Standardizing Dehydration Technology for Ornamental Herbaceous Plants from Outer Himalayas

In the present study efforts were made to standardize the dehydration technology for 10 important ornamental herbaceous plants viz., Ageratum houstonianum, Cythoclina purpurea, Gnaphalium affine, Lotus corniculatus, Persicaria (Polygonum) capitata, Rotala rotundifloia, Serratula pallida, Taraxacum officinale, Trifolium repens and Tulipa steltata from the outer Himalayas. The ornamental plant parts viz., flowers, flowering shoots or shoots have been dried in solar dryer, hot air oven, microwave oven and at room temperature with or without desiccants viz., silica gel, river sand, saw dust and boric acid, under different temperatures for varied duration. The ornamental plant parts of these herbaceous plants were subjected to 20 treatments. Based on colour, shape and texture, these dried plant parts were given scores and best drying methods (treatments) have been worked out for individual species. In the present paper all the methods for drying of ornamental plant parts of these plants have been discussed. Further, the dried ornamental plant parts have been used in preparing various floral crafts.