Role of coat structure in mechanical properties of yellow and black rape seeds

•Seed coat structure of black and yellow rape differs markedly.•Yellow rape seed coats exhibit smaller thickness and density, and higher porosity.•Yellow rape seeds are more sensitive on mechanical damage.•Structure of seed coats affects mechanical properties of seeds.

A hypothesis of this work was that marked differences in mechanical resistance of black and yellow rape seeds can be explained by structural differences in their seed coats. Mechanical resistance parameters of the seeds were measured by static and dynamic loading and oil-point tests. Structural parameters of the seed coats were estimated from SEM and mercury intrusion porosimetry. Higher porosity, smaller thickness and lower bulk densities of yellow rape seed coats accompanied higher susceptibility of yellow rape seeds against mechanical damage and their lower oil-point.