Rapeseed oil and canola oil have traditionally been used in industrial lubricant applications but oils of many species of Brassicaceae have similar properties. Oil from the seed of seven Brassicaceae species, Sinapis alba (yellow mustard), Camelina sativa (false flax), Brassica carinata (Ethiopian mustard), B. napus (rapeseed), B. juncea (oriental mustard), B. rapa (field mustard), and S. arvensis (wild mustard), were recovered by cold pressing and filtration without further refining. The physical, chemical, and lubricant properties of the oils were determined. B. napus had the highest oil yield when extracted by cold press and B. juncea* (low erucic B. juncea) had the highest oil content extracted by solvent. C. sativa oil had the lowest sterol content, mineral content, oxidative stability, and viscosity at 40 and 100°C and had the highest iodine value among tested oils. Iodine value had a strong negative correlation with oxidative stability in the tested oils. There was not any water in any of the oil samples. Overall, C. sativa oil had properties making it suitable for use as a fuel although its low oxidative stability and high iodine value could pose challenges; however, S. alba oil was more appropriate for use as a lubricant.

Prunus virginiana L. (chokecherry) fruit has potential to provide both food and energy and as annual yield of biomass and energy are much greater than annual crops such as canola and wheat. We determined chokecherry fruit weight fractions as well as pit and extracted seed oil concentrations and fatty acid composition. Gross energy for each of the fractions was determined, as were carbon and nitrogen content. Extrapolation of these data suggests that gross energy from pits alone over a 24-year period (890 GJ·ha(-1)) is equivalent to that from an entire canola/wheat rotation (850 GJ·ha(-1)). After maturity, pulp contributes an additional 1130 GJ·ha(-1) over 21 years from ~3.4 t·ha(-1)·year(-1) (dw), while wood from pruning could add another 60 GJ·ha(-1)·year(-1). Over this time period, chokecherry would produce 1.5-2.5 times the amount of oil produced by a canola/wheat rotation.