Flax Grower Survey – Harvest Details

A flax grower survey commissioned by the Plant Breeding and Production Working Group (BPWG) of Flax Canada 2015 and carried out by Insightrix Research Services® revealed some interesting data on flax harvest and straw management.

Harvest

In all, 27.8% of respondents used a desiccant. 32.6% of top growers used a desiccant, compared to 21.1% of those in the bottom group. The large majority (82.4%) of those who applied a desiccant did so in September with most of those doing so in the first or second week. Most (68%) of those who applied desiccants said they did so at a maturity stage of 8 or higher out of 10. The average is 7.9 which is similar for top, middle and bottom growers.

Just over half (52.3%) of respondents swathed, while 47.7% straight combined. While we cannot conclude that the difference is statistically significant, it appears that top growers were more likely than others to straight combine, at 53.3%.  Half of the respondents who straight combined did so in the month of October. Another 39.9% combined in September. Three respondents (1.4%) combined in April or May and 7.3% combined in November or December. Growers in the bottom group were less likely than top growers to combine at the end of December or beginning of October.

About one in four respondents who swathed did so in the third week of September. A total of 64.2% swathed in the month of September, while 8.7% swathed in August and 27.1% in December. 31.1% of growers in the bottom group swathed in August or the first week of September, compared to only 5.1% of top growers. Of those who swathed, 52.9% harvested in the month of October. Another 40.8% harvested in September, with most of those at the end of the month. Comparing groups, 53.3% of top growers harvested in the first or second week of October, compared to only 29.2% of those in the bottom group.

To capture the combined effect of straight combining/swathing and their dates, a cluster analysis was used to allocate respondents into groups with similar harvesting practices. It was found that those who straight combine in the first or second week of October and those who swath in the first week of October and also harvest in October tend to have the highest yields, while those who swath in August and harvest as the end of September tend to have lower yields.

Nearly one quarter of all respondents experienced weathering or frost damage problems. 35.8% of those in the bottom growers group indicated they experienced weathering or frost damage, compared to 17.8% of top growers. Overall, 22.8% of those who experienced weathering problems lost a grade because of it. This equates to 5.5% of all respondents. Of those in the bottom group who experienced weathering problems, 29.5% lost a grade because of it. This equates to 10.6% of all growers in the bottom group.

Straw Management

Nearly half (47.2%) of all respondents burn their straw for management. One third remove their straw for sale, 23.9% use chopping and 10.6% use spreading. 4.2% do not use any straw management practices. Top growers are slightly more likely to use burning or removal for sale, while bottom growers are slightly more likely to use chopping. With an average rating of 9 out of 10, the large majority (88.4%) of respondents rated the standability of their crop pre-harvest as 8 or better out of 10. Standability was rated very high for top, middle and bottom growers.

When asked if they would be willing to change their agronomic practices to increase the value of their straw, 78.2% of all respondents said that they would. When asked to specify what they would be willing to do, 26.8% of respondents mentioned baling/selling the straw. Another 25.1% said they would do anything that would increase the value. When asked what agronomic practices seem to make their flax straw easier to manage, 17.1% of respondents mentioned baling. Another 15.8% think burning makes it more manageable, 12.8% said chopping and 11.5% said using a desiccant works.

Source: Saskatchewan Flax Grower, July 2006, page 3.