THE EFFECT OF VARIETY AND FUNGICIDE ON YIELD AND THE INCIDENCE OF PATHOGENS ON LINSEED IN NORTHERN-IRELAND

Linseed crops in N. Ireland are attacked by a number of pathogens, Alt ernaria linicola, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium spp. and Oidium lini. A s eries of trials set tip over four years to examine the effect of varie ty and a single, late-season fungicide spray showed that the incidence of almost all pathogens and saprophytes, both on the growing crop and on the newly-formed seed was affected by variety, but that very littl e of the effect was due to individual variety maturity. Fungicide redu ced the incidence of A. linicola on seed and increased yield and thous and grain weight significantly but not economically.