B. Szot

Analysis of interspecies physicochemical variation of grain legume seeds

Abstract The paper presents an attempt to assess the reaction of seeds to mechanical loads taking into account their geometry expressed as seed thickness and 1000 seed weight. The initial material comprised 33 genotypes of grain legume plants and included cultivars registered in the country and breeding lines that are subject to pre-registration trials. The analysis of variance revealed significant diversity of the cultivars and lines of the species studied in terms of each of the analysed trait. The highest weight of 1000 seeds were obtained for white lupine seeds and peas, the lowest for andean lupine seeds. The maximum deformation and energy were obtained for white lupine seeds, the lowest for pea seeds, the maximum force and module the lowest values were determined for narrow-leafed lupine and pea. The highest values of protein were obtained for andean and yellow lupine, a fat content for andean and white lupine. The fatty acid profile as much as 70% or more were linoleic and oleic acids. Against the background of all the species are distinguished by white lupine seeds with a high content of oleic acid and the lowest of linoleic acid, for yellow lupine were obtained the inverse ratio of the two acids.

Postharvest Operations and Quality of Rapeseed

Abstract The investigations were made in order to find sources and reasons of quality losses in typical handling of rape. Samples were taken before and after succeeding operations to estimate the influence of each of them on physical state of seeds. The estimation was curried out with simultaneous registration of working parameters of machines. Evaluation of damage was made according to methods elaborated in the Institute of Agrophysics, which allow to measure the amount of micro and macro damage as well as the amount of foreign material. Moisture content of seed was also measure during the study. The decrease of quality features of seed was noticed after each handling operation. However harvesting acted the most negatively and the level of damage noticed after harvesting decided about the amount of damaged seeds at the end of postharvest operations on rape. Drying caused the increase of macrodamage and decrease of microdamage. The amount of microdamage increased in transport. The moisture content after drying was correct according to standards.