This study provides the first analysis and quantification of MPs in salt products in Sri Lanka. Commercial table salt brands, rock salt, lab-grade NaCl and raw salt from three salterns were analysed ...using microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. All salt samples were contaminated with MPs: in commercial salts products it ranged from 11 to 193 items/kg, rock salts had 64 items/kg and lab grade NaCl had 253 ± 8.9 items/kg. The MP levels in salterns varied significantly: Hambantota 3345.7 ± 311.4 items/kg, Puttalam 272.3 ± 10.6 items/kg, and Elephant Pass 36.3 ± 4.5 items/kg. Predominantly, MPs were presented as fibres, followed by fragments. Of the 23 polymer types identified; low-density polyethylene (LDPE; 17%), resin dispersion (15%) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE; 12%) were notable. This study provides the first comparison of MPs in raw salt and commercial salt. This information is important to trace the pollutant sources and then to take steps to eliminate MPs in food products consumed.
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•Sri Lankan raw and commercial salts were highly contaminated with microplastics.•More microplastics in raw salt than in commercial salt•Microplastic levels among the salterns were significantly different.•This is the first record of microplastics in sea salt consumed in Sri Lanka.
The effect of changing the planting date on the dry season rice yield was simulated by using the software Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT 4.5) for four rice varieties grown ...in Kurunegala district, Sri Lanka under expected climate change. Daily weather data up to the year 2090 were downscaled to the district from Global Climate Model outputs under the emission scenarios A2 and B2 published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change using the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM 4.2). The DSSAT model was applied to simulate future rice yields from four rice varieties grown in the district under three different planting dates: (1) planting in May—the base condition; (2) advancing the planting date by 1 month, i.e., to June; and (3) planting 1 month earlier, i.e., in April. Results show that the seasonally averaged dry season rice yield would increase compared to the base condition when the planting date is advanced by 1 month and, on the other hand, the seasonally averaged rice yield would decrease compared to the base condition when the planting date is delayed by 1 month for all four varieties under both A2 and B2 scenarios. Advancing the rice planting date by 1 month for all four rice varieties can be identified as a non-cost climate change adaptation strategy for rice production in Kurunegala district.
Summary Objectives To study the epidemiology, clinical features, and changing pattern of rickettsial infections on the western slopes of the hilly Central Province of Sri Lanka over 6 years. Methods ...All patients with rickettsial infections who presented to the Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya were studied prospectively from January 2002 to December 2007. An immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA) was used to confirm the diagnosis. Results Of the 371 clinical cases of rickettsial infection, 122 underwent IFA to confirm the diagnosis. Species-specific IgG antibodies were positive in 105/122 (86.1%) cases: 43/105 (40.9%) to Rickettsia conorii and 6/105 (5.7%) to Orientia tsutsugamushi , with mixed antibody reactivity to more than one antigen in 56/105 (53.3%) cases, including Rickettsia typhi in 27/105 (25.7%). Among those with mixed IgG reactivity, IgM assays were used to detect pathogens responsible for acute infections. Finally, a total of 55 spotted fever group (SFG) infections, seven scrub typhus infections, and one case of murine typhus were identified. Of the 105 positive cases, 53 (50.5%) were male and 52 (49.5%) were female, and the mean age was 40 years (range 11–83 years). In the SFG patients, 13/55 (24%) had severe vasculitis with fern leaf type skin necrosis and 17/55 (31%) had arthritis. Three patients (5%) had an altered level of consciousness. A patient with scrub typhus had transient deafness. None of the 105 patients had an eschar. Conclusions It appears that SFG rickettsioses are on the rise in the hilly Central Province of Sri Lanka, whilst murine typhus and scrub typhus are present at a lower rate.
Nanotechnological improvements such as nano-fertilizers are important in agriculture due to higher capability of penetration into plants, nutrient use efficiency and reduced off-target wastage of ...fertilizers. Rice being the second most important cereal crop in the world, is the national staple food in Sri Lanka. Insufficiency of soil Zn in paddy fields led to a reduction in plant growth and yield. Present study was conducted to assess the effect of nano-ZnO-fertilizer and bulk ZnO on growth and yield performances of commonly cultivated traditional (Pachchaperumal, Suwandel) and inbred (Bg94-1) rice varieties in Sri Lanka. Nano-ZnO particles were synthesized by thermal decomposition route and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction and FE-SEM. Sizes of the nano-ZnO particles varied from 50 nm to 500 nm. Pots were arranged in randomized complete block design with twenty replicates per treatment and treated with distilled water, bulk ZnO 60 mg L-1, nano-ZnO 60 mg L-1 (Conc.1), and nano-ZnO 120 mg L-1 (Conc. 2), Growth related characters were measured at 30, 60, and 90 days after sowing (DAS). Yield characters were measured at the harvesting stage. Analysis of variance showed a significant effect of nano-ZnO-fertilizer on yield parameters than growth parameters of three rice varieties. Varietal responses to the applied nano-ZnO-fertilizer vary and higher responses were observed in Bg94-1. Effect of nano-ZnO-fertilizers on Pachchaperumal and Suwandel were almost similar; however, weight of 100-seed of Suwandel treated with nano-ZnO 120 mg L-1 was prominent. Findings of the study revealed, a better yield performance for three rice varieties with foliar application of nano-ZnO-fertilizers.
Present experiment was aimed to assess the diet induced hypocholesterolemic activity of crude methanolic extracts of Phyllanthus maderaspatensis L. on Wistar rats. The crude whole plant methanolic ...extract was administered orally at the dosage of 2000 mg/kg body weight per day, to diet induced hypercholesterolemic Wistar albino rats for 14 days to assess the acute toxicity and hypercholesterolemic activity. Lower concentrations were used since no toxicity found during the acute toxicity experiment. Dosages of Methanolic extracts of 400mg, 800 mg and 1200 mg/ kg body weight per day were orally administered to rats for 42 days whilst total cholesterol, triglyceride, were studied. Hardly any acute toxicity signs and liver toxicity were observed with the extract of 2000 mg/kg. The same concentration indicated a reduction of total cholesterol and triglyceride during 14 days. The groups treated with three lower doses of extract exhibited dose dependent negative response with total cholesterol and triglyceride. Results indicated capability of the crude methanolic extract of P. maderaspatensis L. in total cholesterol and triglyceride in diet induced hypercholestrolemic Wistar rats.
Twenty four (24) traditional Sri Lankan rice landraces were screened for drought tolerance at seedling stage in the greenhouse at the Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala. Four week old seedlings ...grown in pots filled with soil were exposed to drought condition by disconnecting water supply for two weeks. Drought tolerance was evaluated by measuring plant height and leaf width after two weeks of recovery. Agro-morphological characterization of rice landraces was made on vegetative characters and yield attributed characters. The Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) marker analysis was employed to determine the association between allelic diversity and drought tolerance of traditional rice landraces. Comparatively, the landraces Suwandal, Kirimurunga and Suduru samba showed tolerance to drought. Meanwhile, the SSR marker RM252 have shown the potential candidacy for tracing drought tolerance compared to other markers used in the study.
Lupin (Lupinus spp.), a pulse crop gained popularity throughout world as a protein-rich-healthy human and animal food. Lupinus luteus (yellow-Lupin), Lupinus albus (white-Lupin) and Lupinus ...angustifolius (narrow-leafed-sweet-Lupin) varieties are commercially cultivated. Lupins are cultivated in many countries. Diverse climatic conditions with fertile soil provide a high possibility to introduce commercially-developed lupin varieties to Sri Lanka. With the primary objective of exploring possibilities of cultivating lupins in Sri Lanka and to select appropriate varieties and suitable Agro-Ecological Regions (AERs), a field experiment was conducted with ten commercially cultivated Lupinus varieties, L. albus (var. Kiev mutant), L. luteus (var. Wodjil, Pootalong), L. angustifolius (var. Ganguru, Tanjil, Walan, Belara, Donja, Kalya, Mandelup). Agro-morphological characters, time to flowering, number of seeds/plant, whole plant biomass were measured to assess growth and yield performance in AERs, Matale, Bandarawella and Nuwara Eliya for two consecutive years. Randomized complete block design was used with four replicates. Lupin varieties developed well in Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawella. Growth and yield performance of L. albus, L. luteus and L. angustifolius varied across AERs. Seedlings of lupin were better acclimatized to AERs, Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawella. Variation of temperatures In the range of 16 and 200 degree C was a crucial requirement for successful flowering and pod setting. Soil nutrients, soil organic matter as well as variation of soil pH were important factors for successful growth of lupins. Further field studies are recommended for a better understanding the impact of eco-climatic conditions on growth and yield performance of lupins in Sri Lanka.
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