Following recent seasons that have highlighted agronomic challenges , low demand and poor financial returns for many historically popular spring crops, selecting a profitable, low-risk break crop with market security has become increasingly more difficult for many UK arable farmers according to Boston Seeds Commercial Director Jack Holgate.

He says” Farmers want to grow crops supported by contracts that give them strong fixed prices with profitable returns . With demand for UK-grown linseed continuing to remain high against a backdrop of depressed markets and uncertainty surrounding many other spring crops, spring linseed could be a key answer for many growers currently considering a rotational rethink this spring.

“Linseed offers a combination of low input costs and strong market opportunities. With pressure on profit margins, tighter rotations and a growing focus on improving soil health, spring linseed continues to prove itself as a valuable and increasingly relevant break crop for UK arable systems.

“Profitability is a key driver, and spring linseed generally requires fewer inputs than many alternative spring crops - yet can still deliver competitive gross margins with high yielding varieties.

“With a seed yield of 109% to controls, it’s great to see the variety Bingo, from Elsoms Seeds and Van de Bilt , still at the top of the latest Descriptive List (DL). A popular and well established variety with robust agronomics, Bingo has consistently delivered high yields across a range of soil types, and, at Boston Seeds, we’ve sold the variety successfully for many years.

“It’s maturity and stiff straw help reduce harvest risk, whilst its disease resistance and good standing power make it a practical, straightforward variety to manage. That reliability is crucial when spring drilling windows are tight and with weather patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable.

“Beyond the headline figures, the wider rotational benefits offered by spring linseed are just as important. As a true break crop, it helps disrupt cereal and oilseed rape pests and disease cycles providing a useful tool for weed management. Its rooting structure is unrivalled, offering significant benefits to soil condition, improving soil structure and making it a great entry for a first wheat.

“Another key to the renewed interest in spring linseed has been the arrival of new, competitive varieties. With a seed yield of 108% to controls, Balance, another variety from the Elsoms and Van de Bilt collaboration, is a new entrant to the DL sitting just behind Bingo as the second highest yielding variety.

“This year the main focus will be on multiplying seed for Balance, and the expectation is that it should be in a strong position on seed availability for spring 2027. Agronomically, Balance looks a strong variety and the fact that Elsoms and Van de Bilt select spring linseed varieties specifically for UK conditions should make it an attractive choice for growers.

 “Overall demand for UK spring linseed is still very positive, and with spring contracts for harvest 2026 on offer at £550-£600/t, plus seed stocks shaping up to be tight this spring, any growers still planning to include spring linseed in their 2026 rotation need to get their seed orders in as soon as possible” concludes Jack.

Panida Wadsworth, a Breeder for Elsom Seeds - the UK agent for both Bingo and Balance, has been monitoring the performance of Balance across both AHDB and Independent commercial trials for the last 4 years.

Panida says” We first saw Balance in 2022, and, from the outset, it looked special, topping both the UK independent pre-commercial trials as well as parallel linseed trials conducted in Europe that year. Through 2022-2025 it has shown high levels of consistency and has matched the DL’s highest yielding variety, Bingo, on most of the key metrics including plant height, seed quality and annual seed yield.

“Despite being awarded the same maturity rating on official trials figures, we’ve found that Balance consistently matures later than Bingo, enabling it to be potentially drilled a few days earlier as long as soil temperatures permit. This gives Balance a wider growing window allowing the plant more time to accumulate greater biomass and take advantage of an extended seed filling phase.

“It’s also worth noting that Balance has one of the highest Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) percentages on the current DL and, with increased demand for Omega 3 in animal feeds, this key trait can only help strengthen its future marketability.

“Looking ahead, I can certainly see Balance as the preferred partner to Bingo.  Both varieties are very high yielding and can be grown in the same rotation, with Balance being drilled a few days earlier as long as conditions permit. This allows growers to spread their varietal risk and gain the advantages of its wider growing window” she concludes.

Lincolnshire farmer Alex Jasinski first began growing spring linseed as a low-input, low-risk break crop 20 years ago.

Farming 700ha at Ingoldsby, near Grantham, he recognises the agronomic and economic benefits of linseed and still regards it as one of the most profitable break crops.

He adds” The soil health benefits of spring linseed, due to its vigorous rooting habit, are well known and I don’t think there’s much argument that it’s a superb entry for a following wheat crop.

“Our establishment method is direct drilling and we’ve consistently found, over a number of years, that our drill runs much better each autumn behind a previous crop of spring linseed.

“For farms with high blackgrass populations, the option to late drill spring linseed, combined with also being able to apply a different selection of chemicals and actives to the linseed crop, can certainly assist overall blackgrass control.

Drilling 40ha of the variety Bingo into a limestone brash soil at a seed rate of 95kg/ha in April last year, Alex then applied 100kg/ha of liquid N on April 9^th with the dry, early spring conditions the only major concern at that stage.

“Due to an unfortunate delay on receipt of the seed, we actually drilled Bingo a couple of weeks later than we’d ideally wanted to, given that soil temperatures were already above 7^oC by mid-March.

“With no further rainfall at all in either May or June, we decided to apply no fungicides at all to the crop - even post flowering. Our only other input was a post-emergence herbicide applied on May 22^nd for control of broadleaf weeds and cleavers.

“Following persistent near-drought conditions, we eventually harvested on August 8^th - much earlier than in previous years. However, despite yields that were well below our usual farm averages, we still recognise the unique benefits of spring linseed and will be drilling 40ha of Bingo again this spring.

“Bingo is still the highest yielding variety .It’s a reliable all-rounder, easy to manage, harvests well, and, granted reasonable levels of moisture, has readily achieved yields of over 2.5t\ha for us in previous years.   

“With linseed prices holding up well due to consistently high market demand, good buy-back contracts available for this spring, plus pricing uncertainty over other spring crops, spring linseed has fewer questions to answer and looks a solid choice for spring sowing” he confirms.