S AKHA 4 flax (Linum usitatissmum L.) cultivar was grown in 2013/14 and 2014/15 winter seasons to study the effect of two tillage systems (conventional tillage (CT) vs no-tillage (NT)), macronutrients fertilization (NPK, NP and P) and weed control treatments, i.e. Brominal + Select super, Sinal + Select super, hand weeding twice and unweeded check on weeds and flax productivity at Nubaria Research Station, Agricultural Research Center. The experimental design was split split-plot with 4 replications.
Total weeds fresh weight was lower significantly in NT than CT by 17.0 and 18.4%, in the two seasons, respectively. Application of NPK gave higher total weeds fresh weight than NP or P by 6.3 and 20.6% and 8.4 and 20.0%, in the two seasons, respectively, while NP superior P by 15.2 and 12.7%, in the two seasons, respectively. Brominal + Select super was more effective in reducing total weeds fresh weight (98.1 and 97.1%) than Sinal + Select super (92.6 and 92.4%) and hand weeding (93 and 90.7%) compared to unweeded check during the two seasons regardless of the tillage system.
No-tillage gave comparable seed yield (1363.7 and 1464.2 kg/ha) to conventional tillage (1562.0 and 1530.1 kg/ha) in the two seasons, respectively. NPK fertilization gave higher values for plant height, number of capsules per plant, 1000-seed weight and straw yield. NPK and NP fertilization increased the seed yield by 57.1 and 51.4% and 69.1 and 50.7%, in the two seasons, respectively, compared to P fertilization treatments.
All weed control treatments gave significantly higher values for seed yield and yield components compared to unweeded check, with Brominal + Select super giving a slight increase in the values of those characters compared to Sinal + Select super. Percent increase in seed yield, over control was 71, 69 and 68.5% and 68, 67.5 and 68.4%, for the two seasons, respectively.Correlation analysis revealed negative effect of weeds on flax growth and productivity.
The present study indicated that no-tillage was equivalent to conventional tillage concerning productivity of seed and straw from dual purpose flax (for oil and fiber), and the necessity of a balanced fertilization program with macronutrients, in association with post-emergence herbicides application to realize high yields.