Evaluation of fungicide seed treatments on flax cultivars differing in seed color

Fungicide seed treatments were evaluated in field trials on the flax (Linum usitatissimum) cultivars Omega (yellow-seeded) and York (brown-seeded) at Langdon and Carrington, ND in 2003 and 2004. Fungicide seed treatments reduced root rot severity compared to the untreated control in only one of the four environments tested, but did not have any effects on stand or yield. Root rot severity was greater in the cultivar Omega compared to York in two of the four environments tested. Yield differences between the cultivars occurred in two of the environments with Omega having greater yield than York at Langdon in 2003 and York having greater yield than Omega at Carrington in 2004. Although yellow-seeded flax cultivars have been previously reported as having reduced stand compared to brown-seeded cultivars, we did not observe these differences in the cultivars tested in this research.