Estimation of mechanical properties of seeds of common vetch accessions (Vicia sativa L.) and their chemical composition

The attempt was made to estimate the mechanical loads on seeds, taking into account their geometric properties and chemical composition. Material chosen for the study comprised 46 samples of common vetch representing collection accessions originated from Europe. Additionally, accessions of other legume species were involved. The study included determinations of seed thickness and weight of 1,000 seeds (TSW) followed by static loading tests. Moisture content of the seeds did not exceed 10 %, and TSW of vetch determined at that moisture was from 19.7 g for small seeded Polish lines VSAT 42 to 73 g for VSAT 24 obtained from Slovakia. Seed thickness value ranged for common vetch accessions from 2.5 to 4.4 mm and for the rest of species from 2.6 mm for lentil to 7.2 mm for chickpea. Apart from the obvious accessions-related differences among various seeds in terms of TSW and seed thickness, the study revealed a wide range of differentiation in the resistance of seeds to static loading expressed by: maximum load, deflation at max. load stress at max. load and work to max. load. Obtained result allowed to select vetch accessions with a high resistance of seed to static loading. Fat content is low at the level of pea, grass pea and lentil as compared with high values of Andean lupin species and white lupin. Fatty acids composition of vetch is different in comparison with remaining species characterized by lowest content of monounsaturated oleic acid (29 %) and relatively high content of polyunsaturated linoleic and linolenic acids (respectively 44 and 11.7 %).