Standardization of press drying techniques for retention of colour and related attributes of flowers

Press drying is a very important method used to preserve the flowers and leaves for preparing value added products like greetings cards, pictures, photo frames and stationery etc. The study was undertaken with an objective to standardize the press drying techniques for drying of some flowers. Experiment was laid out for 10 different flowers separately in CRD with five replications and eight treatments. From the results of the experiment, it can be concluded that wooden press drying found best technique for press drying of Celosia argentea flowers. Iron press drying found excellent technique for Viola tricolour and Phlox drummondii flowers. Tiles pressed in microwave oven (720 micro power) for one min found finest technique for press drying of Cosmos bipinnatus and Salvia splendens flowers, 1.5 min found suitable for Tagetes patula flowers, 2 min found suitable for Zinnia elegans and 2.5 min found appropriate for Rosa spp. flowers. Tiles pressed in hot air oven (temp. 45°C) for 30 hrs found ideal for Dendranthema grandiflora flowers. Both iron press drying and tiles pressed in microwave oven for 2 min found best suitable technique for press drying of Gomphrena globosa flowers.