Vol. 11, Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Siva Teja V, Suseela T, Dorajee Rao AVD, Sudha Vani V and Salomi Suneetha DR

Abstract:
An experiment was laid out to study the “Effect of different levels of embedding media and traditional drying methods on production of quality dry flowers in chrysanthemum cv. local yellow” was carried out in the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh during the year 2021-22. The minimum dry weight (0.42 g), minimum moisture content (12.78%), minimum time taken for drying of flowers (4 days) and maximum per cent age of weight loss (85.21%), maximum percentage of moisture loss (85.61%) was recorded in the flowers embedded in silica gel under sun drying conditions and the maximum dry weight (0.81 g), maximum moisture content (23.66%) and maximum time taken for drying of flowers (7 days) and minimum per cent age of weight loss (70.22%), minimum percentage of moisture loss (72.94%) was recorded in flowers embedded in sand under shade drying conditions. Maximum xanthophyll retention (48.76%) was recorded in flowers embedded in silica gel under shade drying conditions and minimum xanthophyll retention (24.29%) was recorded in flowers embedded in sand under sun drying conditions. From the above findings it could be concluded that flowers embedded in silica gel under sun drying conditions showed good results with respect to dry weight, moisture content, time taken for drying, per cent age of weight loss and percentage of moisture loss compare to flowers embedded in sand under shade drying conditions.