AAC Prairie Sunshine

Flax

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AAC Bravo', 'CDC Bethune', 'CDC Sorrel' and 'Prairie Sapphire'

Summary: The distal end of the filament of 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' is blue whereas it is white for 'AAC Bravo', 'CDC Sorrel' and 'Prairie Sapphire'. The basal end of the style of 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' is blue whereas it is white for 'CDC Sorrel' and 'Prairie Sapphire'. The stigma of AAC Prairie Sunshine' is pale blue whereas it is white for 'CDC Sorrel'. The pollen is clear for 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' whereas it is yellow for the reference varieties. 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' matures later than 'CDC Bethune'. 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' has no ciliation of the false septa of the capsule whereas it is present in 'CDC Sorrel'.

Description:

HYPOCOTYL: absent to weak anthocyanin colouration

FLOWER: very weak sepal dotting at bud stage, flattened disk shape, medium sized corolla, blue when fully developed, no longitudinal folding of the petals
FILAMENT: blue at distal end, white at base
STAMEN: blue anthers, clear pollen
STYLE: white at distal end, blue at base
STIGMA: pale blue

CAPSULE: medium size, semi-dehiscent, ciliation of the false septa absent, matures mid-season
SEED: medium brown, medium size

DISEASE REACTIONS: immune to flax rust (Melampsora lini, Race 371); moderately resistant to flax wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini) and powdery mildew (Oidium lini); moderately susceptible to Pasmo (Septoria linicola (imperfect) Mycosphaerella linorum (perfect))

AGRONOMY: good resistance to shattering, capsule loss and lodging, low number of basal stems
USE: oilseed type

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' (experimental designation 'FP2357') was developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Morden Research Station, Morden, Manitoba from the cross 'Prairie Sapphire' x 'CDC Bethune' conducted in 2004. The F2 and subsequent generations were advanced using the pedigree method with selection criteria of oil content, oil quality, lodging resistance and rust resistance in nurseries and yield trials in Canada and winter nurseries in California. Single plant selections were made in the F3 and F5 generations. An F7 line, designated M8551, was selected and evaluated in preliminary yield trials in 2010 and for Fusarium wilt in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The line was evaluated as M8551 in the 2011 Canadian Flax Evaluation Trials at various locations throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. In 2012 and 2013, it was entered into the Flax Cooperative Test as 'FP2357'.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' were conducted during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons in Morden, Manitoba. There were 2 replicates per variety arranged in a Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design. Plots consisted of 6 rows measuring 5.5 metres in length with a row spacing of 18 centimetres. Plots were seeded at a rate of 4.5 grams per square metre. Plant characteristics were based on 20 plant measurements per variety each year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on LSD values. Disease ratings were provided through the Flax Cooperative Tests 2012 and 2013.

Comparison table for 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' with reference varieties 'AAC Bravo', 'CDC Bethune', 'CDC Sorrel' and 'Prairie Sapphire'

Days to maturity (from seeding to maturity where 75% of capsules are brown)

Click on image for larger view

Flax: 'AAC Prairie Sunshine' (top) with reference varieties 'CDC Sorrel' (centre top), 'AAC Bravo' (centre), 'Prairie Sapphire' (centre bottom) and 'CDC Bethune' (bottom)