http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/7534 2026-04-26T19:02:40Z 2026-04-26T19:02:40Z Wickramarathne, W.A.G.C.P. Wathugala, D.L. Amarasekara, D.A.B.N. Kumarasinghe, H.K.M.S. http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/8619 2024-10-09T06:26:33Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

EFFECT OF UV TREATED SILVER ON BLACK POLYTHENE MULCH ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF Capsicum annuum L. (CHILLI) VAR. MI2 AND MI3 Wickramarathne, W.A.G.C.P.; Wathugala, D.L.; Amarasekara, D.A.B.N.; Kumarasinghe, H.K.M.S. Weed infestation is one of the limiting factors in the production of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.). Weeds reduce the availability of nutrients and water for the main crop reducing the fruit yield. The application of herbicides is not an environmentally friendly method. Therefore, there is a movement to use alternative methods for weed management. Polythene mulches have many benefits such as soil temperature modification, soil conservation by preventing runoff, nutrient addition, and improvement in soil structure in addition to minimizing weed infestation. Therefore polythene mulches are a popular method to reduce weed infestation in various crops. UV treated silver on black polythene mulch is one such polythene mulch introduced to the Sri Lankan market recently. Therefore, this research was conducted with the objectives to study the effect of UV treated silver on black polythene mulch on growth and yield parameters and weed infestation of chilli. The possibility of the reduction of the amount of recommended fertilizer with the application of UV treated silver on black polythene soil cover was also tested. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block design with four replications. Two local chilli varieties (MI2 and MI3) popular among farmers were used for the study. The four treatments comprised UV treated polythene mulch with different percentages of the recommended fertilizer dosage (100%, 75%, and 50%) for chilli. Recommended fertilizer mixture without polythene mulch was the control treatment. Yield and weed parameters such as time taken to 50% of flowering, time taken to first picking, fruiting span, and yield per plant, number of weeds per unit area and fresh weight of weeds per unit area were evaluated. Plants in the treatments with UV treated polythene mulch exhibited a significantly higher growth and yield in both chilli varieties along with a significantly lower weed infestation. The plants grown with 100% and 75% fertilizer levels with polythene mulch did not show a significant difference in total yield, indicating the possibility of reducing 25% of recommended fertilizers. Therefore, the UV treated biodegradable silver on black polythene mulch can be recommended to obtain high production with less fertilizer and zero levels of herbicides.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Fonseka, D.L.C.K. Hansani, S.A.N.P. Aluthgamage, H.N. http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/8618 2024-10-09T05:01:00Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

AN EFFICIENT MASS PROPAGATION PROTOCOL FOR Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. THROUGH IN VITRO GENERATED SHOOT TIPS Fonseka, D.L.C.K.; Hansani, S.A.N.P.; Aluthgamage, H.N. Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. commonly known as ‘beli’ in Sri Lanka is an important fruit tree with extensive medicinal uses in indigenous medicinal systems. The plant is conventionally propagated by seeds which have short viability and low germination percentage. Vegetative propagation through root suckers is slow and challenging. Root being the major medicinally valuable part, destructive harvesting poses a serious threat to the sustenance of the tree. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop an efficient mass propagation protocol for A. marmelos through in vitro generated shoot tips. Shoot tips taken from three weeks old in vitro grown seedlings of A. marmelos were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (1.0 mgL-1 or 2.0 mgL-1 ), kinetin (0.5 mgL-1 or 1.0 mgL-1 ), and thidiazuron (TDZ) (0.25 mgL-1 and 0.5 mgL-1 ) either alone or in combination. The highest mean number of shoots per shoot tip (16.73) and highest mean total length per shoot tip (10.58 cm) were observed on MS medium containing 1.0 mgL-1 BAP and 1.0 mgL-1 kinetin. In this study poor response of shoot proliferation was observed when using MS medium supplemented with TDZ alone. Shoot formation was optimum in the fifth week from establishment. In vitro derived shoots were transferred to root induction medium consisting of half-strength MS medium supplemented with three different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 mgL-1 ) with or without 5% activated charcoal. Highest rooting was achieved in the medium supplemented with 1.0 mgL-1 IBA with activated charcoal. Rooted plantlets were acclimatized using coco pellets and transferred to the soil with 80% survival rate.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Palihakkara, I.R. Ekanayake, E.M.U.I. http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/8616 2024-10-21T08:23:36Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

ANALYZING SUITABLE COMBINATIONS OF POTTING MIXTURES AND HORMONE LEVELS FOR VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION OF Excoecaria agallocha (MILKY MANGROVE) FROM MADU GANGA RAMSAR WETLAND Palihakkara, I.R.; Ekanayake, E.M.U.I. Mangroves are the foundation species that control ecosystem dynamics and identifying their vegetative propagation methods is important to conserve them. This study was conducted to identify suitable combinations of potting media and indole-3butyric acid (IBA) concentrations for the propagation of Excoecaria agallocha (milky mangrove) stem cuttings sourced from Madu Ganga Wetland in south west rainforest region of Sri Lanka. Three IBA concentrations (2500, 3000 and 3500ppm) and three potting media (P1. lagoon silt, P2. clay and sand (1:1), and P3. topsoil, coir-dust, compost and sand (4: 4: 4: 1) were factorially combined in a Completely Randomized Design with five replicates. The control treatment was 2500 ppm IBA with P2 potting media. There was no interaction effect for survival percentage, root dry weight and shoot number between potting media and IBA concentration. For survival percentage, and root dry weight, significantly highest values were observed in 3500ppm IBA. Shoot number was significantly higher in P3 while the survival percentages were significantly greater in P1 and P3 potting media than control. The average number of roots, root length, and root volume, were significantly greater in 35000ppm IBA with P1 media. According to the vigor scales, the highest root vigor was depicted by lagoon silt treated with 3500 ppm IBA while the highest shoot vigor was observed from P3 media treated with 3500 ppm IBA. Results revealed that treating stem cuttings with 3500ppm IBA and using P1 or P3 potting media are the most effective method to propagate E. agallacha through stem cuttings out of the treatments tested in this study.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Sandeepani, D.M.M. Samaraweera, G.C. http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/8615 2024-11-05T09:23:13Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

HOW GREEN MARKETING TOOLS SHAPE CONSUMER PURCHASE BEHAVIOR Sandeepani, D.M.M.; Samaraweera, G.C. Consumers have more concerned about the ‘green concept’ and thus lead the industry to focus on ‘green marketing’ with the rapid increase in environmental and health considerations. In the Asian context, the studies on green marketing are still in their initial stages and more research is needed to gain its full potential within the market. As green marketing has become a novel and emerging concept in the Sri Lankan market, the present study focused to identify the consumer awareness and attitude towards green products while evaluating the consumer perception towards selected green marketing tools; eco-labelling, eco-branding and eco-packaging. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 150 randomly selected residents in Mapalana Magin Pahala Grama Niladari Division. Results indicated that the female consumers were willing to pay a premium price for green products to conserve the environment. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the income and education level have a highly significant contributions towards the consumers’ purchase intention towards green products and the majority (82.7%) and used the products promoted by green marketing (52%) due to their high quality. Furthermore, the results of independent sample t-test revealed that the gender significantly shapes eco-labelling, eco-branding and eco-packaging attributes on consumer purchase behaviour. Hence, the findings will be instrumental for marketers and policymakers for the effective implementation of green marketing tools while considering gender and other attributes in particular.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z