Prairie Blue

Flax

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AC Emerson', 'AC Carnduff', 'Flanders' and 'CDC Bethune'

Summary: 'Prairie Blue' has very weak to weak anthocyanin colouration of the hypocotyl while in 'AC Carnduff' it is weak to medium. The plant height of 'Prairie Blue' is shorter than 'CDC Bethune' but taller than 'AC Emerson'. 'Prairie Blue' has a longer main axis than 'AC Emerson' and 'Flanders'. The colour of the filament of 'Prairie Blue' at the top and bottom is blue, while in 'AC Emerson' it is white, and in 'CDC Bethune' it is predominantly white. The top of the style is white in 'Prairie Blue' while it is blue in 'Flanders'. 'Prairie Blue' has a blue coloured base of the style while it is white in 'AC Emerson'. The colour of the stigma in 'Prairie Blue' is predominantly light violet while in 'AC Emerson', 'AC Carnduff', it is white and in 'CDC Bethune' it is predominantly white. 'Prairie Blue' is later maturing than 'AC Emerson'. The ciliation of the false septa is predominantly absent in 'Prairie Blue' while it is present in 'AC Emerson' and 'AC Carnduff'. 'Prairie Blue' has a lighter 1000 seed weight than 'AC Emerson' and 'CDC Bethune'. The lodging resistance is better in 'Prairie Blue' than 'AC Carnduff'. 'Prairie Blue' has a lower protein content than 'CDC Bethune'. The oil content is higher in 'Prairie Blue' than in 'AC Emerson', 'AC Carnduff', and 'CDC Bethune'. The fatty acid composition of 'Prairie Blue' has higher stearic acid content than 'AC Emerson' and 'CDC Bethune', higher oleic acid content than 'AC Emerson' but lower than 'CDC Bethune', lower linoleic acid content than 'AC Emerson', AC Carnduff', 'Flanders', and 'CDC Bethune', and higher linolenic acid content than 'CDC Bethune'. 'Prairie Blue' has a higher iodine number than 'CDC Bethune'.

Description:

'Prairie Blue' is an oilseed flax variety which has a range of anthocyanin colouration in the hypocotyls of the seedlings from very weak to weak. There is no longitudinal folding of the petals and sepal dotting on the flowers is absent to very weak. The petal colour is medium blue and the filament is white at the base and on top. The colour of the anthers is blue and the pollen is clear. The style is blue at the base and white on top. The stigma colour is light violet. Plants have medium to late maturity and produce medium sized capsules. The capsule is semi dehiscent and there is some ciliation of the false septa. Seeds of 'Prairie Blue' are medium brown in colour and medium in size. The variety is immune to flax rust (Melampsora lini, race 371), and moderately susceptible to flax wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini). It has good resistance to shattering and capsule loss, and good lodging resistance. 'Prairie Blue' produces few number of basal branches.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Prairie Blue' was developed from the cross Flanders / FP 956 made in 1992 at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Morden Research Station, Morden, Manitoba. The F2 and subsequent generations were advanced using the pedigree method with selection pressure for oil content, oil quality, lodging resistance and rust resistance. Single plant selection was made in the F3 and F5 generations. An F7 line, designated M 4455 was selected and evaluated in preliminary yield trials in 1996 and for Fusarium Wilt in the Fusarium Wilt nurseries in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The line was evaluated as FP 2024 in the 1998 Flax Joint Project test at 9 locations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and in the Flax Cooperative test from 1999 to 2001.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Prairie Blue' were conducted at the Agriculture Agri-Food Canada Research Station in Morden, Manitoba in 2002 and 2003. The trials consisted of 2 replicates of 4-row plots. The plots were 5.5 metres long and the rows were spaced at 30cm. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 50 measurements per year. Seed characteristics and quality characteristics were determined on a seed sample from each of the 2 replicates.

Comparison tables for 'Prairie Blue' with reference varieties 'AC Emerson', 'AC Carnduff', 'Flanders' and 'CDC Bethune'

Plant height (cm)

Days to capsule maturity (75% of capsules brown)

Seed weight (g/1000 seed)