Status, scope and prospects for linseed cultivation with special reference to Nagaland, Northeast India

Abstract

Linseed/ Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) popularly known as Alsi/Tisi in India is an important dual purpose (seed and fibre) rabi oilseed crop. Apart from numerous industrial applications, linseed is also emerging as a ‘superfood’ as more scientific research in the field of diet and disease points to its health protective properties. In India a total area of 1.7 lakh ha is under linseed cultivation with a total production of 1.1 lakh tonnes and productivity of 644 kg ha-1 . In Nagaland linseed is grown in an area of 5870 ha with a total production and productivity of 4770 metric tonnes and 813 kg ha-1 respectively contributing only 3.5 % and 4.3 % to the national area and production due to very low area coverage of the crop in the State. There is tremendous scope for area expansion of linseed in Nagaland, due to its potential to be adopted as an economical crop in rice based cropping systems under residual nutrients and moisture conditions. Rice is the major cereal crop and a staple food in Nagaland occupying a total area of 218810 ha out of which TRC/WRC paddy (Terraced rice cultivation/ wet rice culture) occupies 128070 ha. After harvesting of TRC/WRC paddy most of the lands are left fallow and these lands can be targeted for area expansion of linseed either as rainfed pure crop or Paira/Utera crop. Given the present applications scope of linseed in various industries and the prospects for area expansion in Nagaland, there is tremendous scope and opportunity for boosting the production and commercialization of the crop in the State.