Vol. 10, Issue 11 (2021)

Author(s):
Sabale Supriya Nivrutti and Dr. Pooja Gupta

Abstract:
Dried flowers are an important product of modern floriculture. The study was carried out for standardising microwave oven drying technology for the dehydration of different ornamental flowers and foliages. The experiment was carried out with the factorial concept in a Completely Randomised Design and was repeated three times. It can be concluded that using silica gel as embedding media and microwave oven drying (720 micro power i.e. medium high) for 1 minute found excellent technique for dehydration of ornamental flowers viz., Bougainvillea glabra, Calendula officinalis, Consolida ajacis and foliage like Cupressus macrocarpa and Bougainvillea spectabilis, 2 min found ideal for Helianthus annuus. Employing river sand as embedding media and microwave drying for 2 min found best suited technique for Acalypha wilkesiana. Embedding in borax and microwave oven drying for 2 min found appropriate for foliages like Codiaeum variegatum and Pseuderanthemum carruthersii, 3 min found finest technique for flowers of Dendrobium species.