Issue 02

STUDY THE CINNAMON (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) YIELD INDICES UNDER MODIFIED PLANTING SYSTEMS

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

STUDY THE CINNAMON (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) YIELD INDICES UNDER MODIFIED PLANTING SYSTEMS Aluthgamage, H.N.; Fonseka, D.L.C.K.; Benaragama, C.K. The yield of cinnamon bark is determined by various factors. Number of harvestable stems per plant, harvestable length of a stem and unit bark weight are three major yield indices of cinnamon. Hence, the study was aimed at identifying the impact of spatial pattern, type of planting material and harvesting interval on the yield indices of cinnamon. Seedlings and vegetatively propagated cinnamon; variety Sri Gemunu were planted under three different spatial patterns as 1.2×0.6 m with three plants per hill, 1.2×0.4 m with two plants per hill and 1.2×0.2 m with one plant per hill while maintaining equal planting density in a unit area. Plants were harvested according to two harvesting intervals as 6 and 8 months and the number of harvestable stems per plant and the lengths of harvestable stems (length with brown bark) were recorded during harvesting. The number of harvestable stems per hectare was also calculated. Cinnamon quills were produced and unit bark weight was calculated by dividing the quill weight of each stem from its harvestable length. The results revealed that the effects of treatments were not significant (p < 0.05) for the number of harvestable stems per hectare during the first harvest while the interaction effect between planting material and the spatial pattern was significant (p < 0.05) for harvestable length and unit bark weight. The interaction effect between planting material and the spatial pattern was significant (p < 0.05) during the second harvest for all three yield indices. The number of harvestable stems per hectare was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in seedlings than vegetatively propagated plants during the third harvest. Moreover, the interaction effect between planting material and harvesting interval was significant (p < 0.05) for the harvestable length of a stem during second and third harvests. Unit bark weight of vegetatively propagated plants was significantly higher than seedlings (p < 0.05) during the third harvest.

EVALUATION OF REFUSED TEA AS AN ALTERNATIVE LITTER MATERIAL TO PADDY HUSK: EFFECTS ON BROILER PERFORMANCE THEIR BEHAVIOUR, LITTER PROPERTIES AND AMMONIA EMISSION

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

EVALUATION OF REFUSED TEA AS AN ALTERNATIVE LITTER MATERIAL TO PADDY HUSK: EFFECTS ON BROILER PERFORMANCE THEIR BEHAVIOUR, LITTER PROPERTIES AND AMMONIA EMISSION Belpagodagamage, U.D.; Atapattu, N.S.B.M.; Wanniarachchi, S.D.; Seresinghe, R.T. The availability of paddy husk (PH) as a litter material for poultry production is decreasing. The objective of the present study was to determine the suitability of refused tea (RT), a waste generated during the processing of green leaves into black tea, as alternative litter material. Three experiments using completely randomized design were conducted for PH and RT each alone or as mixtures to determine the effects of the type of litter material on growth performance, behaviour of broilers, litter characteristics, and litter ammonia emission. In experiment one, 300 male broilers (Cobb–500) chicks were raised from day 5 to 21 on ten-floor pens (1.5m2 ), each provided with either PH or RT as the litter material. Five and three PH and RT mixtures (v/v) were used in experiment two and three, respectively to raise broilers (n=300 in each experiment) from day 21 to 42. The type of litter material had no significant effect (P>0.05) on growth performances, hock burn damage score, bird’s cleanliness score and dressing percentage. Compared to PH, RT litter reported a significantly (P<0.05) higher bulk density, N content and caked surface area and tend to have a higher moisture level (p<0.10). Compared to PH alone, RT alone or 1:1 PH:RT litter reduced the emission of ammonia by 53.6 and 34%, respectively. Percentage time spent on foraging was significantly (P<0.05) higher on PH than on RT. The time spent on and the frequency of inter-bird interac tions were significantly (P<0.05) higher among the birds raised on RT, compared to those kept on PH. The study concluded that RT can be used as an alternative litter material for broilers. Other advantages of RT litter were the lower ammonia emission and higher litter N contents. Higher litter moisture content and incidence of caking were the disadvantages of RT as litter material.

GENOTYPIC DEPENDENCE OF WHEAT SPECIES IN NITROGEN UPTAKE DETERMINES BY ROOT MORPHOLOGY AT MATURITY

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

GENOTYPIC DEPENDENCE OF WHEAT SPECIES IN NITROGEN UPTAKE DETERMINES BY ROOT MORPHOLOGY AT MATURITY Fernando, K.M.C.; Wibowo, C.; Sparkes, D.L. The root system is essential for taking up nutrients while providing anchorage to the plant. The controlled envi ronment experiment was conducted to study root morphological traits, plant growth, yield and nitrogen (N) up take in different wheat species. Seven genotypes including cultivated emmer (Triticum dicoccum), spelt (T. spelta L.) and modern bread wheat (T. aestivum) under three N levels were examined. A split-plot design was used in the experiment where the main plot factor was N levels and the sub-plot factor was genotypes and replicated three times. Root samples at five depth layers were scanned and analysed using WinRHIZO software at anthesis and maturity. Total root length, root volume, root biomass, root diameter, root length density, rooting depth and root N uptake efficiency were recorded. Plant N uptake, N uptake efficiency, N utilisation efficiency and N use efficien cy were calculated at maturity (excluding N in roots). Neither interaction effect between main factors nor N level were significant for all measured root traits except N uptake efficiency of roots. Similar results were observed for growth and yield traits together with plant N uptake, N uptake efficiency, N utilisation efficiency and N use effi ciency. All measured parameters were significantly different among genotypes. Spelt genotypes recorded the high est total root length, root volume, root biomass and root length density at all depth layers while emmer genotypes recorded the greatest root N uptake efficiency. Plant N uptake was significantly different between genotypes where all spelt genotypes had high plant N uptake followed by bread wheat and emmer. Plant N uptake of the genotypes had a very strong positive correlation with total root length, root volume, root biomass and rooting depth of the genotypes. Therefore, it could be concluded that the high plant N uptake of spelt may be due to the robust and vigorous growth of root systems.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF APPLICATION OF Zn WITH REDUCED NPK FERTILIZER LEVELS ON GROWTH, YIELD AND GRAIN QUALITY OF TRANSPLANT RICE (Oryza sativa. L) VAR. AT 362

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF APPLICATION OF Zn WITH REDUCED NPK FERTILIZER LEVELS ON GROWTH, YIELD AND GRAIN QUALITY OF TRANSPLANT RICE (Oryza sativa. L) VAR. AT 362 Kumara, K.H.C.H.; Hafeel, R.F.; Mirihagalla, M.K.P.N.; Wathugala, D.L. An experiment was conducted during the 2018/2019 Maha and 2019 Yala seasons at Rice Research Station, Am balantota, Sri Lanka to investigate the effect of different methods of Zn application on growth, yield and grain quality in different reduced levels of NPK application on rice var. At 362. The trials consisted of 10 treatments which included three levels of NPK (100, 80 and 65% levels from the recommended dose) and three methods of the application of Zn fertilizer viz. broadcasting of 8 kg/ ha ZnSO4 two weeks after transplanting, dipping seedling roots in 1.5% ZnSO4 solution for 20 minutes and foliar spraying of 0.5%, ZnSO4, 2, 4 and 6 weeks after trans planting. A randomized complete block design was used with four replicates for the experiment. All tested growth, yield and grain quality parameters showed statistically insignificant results indicating that there is no effect of rate and method of Zn application but there is a possibility to reduce the level of NPK application up to 65% with the application of ZnSO4. When considering the labour requirement, materials used and the time spent for treat ments, the root dipping at the time of transplanting can be identified as the easiest and cost-effective method for the application of Zn for rice