Drop irrigation reduces annual water demand from 10,500 m3/hectare to 5250 m3/hectare. However, excess labors are a needful in current practice at flower harvesting. Search of new species of marigold flowers with greater petal:receptacle ratio that can grow under water demand less than 5000 m3/hectare can promote the productivity of lutein from fixed farm land. Harvest mechanization should accelerate the processing efficiency and increase profit margins on marigold flower lutein. Nonetheless, in the present practice, cultivation of marigold flowers is not a feasible feedstock for lutein production on expensive lands and labors.