Standardization of drying technique and embedding media for annual flowers of Asteraceae family

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted to study the standardization of drying methods and embedding media for various annual flowers of Asteraceae family viz., Calendula, Coreopsis and Cosmos. Sun drying condition recorded significantly minimum dry weight and maximum weight loss percentage, moisture loss percentage and took minimum days to drying with silica gel as embedding media in sun drying method while, minimum reduction in dried flower diameter was recorded with sand as embedding media in sun drying in Calendula, Coreopsis and Cosmos, respectively.Drying with silica gel embedding in room drying obtained maximum point scale on visual basis of colour, texture and appearance in dried flowers of Calendula, Coreopsis and Cosmos.