Effect of harvest stages, cultivars and drying methods on weight and quality of dry Dutch rose flowers

Abstract

Investigation was carried out during the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 at Department of Horticulture, Post Graduate Institute, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola to evaluate drying techniques and to find out suitable desiccant, for Dutch roses. Minimum dry flower weight (2.46, 2.39 and 2.42g), decrease in flower weight, diameter of dry flower, minimum reduction in diameter of flower was observed when half bloom stage flowers dried by embedding in silicagel as compared to tight bud stage for the same during both the years (2013-14 and 2014-15) and which was further confirmed in pooled result.A half bloom harvest stage flowers of Gold Strike dried by embedding in silicagel recorded maximum per cent loss of moisture (71.35,75.68 and 73.58 %), per cent reduction in diameter of flowers (13.58, 16.37 and 14.97 %), whereas it was found minimum in tight bud harvest stage flowers of a cultivar Bordo. Among two stages of harvest half bloom harvest stage flowers embedding in silicagel recorded maximum sensory scores for colour, texture and appearance of dried flowers.