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Technical Kisanखेती, तकनीक के साथ
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Linseed (Flaxseed / Alsi)RabiOpen-pollinatedUpdated 27 August 2026

T-397

The old national check variety, released around 1960 — a small brown-seeded, spreading type still grown across Bundelkhand, Bihar, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for its wide adaptation and tolerance to rust, wilt and drought.

SeasonRabi
Maturity period125–145 days
Expected yieldMedium — around 8–12 q/ha managed, 5–8 q/ha rainfed; seed oil about 42–43%
Suitable soilBlack soil and heavy loam; wide adaptation on marginal rainfed land

Quick facts

Crop
Linseed (Flaxseed / Alsi)
Type
Open-pollinated
Season
Rabi
Maturity period
125–145 days
Seed rate
25–30 kg/ha (10–12 kg/acre) for line sowing; 35–40 kg/ha for broadcast and rice-fallow (utera/paira) sowing
Expected yield
Medium — around 8–12 q/ha managed, 5–8 q/ha rainfed; seed oil about 42–43%
Suitable soil
Black soil and heavy loam; wide adaptation on marginal rainfed land
Release
Released around 1960 · Kanpur · the long-standing national check variety for linseed

About this variety

T-397 is the long-standing check variety of Indian linseed, released around 1960 from Kanpur. It is a small brown-seeded, spreading-type plant that matures in roughly 125–145 days, with a seed oil content of about 42–43%. Its enduring value is breadth: it is documented as suited to the Bundelkhand tract of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and as tolerant to rust, wilt and drought — the reason it is still grown on the marginal, un-irrigated rabi land that most Indian linseed occupies. Newer varieties out-yield it clearly on land that can carry a fertiliser dose and one or two irrigations, so T-397 is best understood as a hardy benchmark for low-input conditions rather than a yield leader.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeOpen-pollinated
    Maturity125–145 days
    Yield potentialMedium — around 8–12 q/ha managed, 5–8 q/ha rainfed; seed oil about 42–43%
    Disease resistanceTolerant to rust, wilt and drought
    SoilBlack soil and heavy loam; wide adaptation on marginal rainfed land
    SeasonRabi

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeMid-October to mid-November as a line crop; late September to October for a rice-fallow (utera/paira) crop broadcast into standing paddy. Earlier sowing escapes rust and bud fly
  • Seed rate25–30 kg/ha (10–12 kg/acre) for line sowing; 35–40 kg/ha for broadcast and rice-fallow (utera/paira) sowing
  • FertilizerRainfed: about 30–40 kg N and 20 kg P2O5 per hectare, all basal. Irrigated: up to 60:40:20 kg N:P:K/ha, half the N basal and half at branching with the first irrigation
  • HarvestingHarvest at 125–145 days when the capsules are brown, dry and rattle but before they split. Stack to cure, then thresh gently and winnow the small seed.

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

125–145 days

Expected yield

Medium — around 8–12 q/ha managed, 5–8 q/ha rainfed; seed oil about 42–43%

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Very wide adaptation across the linseed belt, with documented tolerance to rust, wilt and drought
  • A dependable choice on the marginal, low-input rainfed land that most Indian linseed occupies
  • Long track record and easy availability as certified seed

Things to consider

  • It is a 1960 release and is clearly out-yielded by newer varieties on land that can carry a fertiliser dose and one or two irrigations
  • Its medium-to-long duration gives more exposure to late-season powdery mildew and to bud fly than a shorter variety — early sowing matters

Suitable regions

States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.

  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Bihar
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Rajasthan
  • Assam

Frequently asked questions

Why is T-397 still grown after so many decades?

Because of its breadth: it is adapted across the whole linseed belt and tolerates rust, wilt and drought, which makes it dependable on the marginal, un-irrigated land most linseed occupies. On better land, newer varieties out-yield it clearly.

What oil content does T-397 seed have?

About 42–43% oil, in line with the Indian linseed range of roughly 37–44%. Cool weather through flowering and capsule-fill, and adequate sulphur, help the oil percentage.

Sourced from: ICAR — AICRP on Linseed (varieties released), Vikaspedia — Linseed package of practices. editorial policy.