ASSESSMENT OF LINEN FLAX VARIETIES OF NATIONAL AND FOREIGN SELECTION ACCORDING TO THE OUTPUT OF FIBRE FROM FLAX TRUST IN INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS

The research explores the linen flax varieties of domestic selection. These varieties are seen to be promising from the standpoint of fibre output obtained when processing flax trust in industrial conditions at the flax processing enterprises. The linen flax varieties were compared with the varieties of the foreign selection cultivatedRussia. The authors compared technological value of flax trust of domestic and foreign selection on the basis of “total fiber yield” when dividing flax trust into two groups of quality: low-quality (number 0,50-0,75) and high-quality (number 1,00 and more). There was no evident advantage observed. The detailed analysis (complete assessment scale of flax trust quality) and assessment of varieties indicate that domestic varieties are characterized by higher fiber output (average index is 14.7) than foreign varieties (average index is 16.7). The paper estimates the capacities potential of domestic and foreign selections for fiber output when processing flax trust in industrial conditions. The authors outline the highest and lowest parameters of fibre output produced from the flax trust of low quality and high quality have been identified. The most promising varieties are seen as follows: Universal, Alexandrite, Alexim, Tomskiy 18, Tomskiy 17, Lenok, Smolich of domestic selection (the capacities potential is 76,9 - 88,7%). The authors observed 87.3% -98.0% capacities potential for fiber output from flax trust of higher quality in the following varieties: Tomskiy 18, Tomskiy 17, Alexandrite, Tost, Universal, Diplomat of domestic selection and Pralesk of foreign selection. The authors found out that flax-fibre of domestic selection is the most efficient for flax trust output in the industrial conditions.

Effects of nutrition on wool follicle cell kinetics in sheep differing in efficiency of wool production

Wide phenotypic variation in fibre output per follicle was generated by selecting sheep (five South Australian strongwool Merinos, one finewool Merino and one Corriedale) on this basis, and by offering these sheep a low-protein diet for 9 weeks, followed by a high-protein diet for a further 8 weeks. Clean wool production was measured over the final 3 weeks of each period, while fibre diameter, the rate of length growth of fibres and a number of follicle characters were measured over the last 7 days of each period. The rate of division of follicle bulb cells and the total volume of the germinative region of the follicle was estimated by image-analysis of bulb sections in skin biopsy samples.With the change from the low-protein diet to the high-protein diet, the rate of clean fleece production was increased by 33% (P<0.002), reflecting an increase in fibre diameter (8%) and rate of length growth of fibres (26%); the volume of the germinative region of the average bulb increased 30% (P<0.012) and the rate of bulb cell division by 35% (P<0.004); cortical cell volume also did not change (923 8m3 v. 965 8m3; the average proportion of fibre cross-sectional area occupied by paracortical cells increased from 0.2 1 to 0.35 ( P < 0.01 0); the proportion of dividing cells entering the fibre cortex ranged from 0.25 to 0.42 (mean, 0.31) between sheep on the low-protein diet, and from 0.22 to 0.39 (mean, 0.32) when the animals were fed the high-protein ration; the effect of diet on cell distribution to fibre and inner root sheath was not significant (P<0.601).Phenotypic differences in fibre output were primarily related to differences in the rate of bulb cell division (r= 0.896, P < 0.001), but inclusion of a term for the proportion of bulb cells entering the fibre cortex, removed an additional, significant proportion of the variance. Cortical cell volume, on the other hand, was poorly related to fibre output.

Variation in wool growth and of mitotic activity in follicle bulbs induced by nutritional changes

Wool growth on tattoo patches and mitotic activity in follicle bulbs were studied in a sheep on low and high levels of nutrient intake. The rate of wool growth on the high intake was 156% greater than that on the low intake while the rate of cell production from the follicle bulbs was 56% greater. The remainder of the increase in rate of fibre output was attributed to an increase of about 64 % in the volume of the individual cells of the fibres.