–Value addition is a method of increasing the economic value of a product. Different value addition techniques are used in horticultural products to increase its economic value, especially in floricultural products. Tinting is one of the value addition techniques used in cut flowers to increase the economic and aesthetic value of simple white and light coloured flowers with food colouring dyes in different novel colour shades. The study “Value addition of cut flowers of garland chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria) by tinting with artificial food dyes” was conducted in laboratory of Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam during February 2022, with seven treatments. The observations like Time taken for tinting, Solution uptake, Colour intensity, Aesthetic appeal and vase life were recorded. Colour intensity of the tinted flower colour was compared using the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart. Chocolate food colour dye took the earliest time for full tinting (2.43 hr) and Raspberry red took the longest time for full tinting (3.10 hr). The most aesthetically appealing colours were observed on flowers tinted with Lemon yellow, Apple green and Raspberry red. Longest vase life was observed in control (7.6 days) followed by Lemon yellow (4.3 days). Chocolate and Green observed the lowest vase life (2 days). Cut flowers dyed with Lemon yellow recorded the best vase life among the different food dyes.
In the present study conducted in the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University in 2021-22, Limonium sinuatum cv. Pacific Mix was grown from which 4 component genotypes were derived. These genotypes were characterized and evaluated on the basis of their growth and floral characters. The experiment was laid in Randomized Block Design with 5 replications. Comparison of flower colours with the RHS colour chart showed that Genotype 1 flowers exhibited dark blue violet (93 B) colour, while those of Genotypes 2, 3 and 4 showed Medium yellow (3 A), White (155 D) and Medium violet blue (94 C) colours respectively. Genotype 1 recorded the maximum plant population (37.33 %) among the four genotypes. Genotype 2 recorded the maximum plant height (88.33 cm) and plant spread (54.33 cm). The maximum leaf production was recorded in genotype 1. Genotype 1 showed the earliest flowering (66.63 days), maximum number of spikes per plant (11.88), better Spike quality in terms of number of florets per spike (18.75), rachis length (3.63 cm), floret diameter (0.76 cm), stalk diameter (0.93 cm) and inflorescence diameter (7.22 cm). Genotype 2 recorded the maximum spike length (78.15 cm) and longest flowering duration (64.00 days).
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