Iron and zinc are essential for plant and human health. Biofortification is crucial for improving crop performance. We studied how biofortification of iron and zinc to flaxseed affected its yield, fatty acid composition, and antioxidant capacity in soil water and nutrient deficiency conditions. We tested nutritional impacts of iron and zinc (0, 4, and 8 g l−1) during the onset of stem elongation (VS) and flowering (RS) within two distinct environments (well-watered (WW) and after-anthesis water deficit (WD), and their interactions, on yield and fatty acid composition of flaxseed in 2018 and 2019 in Kermanshah, Iran. Based on the results in WW, seed, oil, protein, and mucilage yield were 1756, 646, 285, and 131 kg ha−1, and WD reduced seed and oil yield by 24, 33, and significantly increased saturated fatty acids, total phenol, and zinc in the seeds. In WW and WD, iron and zinc fortification significantly increased seed, oil, and protein yield, total phenol, unsaturated fatty acids and iron and zinc in the seeds. Path analysis showed that the number of seed capsule−1 and capsule plant−1 in the WW and WD, respectively, had the most direct and positive impact on seed, oil, mucilage, and protein yield. These findings suggest that oil yield was more sensitive to WD compared to seed, mucilage, and protein yield, and application of iron and zinc can boost the oil quantity and quality, iron, zinc content, and antioxidant capacity by minimizing the harmful impacts of WD.
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