Flax and Linseed - Industrial Crops: Breeding for BioEnergy and Bioproducts - page 243

Low-linolenic acid linseed breeding is the second main objective of Canadian
linseed breeding. During the 1980-1990s, Australian and Canadian breeding pro-
grams have developed and used linseed varieties with completely different and
unique quality of oil compared to the common profile of L. usitatissimum .This
work is specific to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Crop Development
Centre (CDC) in Saskatchewan, and Agricore. As the result of these breeding
programs, low linolenic linseed varieties under the common trade Linola have
been developed [ 61 , 103 - 107 ]. Linola is the trademark name of solin, a mutant
strain of flax ( L. usitatissimum ) developed in the early 1990s by the Australian
agency, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
It was developed and released by Australia in 1992 and first commercially grown in
1994. This variety was developed to provide a source of edible linseed oil with a
low alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) content of approximately 2 %, as compared to 50 %
in the standard type variety. It was done to improve the storage quality of linseed
when used as a bulk livestock feed. Linseed's previous main use had been linseed
oil for use as a paint ingredient, with the ALA (omega-3 fatty acid) being a quick-
drying component. With the advent of “plastic” water-based paints, the linseed
market fell into decline. When marketed as a stock feed, linseed oil's omega-3
content also deteriorated quickly in storage. It also has a correspondingly higher
content of the gamma-linolenic acid and omega-6 fatty acid, around 65-75 %. The
lower level of ALA increases the oxidative stability of the oilseed, which remains
edible when stored. Selection for seed color was also conducted changing the
standard type dark brown seed to a light yellow seed, which consequently gives
an oil of a lighter color, easily distinguished from the darker linseed oil, and this is
the flaxseed oil that we consume today. Linola oil does not contain any useful
omega-3 fatty acids and is not likely to be found as a human food/health supple-
ment. Linola can specially help against Neurodermitis. Linola is being produced in
Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US states of Washington and Idaho. Linola
substitutes for flax in cropping rotations because of lower production costs than
canola, but brings prices comparable to canola or other edible oils.
The breeding programs in the USA have been partly reduced. Flax breeding
activities in Minnesota have been terminated in 1984 in connection with V. E.
Comstock's retirement. In South Dakota, the breeding of flax was combined with
other oil crops. In North Dakota State University, the breeding activities have been
reduced to Word Flax Collection maintenance and coordination of regional variety
testing.
The US breeding activities are now focused mainly on the below objectives:
- To develop flax cultivars with desirable agronomic characteristics, seed yielding
ability, quantity and quality of oil
- To obtain varieties with tolerance to wilt and pasmo diseases and resistance to
known North American races of rust