandiflorum, and L. perenne to pollinate Longya-10. Only pale flax interspecific hybrids were obtained, and the trait analysis of the F1 and F2 generations showed that the traits analyzed in this study exhibited disparate genetic characteristics. In the F1 generation, only one trait, i.e., the number of capsules per plant (140) showed significant heterosis, while the characteristics of other traits were closely associated with those of the parents or a decline in hybrid phenotypes. The traits of the F2 generation were widely separated, and the variation coefficient ranged from 9.96% to 146.15%. The quantitative trait locus underlying growth habit was preliminarily found to be situated on chromosome 2 through Bulked-segregant analysis sequencing. Then linkage mapping analysis was performed to fine-map GH2.1 to a 23.5-kb interval containing 4 genes. Among them, L.us.o.m.scaffold22.109 and L.us.o.m.scaffold22.112 contained nonsynonymous SNPs with Δindex=1. Combined with the qRT-PCR results, the two genes might be possible candidate genes for GH2.1. This study will contribute to the development of important germplasms for flax breeding, which would facilitate the elucidation of the genetic mechanisms regulating the growth habit and development of an ideal architecture for the flax plant.

Efficiency of methods for selecting the initial material of oil flax in primary seed production

Relevance. The efficiency of primary oil flax seed production largely depends on the methods of plant selection and the creation of updated (original) seeds, which still remain complex and time consuming. The development of new, more advanced methods for selecting the initial crop material, aimed at reducing labor intensity, labor costs and speeding up work at the initial stages of seed production, is relevant and has practical significance. Methods. The object of research was the process of selection and testing of oil flax plants according to the relevant characteristics, the subject of research was typical plants and seeds obtained from them. The experiments were carried out in accordance with the methods of field experiments, as well as methodological recommendations for seed production of oil flax. The varietal quality of seeds was assessed by the method of soil control. The content of phosphorus and potassium in the soil was determined by the Kirsanov method, and the acidity of the soil was determined by the ionometric method.Results. It has been established that the method of selecting oil flax plants according to a new trait — the flowering period, compared with the accepted analogue, made it possible to increase the yield of renewed (original) seeds by 35.6%, increase their uniformity in seed weight by 8%, seed strength —by 9.1%, reduce labor costs by 31%. The method of soil control established a high level of varietal quality of seeds created using selection for a new trait. It was revealed that negative selection, which involves the removal of plants that are atypical in terms of morphological characteristics, provided, compared with the control, an increase in seed yield by 22.6%, an improvement in their morphological and physiological properties, including an increase in seed strength by 13.6%, an increase in the length of the seedling seed by 25%, as well as a reduction in labor costs by 23.5%. The results of soil testing showed that this method allowed us to obtain original material uniform in color, as well as plants with the necessary evenness in height and fiber content in the stem.

Epigenetics for crop adaptation to climate change

Epigenetics for crop adaptation to climate change

The Influence of Water Hardness on the Agronomic Traits of Foreign Fibre Flax Varieties in the Republic of Croatia

The amount and quality of fibres depend on a whole range of factors, the most important being variety, agroecological conditions, agrotechnics and the degree of fibre flax plant maturity, the purpose for which flax is grown, retting and processing. The retting of fibre flax is the most complex stage in the processing of flax into fibre. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge about the acclimatization ability of foreign varieties that can potentially be adapted to climatic in Republic Croatia. Therefore, this paper presents the results of achieved agronomic traits (dry stem yield, dry stem after retting, total fibre yield, long fibre yield, share of total fibre and share of long fibre) of five foreign varieties of fibre flax. The selected varieties were retted in very soft, medium hard and hard water. Variety trials with fibre flax were set up over three years (2012–2014) at two locations (Zagreb) on anthropogenized eutric cambisol and (Križevci) on pseudogley on level terrain. The trials were carried out according to the RCBD in four replications. According to the results of the three-year research into the agronomic traits of fibre flax, significant differences were identified among the varieties studied. The varieties Agatha, Viola and Electra recorded the highest values of studied traits. Statistically significant differences were only recorded among different water hardness for long fibre yield in 2012 and share of total fibre in 2013 in Zagreb. The highest yields and share of fibres were recorded when the fibre flax was retted in very soft water.

Studying the Innovative Flax Pulling Process in Apparatuses with Transverse Pulling Channels

Introduction. During fiber-flax harvesting, the working tools of pulling units actively interact with the flax plants. The flax pulling unit with transverse tape-disc pulling channels is characterized by the separation of technological plant flows resulting in the loss of seeds and damage to the flax stems. The aim of the work is the theoretical and experimental substantiation of changes in the design of the pulling units with transverse tape-disc pulling channels by eliminating the separation of technological plant flows during flax pulling. Materials and Methods. Experimental studies to substantiate the parameters and modes of the pulling unit operation were carried out according to available and newly developed methodologies, while the evaluation of flax products was carried out according to current GOSTs (Russian National standards). There was determined the influence of the flax ripeness stages, flax yield, and a type of pulling unit on the indicators of separation of technological plant flows and on seed losses. The influence of the pulling unit type, operating width of the pulling section, and the pulling unit speed on the indicators of processing flax straw was also established. Results. There was obtained the dependence for determining the flax stem base elongation, taking into account the seed boll cohesion. The design of the modernized flax pulling unit was used to assess the effect of reducing the flax stem base elongation and eliminating the separation of technological plant flows during pulling on the reduction of seed loss and increase in the yield of flax longs. In the improved flax harvester, the frame elements are positioned behind the pulling unit. Thanks to the modernization of the pulling unit, the flax straw was of higher quality: 1.5 numbers at THLN-1.9M and 1.25 numbers at THLN-1.9P. Discussion and Conclusion. The modernized pulling unit THLN-1,9M during flax harvesting in the stage of early yellow ripeness, compared with the unit THLN-1,9P, can reduce seed loss by 1.4-2.0%, increased output of long fiber by 1.3%. The production of flax longs increases to 0.45 of its number.

Interactive Effect of Organic (Urea-N) and Halo (NaCl) Priming on Photosystem II Efficiencies and Physiological Tolerance in Flax Plants under Saline Environment

Interactive Effect of Organic (Urea-N) and Halo (NaCl) Priming on Photosystem II Efficiencies and Physiological Tolerance in Flax Plants under Saline Environment