Extreme flax growth in 2006: First too much rain, then not enough

Some 10 days changed the growing of flax in Belgium and France with 180 degrees: high risk of lodging and long, heavy flax like begin of the month of june are now forgotten.

No rain at all and temperatures in flax fields of more than 40°C hindered the flax reaching ist regular length and induced a kind of panic flowering. Therefore important growing areas show a blooming at an plant length of not more than 50 cm, which is app. 20 cm less than regular.

Even if satisfying rain will fall the next days the final plant length will not exceed 80 cm in this cases. But it is not only the reduced plant length but more the technical length, which is the stem between base and first ramification, that will be affected heavily.

This because f.e. the hackling yield will be quite poor. Today it is evident, that the high fibre yields of 2005 cannot hit anyway. In in a few weeks it will be quantified by modeling calculations.

Finally a lower yield will be good for the poor market, because the (too low) prices in beeing will rise on an normal level within the next months.

Source

Heger.Hulda-news vom 2006-06-16.

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