Year: 2006
Type: article
Abstract: The moisture sorption characteristics of French marigold `Boy Golden' ( Tagetes patula ), upland aster ( Aster ptarmicoides ), Texas bluebonnet ( Lupinus texenensis ), impatiens `Infinity' ( Impatiens wallerana ), and scarlet sage `Scarlet Pimpernel' ( Salvia splendens ) was determined by allowing the seeds to equilibrate at different temperatures and relative humidities. The moisture sorption isotherm of the five ornamental species was determined at four different temperatures; i.e., 5, 15, 25, and 35 °C using seven different salt solutions (sodium hydroxide, lithium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium carbonate, sodium bromide, sodium chloride, and potassium nitrate) having relative humidity ranging from 7% to 96%. The moisture content of the seeds after equilibrium was measured using the gravimetric method. Equilibrium moisture content at 5 °C ranged between 6.2% to 31.5%, 6.2% to 32%, 5.7% to 29.7%, and 6.8% to 16.1% for marigold, upland aster, scarlet sage, and Texas bluebonnet, respectively. At the highest temperature; i.e., 35 °C, the equilibrium moisture content observed ranged between 6.1% to 18.1%, 6% to 21.1%, 6.2% to 20.3%, and 9.1% to 15.6% for marigold, upland aster, scarlet sage and Texas bluebonnet, respectively. The rate of desorption was also determined in the imbibed seeds by drying the seeds in dry cabinet, with water loss recorded by a portable computer inside the cabinet. Total lipid content was also measured to correlate with the water content of the seed.
Source: HortScience
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Topic: Food Drying and Modeling
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
OpenAlex ID: W2114740215