Microwave oven drying of cut carnation

Flowers of two standard cut carnation varieties viz., Kristina and Cano, harvested at fully opened stage, were subjected to drying treatments in microwave oven (1200 watt), after embedding them in desiccant silica gel (60–120 mesh), for 2 to 4 minutes. The per cent loss in weight, moisture content, diameter and carotene contents of flower petal increased with increase in the duration of drying treatment from 2 to 4 minutes. The loss in weight (65.42–78.67%), moisture content, decrease in diameter (4.09–14.21%) and loss in carotene content (12.17–38.36%) was comparatively higher in carnation var. Kristina as compared to var. Cano where all these physicochemical parameters were recorded at marginally lower range. Quality of the flowers deteriorates with the increase of duration of drying in microwave oven. Although, from visual sensory evaluation, it has been found that the variety Kristina scored more [Colour (3.47), Texture (3.38) and Appearance (3.42)] than variety Cano [Colour (3.31), Texture (2.81) and Appearance (3.08)], when the flowers embedded with Silica gel and kept in microwave oven for 2 minutes. It can be concluded that shortest duration of microwave oven drying for a period of two (2) minutes gave best result in Carnation. Between the two varieties, Kristina performed better than Cano in microwave oven drying for two minutes, with respect to maintenance of colour and quality.