Linseed represents a rich source of nutritional, functional and health-beneficial compounds. Nevertheless, the chemical composition and content of bioactive compounds may be quite variable and potentially affected by various factors, including genotype and the environment. In this study, the proximate chemical composition, lignans content and antioxidant potential of six experimentally grown linseed cultivars were assessed and compared. A diagonal cultivation trial in the University of South Bohemia Experimental Station in České Budějovice, Czech Republic, was established in three subsequent growing seasons (2018, 2019 and 2020). The results showed that the cultivar and growing conditions influenced most studied parameters. The lack of precipitation in May and June 2019 negatively affected the seed yield and the level of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside but did not decrease the crude protein content, which was negatively related to the oil content. The newly developed method for lignans analysis allowed the identification and quantification of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and matairesinol. Their content correlated positively with the total polyphenol content and antioxidant assays (DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity), indicating the significant contribution to the biofunctional properties of linseed. On the other hand, we did not detect minor linseed lignans, pinoresinol and lariciresinol. The results of this study showed the importance of cultivar and growing conditions factors on the linseed chemical composition and the lignans content, determining its nutritional and medicinal properties.

Department of Dairy Fat and Cosmetics Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology Prague University of Chemistry and Technology Technická 5 Prague 166 28 Czech Republic

Department of Food Biotechnologies and Agricultural Products' Quality Faculty of Agriculture and Technology University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Studentská České Budějovice 1668 370 05 Czech Republic

Department of Legumes and Technical Crops Agritec Plant Research Ltd Zemědělská 2520 Šumperk 787 01 Czech Republic

Department of Plant Production Faculty of Agriculture and Technology University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Na Sádkách 1780 České Budějovice 370 05 Czech Republic

Mendel Centre of Plant Genomics and Proteomics Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University Brno 625 00 Czech Republic

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