Archives of Current Research International

The study was conducted at New Leaf Dynamic Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Pune, Maharashtra, India, during the 2024 monsoon season to evaluate the effectiveness of cold storage (4°C and 95% RH) in extending the shelf life and maintaining the quality of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) flowers. Freshly harvested, uniform marigold blooms were collected from a farmer’s field in Belle Village and subjected to two treatments: T₁ storage at ambient room conditions, and T₂ storage in a cold room. Parameters such as flower weight, shrivelling, rotting percentage, appearance, colour, and overall storage-life were recorded daily and analyzed using a Factorial completely randomized design (FCRD) with three replications. Results revealed that marigold flowers stored under cold conditions (T₂) maintained their visual freshness, colour brightness, and physical firmness for a longer duration compared to those kept at room temperature (T₁). Weight loss, shrivelling, and rotting were negligible in cold-stored flowers even after 8 days, whereas flowers stored at ambient conditions showed severe deterioration, reaching 100% shrivelling and 60.2% rotting by the eighth day. The overall storage-life was extended to 8 days under cold storage, with an additional post-storage life of 2 days at room temperature, compared to only 3 days for flowers kept under ambient conditions. The findings confirm that cold storage significantly retards metabolic and microbial activities, reducing respiration, transpiration, and ethylene production, thereby preserving the visual appeal and marketability of marigold flowers. Hence, maintaining marigolds at 4°C and 95% relative humidity is an effective, low-cost postharvest strategy to minimize losses, enhance flower quality, and ensure better shelf-life for commercial distribution.