JournalTOCs

Sri Lanka Journal of Food and Agriculture
Number of Followers: 1

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Online) 2630-7383
Published by Sri Lanka Journals Online

[71 journals]

Indigenous plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial consortia greatly reduces
fertilizer need for tea nurseries: Characterization and evaluation
- Abstract: A study was conducted to characterize plant growthpromoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) of tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] and to investigate the potential of using them to enhance growth and nutrient uptake of tea plants, and also to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in tea nurseries in the mid-country of Sri Lanka. Nitrogenfixing Azospirillum sp. (AZO) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) isolated from the rhizosphere of tea grown in three main soil series i.e. Kandy, Matale and Ukuwela in Sri Lanka, were screened in an in vitro study. Soil series specific dual inoculants were formulated using the most effective strains of N2 fixer and PSB obtained from each soil series, and they were tested in tea nurseries having respective soil series. In addition, a common consortium was tested across all the three soil series. Dual inoculants were tested along with a modified T 65 fertilizer mixture composed of ½ of N and P replaced with Eppawala Rock Phosphate (ERP) in place of Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) in recommended T 65 fertilizer and compared with two non-inoculated controls; modified T 65 fertilizer and T 65 recommended fertilizer, each with ten replicates. Plant growth measurements were taken and N and P uptakes were measured. Application of series-specific consortium to nursery tea plants raised in soil belonging to Ukuwela soil series along with modified T 65 fertilizer mixture improved dry matter contents (12.86 g/plant) and total N and P uptake (786 mg/plant and 155 mg/plant, respectively) compared to that of recommended fertilizer treatment (dry matter contents; 13.24 g/plant, N uptake; 727 mg/plant and P uptake; 166 mg/plant). Results indicated that a 50% reduction of N and replacement of imported DAP with locally available ERP in the present recommendation for tea nursery mixture (i.e. T 65) is possible with the application of dual inoculants formulated with series-specific strains. Published on 2021-12-08 00:00:00
Cost: benefit analysis of the potato seed production facility in Seetha
Eliya farm of the Department of Agriculture in Sri Lanka
- Abstract: Potato is one of the important tuber crop in Sri Lanka, where high cost of potato seed has shrunken the comparative advantage of the crop. In order to reduce the seed potato production costs, the Department of Agriculture (DOA) has intervened by implementing high tech facility at Seetha Eliya in the Central province of Sri Lanka. In 2017, the facility has produced 1.2 million of potato mini tubers. However, no study has been done to evaluate the financial and economic feasibility of the facility to justify its establishment. This study aimed at fulfilling this gap. Primary data were collected from the seed farm at Seetha Eliya, and were analyzed using non-linear programing models for annual operating profitability. The production levels were used as inputs for the project appraisal techniques to evaluate the overall profitability at project economic lifespan. The results of the study showed that seed production in net houses is financially and economically feasible over conventional method. Even though the financial profitability is high in net house cultivation for production of only G0 seed, the economic profitability is high for the combined cultivation of G0 and G1 seeds. The expansion of the glass house space is strongly recommended owing to its limited capacity. Furthermore, seed production is suggested to be confined to G0 seeds under adverse conditions. Published on 2021-12-08 00:00:00
Comparative study of grain quality characteristics of some selected
traditional and improved rice varieties in Sri Lanka: A review
- Abstract: Consumer acceptability and market demand in rice (Oryza sativa L.) are mainly determined by its grain quality. Therefore, the main aim of the present analytical review was to evaluate some selected traditional and improved rice varieties in Sri Lanka for their grain quality characteristics that include physical, physico-chemical, milling, cooking and eating and nutritional properties. Information from higher number of traditional varieties than that of improved varieties was used in the review as existing number of traditional varieties is about ten times higher than that of improved varieties in the country. Most of the traditional rice varieties are red with short to medium size grains having round and bold shape. Most of the improved rice varieties are white with long to medium-size grains having either round, bold, or internationally acceptable slender shapes. The total milling recoveries of both traditional and improved rice varieties are more or less similar and are in the range of 69-74%. Nutritional value of rice is influenced by genotype, soil and environmental condition under which the rice is grown as well as postharvest processing and storage condition and also degree of milling influences on the end-use nutritional quality. Both the cooking and eating quality and nutritional properties varied within traditional as well as within improved varieties. Total carbohydrate content of almost all of the improved rice varieties is higher except in the improved variety Bg 360 than that of the traditional varieties studied. Available data on grain protein, crude fat and crude fiber contents of traditional and improved rice varieties are significantly varying and inconsistent within and between traditional and improved rice varieties. The majority of the traditional and improved rice varieties belong to high amylose class, however, improved rice variety At 405 recorded the lowest amylose content and several traditional rice varieties recorded intermediate amylose content. Both traditional and improved rice varieties showed a similar swelling power. Though the swelling power of rice grains has shown a negative linear relationship with grain amylose content in general, a positive linear relationship between those two characteristics has been observed between improved and traditional rice varieties in Sri Lanka. Published on 2021-12-08 00:00:00
King coconut - The golden nut of Sri Lanka
- Abstract: King coconut (Cocos nucifera), a variety of coconut that is native to Sri Lanka. King coconut water is one of the fastest growing export commodities in Sri Lanka during the last decade. Rich nutritional profiles of sugars, vitamins, minerals and amino acids with profound therapeutic values have made king coconut water a popular functional beverage worldwide. This paper highlights the importance of optimum pre-harvest factors (variety, maturity) along with systematic processing, packing, transporting and storage; to maintain a consistent quality of the king coconut water. Published on 2021-12-08 00:00:00
Grain yield disparity of rice between tropical and subtropical/temperate
Regions
- Abstract: Enhancing productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a need to meet the food demand of increasing population. Rice, being the main staple for more than half of the world’s population, is grown in a wide range of environments under a variety of climatic conditions covering tropical, subtropical and temperate regions in the world. Some scientists attribute the comparatively higher grain yields of rice in developed countries such as Australia, USA, Japan and China in the subtropical/temperate region to the technological improvements, without disclosing precise technological gaps for yield disparity, while ignoring the influence of climatic- and soil-related differences of the regions. Studying the influence of climate and soil characteristics on rice yield disparity between tropical and temperate/subtropical regions is important to avoid erroneous conclusion given in explaining any yield disparities. Existing grain yield disparity of rice between the two regions can mainly be attributed to environmental factors such as incident solar radiation, temperature and soil fertility, but not to the improved technology. In Sri Lanka, the influence of technological advancements on the grain yield resulting in yield disparities compared to other developed countries as indicated by some critics, is irrelevant and invalid owing to confounding effects of the environmental factors. If a fair comparison to be made on grain yield disparity of rice between countries, they have to be within the same region, i.e. tropical or subtropical/temperate, where the climatic- and soil-related factors are fairly uniform. Published on 2021-12-08 00:00:00
Do paddy soils of Sri Lanka emit excessive amounts of methane' – a
potent greenhouse gas (GHG) responsible for global warming and climate
change
Determinants of productivity variation and technical efficiency of tea
small holders in the low country of Sri Lanka
- Abstract: Tea is produced in Sri Lanka by the estate sector and smallholdings sector. Currently, tea smallholders contribute to 75% of the total tea production in the country. The highest extent of smallholder owned tea lands are accumulated in the low country (<300 m amsl), covering Ratnapura, Galle and Matara districts. Although the productivity of tea smallholdings sector appears comparatively higher than the estate sector, there is an extensive gap between the lowest and the highest productivity values. The objectives of this study were to identify the determinants of productivity variation and to determine the technical efficiencies of tea smallholders in the low country of Sri Lanka. A field survey was conducted for primary data collection from 300 tea smallholders representing 68 tea inspector regions. Data were analyzed by FRONTIER 4.1 and the stochastic frontier production function was estimated for both Cobb-Douglas and Trans log models. The Trans Log model fitted the best, in explaining the determinants compared to the Cobb-Douglas model. The direct effects of hired labour, family labour, fertilizer and chemical were statistically significant (P<0.05) in the stochastic frontier, and the coefficients for these factors were 0.07, 0.12, 0.0.95 and -0.01, respectively. The average technical efficiency was 68.81% (range: 15% to 93.43%). The possibility of increasing output, without increasing the existing level of input was 31.19%. Published on 2020-12-31 00:00:00
Adverse effects of climate change-induced temperature and water stress on
growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) variety Suwandel
- Abstract: Climate change due to temperature increment and fluctuations in rainfall has adverse effects on plants and animals. Due to these factors growth and yield of plants are drastically declined. The present study attempted to determine the impact of temperature stress water stresses that would occur as a result of climate change on rice (Oryza sativa L.), selecting the variety Suwandel AC 579 as the model plant. The growth and yield parameters of Suwandel were measured at harvest to determine the impact of temperature stress and water stress, after exposing the rice plants to four treatments, viz. T1: temperature stress, no water stress, T2: temperature stress, water stress, T3: no temperature stress, no water stress (control), and T4: no temperature stress, water stress. The rice plants exposed to temperature stress showed significantly low values (P<0.05) for the height (T1: 75.7±2.68cm and T2: 69.34±3.5 cm) and chlorophyll content (T1: 32.66±0.97 and T2: 24.32±2.53). The yield parameters such as number of productive tillers per plant, number of grains per plant, number of filled grains per plant and test weight showed a significant decline on exposure to temperature and/or water stress further revealing that the rice variety Suwandel will not grow and yield successfully under the predicted climate change. As rice is the staple food of majority of people in the world, in order to meet the demand, high yielding new varieties which are able to overcome the expected climate changes such as increase in temperature and water scarcity have to be developed through breeding programmes. Published on 2020-12-31 00:00:00
The wettest place in Sri Lanka
- Abstract: The average annual rainfall of Sri Lanka varies from 900 mm to 5,500 mm. A debate and misconception have continued on the “wettest place” or the rain gauge station that receives the highest rainfall in the country. Seven rain-gauge stations (seven locations) were selected considering the regions receiving with probable highest rainfall in Sri Lanka. The average annual total rainfall and average number of rainy days were analysed using daily rainfall data covering the most recent five years (2015 – 2019) to detect the rain gauge station receiving the highest rainfall. Among the locations considered, the newly established rain gauge station at the Welioya Estate (6.9288 N, 80.5582E, 1,258 m amsl) reported the highest rainfall, where the estate has received an average annual rainfall of 5,081 mm. Except during the South West Monsoon (SWM) season (May to September), the three rain-gauge stations located around Watawala Estate have recorded the lowest cumulative seasonal rainfall catch resulting in the same pattern of ranks in the average annual total rainfall. This study revealed that the Welioya Estate in Hatton receives the highest average annual rainfall in Sri Lanka. However, absence of standard rain-gauges installed in many locations in Sri Lanka to collect daily observations is a drawback in conducting detailed analysis rainfall across all agro-ecological regions in Sri Lanka. Published on 2020-12-31 00:00:00
Resurrecting Nigeria’s groundnut pyramid
- Abstract: This study empirically reviewed the production trend of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) that was once the pride of Nigeria, with the aim to resurrecting the groundnut pyramid in the country. The study used FAO-sourced annual data that spanned throughout 1961 to 2017 and covered production, area, yield of the studied crop and prices of the studied and competing crops. Collected data were subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics. The empirical evidence showed the production of groundnut to be affected by area risk and uncertainty- climate change consequence. Furthermore, the future trend of the crop cannot guarantee the food security of groundnut in the country as the annual yield contribution to the annual output will not yield desirable change in the annual output level. Therefore, it becomes imperative for policymakers to inject production and developmental finances into the sector as green alternative remains the best option to salvage the economy of the country which is staggering owing to dampening crude oil prices- a major source of revenue earning. Furthermore, groundnut is now a staple food in virtually all households’ diets in the country as it serves as food, oil and condiments, confectionaries, snakes etc., thus a drain on the country foreign reserve owing to the need to strike a balance between demand and supply. Published on 2020-12-31 00:00:00