The popularity of edible flowers is increasing day by day and new solutions are sought due to their short shelf life. For this purpose, in this study, four different colors of Viola × wittrockiana Gams.; white (Fino Clear White), orange (Delta Pure Orange), bordeaux/mauve rose (Mammoth Rocky Rose), and yellow (Delta Premium Pure Lemon) flowers were dried at drying air temperature of 60, 70, and 80 °C with a convective hot air dryer. Color (L*, a*, b*, C*, h°, ∆E, and BI), drying time and bioactive compounds (Total Phenolic Content (TPC), anthocyanin content (AC), and antioxidant activity (AO) values were measured). The orange flowers showed the fastest drying (78 min at 80 °C). The lowest total color change (∆E) (4.58 at 70 °C) and browning index (BI) (9.58 at 60 °C) values were observed in all drying processes of white flowers. The highest AC was determined in bordeaux flowers in both fresh (2.4 mg malvidin glucoside/g) and dried (25.57 mg malvidin glucoside/g at 60 °C) samples. The AO decreased in all samples depending on the temperature increase, it was found that the most beneficial result in terms of bioactive compounds was the bordeaux flowers dried at drying air temperature of 60 °C.

Carnation is one of the most crucial cut flowers in Turkey. Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) cause significant damage on carnation production and quality. Therefore, determination of response of carnation varieties to RKNs is required for management practices. In this study, four carnation cultivars, Turbo, Betsy, Nirvana and Glaciar, were inoculated with second stage juveniles (J2s) of Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica and M. arenaria under controlled conditions. Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica and M. arenaria did not reproduce on Turbo variety. Therefore, Turbo variety was found to be resistant to these nematodes. Nirvana variety was moderately resistant to M. incognita and M. javanica, but highly resistant to M. arenaria. Betsy and Glaciar varieties were susceptible to M. incognita, M. javanica and M. arenaria. Results showed that the response of carnations was different based on root knot nematodes. Determining resistant carnation varieties could be an advantage for the control of RKNs. Resistant carnations could be used to control the RKNs and develop new carnation varieties.