International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

The present experiment was carried out to standardize drying methods for Rose (Rosa L.), Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus L.), and Gerbera (Gerbera L.), and to assess the influence of the drying quality of the dried flowers to make various value-added products. Flowers of Rose, Carnation, and Gerbera Aster were subjected to five different drying methods viz., shade drying method without embedding medium (T1), with sand embedding (T2) and with silica gel embedding (T3), microwave oven drying with sand (T4) and silica gel embedding (T5). Data were statistically analyzed in Completely Randomized Design. The results indicated that in physiological parameters significantly maximum reduction of weight was observed in Rose (1.14g), Carnation (3.44g), and Gerbera (3.44g). Whereas significantly maximum flower perimeter reduction in Rose (11.14cm), Carnation (11.64cm), and Gerbera (18.17cm) was observed in the shade drying method. Maximum quality score regarding color, appearance, texture, and no shattering of dried flowers of Carnation (15.7) was recorded in microwave oven drying with silica gel as embedding medium, in Rose’s highest score (15.7) was observed in microwave oven with sand as embedding medium and in Gerbera (15.51) was given to microwave oven drying within silica gel embedding treatment while shade dried without embedded flowers showed minimum quality score in Rose, Carnation, and Gerbera (3.6, 1.5, 2.52) respectively. Best results were obtained with overall acceptability, quality of flowers, and flower preservation in Rose –treatment T3 (shade drying with silica gel as embedding medium), Carnation- treatment T5 (microwave oven drying with silica gel as embedding medium), Gerbera T4 (microwave oven drying with river sand as embedding medium).