scholarly journals Power Tillers for Demining in Sri Lanka: Participatory Design of Low-cost Technology

10.5772/5422 ◽  
2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cepolina Emanuela
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Low Cost

scholarly journals Removal of Cyanide-Contaminated Water by Vetiver Grasses

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (13) ◽  
pp. 252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piyada Wachirawongsakorn ◽  
Tongsai Jamnongkan ◽  
Mohd Talib Latif
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Survival Rate ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Contaminated Water ◽  
Vetiver Grass ◽  
Vetiveria Zizanioides ◽  
Concentration Levels

<p>Vetiver grass and it usages have been widely investigated in many researches as the preferred plant species due to its known efficiency, low cost, the ease of availability and spread. This research aimed to use four different vetiver grass (<em>Vetiveria zizanioides</em>) ecotypes to remove cyanide (CN<sup>-</sup>)-contaminated water for improve its quality. Growth capability, tolerance and removal efficiency were evaluated. The results showed that the vetiver grass had a 100% survival rate for one month after planting. Songkhlar3 had the longest leaves, followed by Surat-Thani, Sri Lanka and Monto, respectively. Root lengths of all ecotypes showed no significant differences (p ≤ 0.05). All vetiver grass ecotypes could potentially purify CN<sup>-</sup>-contaminated water at lower concentrations of ≤ 35 mg CN<sup>-</sup>/L. The Monto ecotype had the highest CN<sup>-</sup> removal efficiency at all CN<sup>-</sup> concentration levels, showing 100% CN<sup>-</sup> removal from the 5-45 mg CN<sup>-</sup>/L contaminated water samples within 2-5 weeks growth. The tolerance of vetiver grass to CN<sup>-</sup> was a more important factor than growth rate when selecting a vetiver grass ecotype for CN<sup>-</sup> phytoremediation.</p>

Post-tensioned concreting: its suitability for and acceptability in Sri Lanka

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 719-735
Author(s):  
Hewa Siliyange Athushla Madhubhashana ◽  
B.A.K.S. Perera ◽  
Colombapatabendige Savindi Ranthika Perera
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Swelling Soils ◽  
Post Tensioned

Purpose Many countries have started to use post-tensioned (PT) concrete because of its sustainability and low cost. However, it is not quite popular in Sri Lanka as the required knowhow and technology are not available within the country. By introducing PT concrete to the country, unwanted costs and time overruns could be eliminated from the construction projects. This paper, therefore, aims to identify the suitability and acceptability of PT concreting for/in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review was first carried out to gather knowledge on PT concreting. The four case studies that followed it included eight semi-structured interviews and a document review. Ten expert interviews were conducted finally to strengthen the findings of the literature review and case studies. Cross-case analysis and NVivo 11 content analysis software were used to analyze the data gathered. Findings Findings reveal that PT concreting saves cost and time of construction and that it can have a control over the resources required for construction, which makes it environment-friendly. PT concreting allows thinner concrete sections, extended spans, stiffer walls that resist lateral loads and stiffer foundations that resist the effects of shrinking and swelling soils. Originality/value It is found that PT concreting is more suitable for the construction industry in Sri Lanka than traditional concreting.

Introducing surface sampling threshold factor for suspended sediment transport: model development using Sri Lankan tropical highland river basins

2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandun Illangasinghe ◽  
Tilak Hewawasam
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Generic Model ◽  
Suspended Sediment Transport ◽  
Surface Sampling ◽  
Threshold Factor

Estimation of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in rivers is a prerequisite to address many issues related to hydrology. Therefore, we make an attempt in this study to introduce a low-cost technique to estimate the SSC. Both surface and depth-and-width-integrated water samples were collected and measured for SSC from eight tributaries in Sri Lanka over a complete hydrological year. A site-specific calibration curve was established between SSCs measured by two methods for each tributary where R2 varied from 0.72 to 0.99. The same relationship is developed in general for all tributaries studied in the hilly terrain of Sri Lanka. This generic model exhibits a strong correlation (R2 = 0.91), which will be useful to calculate an accurate SSC from a simply measured surface SSC. To select the appropriate gauging method, be it surface or depth-and-width-integrated sampling, a new concept of surface sampling threshold factor (SSTF) is introduced. The preliminarily analysis on SSTF using available data for the studied catchments reveals that surface sampling is only adequate for estimating a representative SSC if SSTF varies from 35 to 45. When SSTF deviates from this range, the SSC measured by surface sampling needs to be adjusted by depth-and-width-integrated sampling.

scholarly journals The Most Frequent Agronomic Practices Used by the Coconut Farmers in the “Coconut Triangle” of Sri Lanka

CORD ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Lalith Perera
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Agronomic Practices ◽  
Frequent Event ◽  
The Impact

The study was carried out to identify the most frequently practiced cultural practices by coconut growers in the main coconut growing area termed as “Coconut Triangle”, among a set of technical practices recommended by the Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka (CRISL). The objective was also to analyse the impact of these practices to the yield and to analyse the effects of the information sources to the growers to enhance the farmers skills. The study was carried out between June 2018 and August 2018. For the data collection, a questionnaire developed by CRISL was used and 62 growers were randomly selected. All the answers were gathered in a table file. Then, the data were analysed using tabular analysis and the software SPSS. The study reveals that most of the growers are having intercrops between the coconut trees, in large or very small scale even if the yield is lowand needs more space. For the soil moisture conservation around the coconut palm, the majority of the growers use the simple and low-cost technique; mulching around the coconut palms. However, 30.1% of the growers were found to not use any technique to improve the soil moisture even when the drought is a frequent event in the country, but this more valid for small scale growers. To improve their yield, majority of the growers preferred and used CRISL recommended coconut fertilizer mixture (Adult Palm Mixture or APM) over the other commercially available fertilizer mixtures. Finally, the study shows that farmers with large estates are the most involved to follow training programs and apply the advices given by the CRISL.           

scholarly journals Appropriateness of low cost sensor network for environmental monitoring in a tropical country: Experience and lessons learnt from real world deployment

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
B H Sudantha ◽  
Emeshi J Warusavitharana ◽  
Rangajeewa Ratnayake ◽  
P K.S. Mahanama ◽  
Massimiliano Cannata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Environmental Monitoring ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Tropical Country ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Open Hardware ◽  
University Of Applied Sciences ◽  
Conventional Technology

Despite the advances in low cost open hardware and open software IoT (Internet of Things) enabled devices, their application in regional scale environmental monitoring has not been explored until the launch of 4ONSE (4 times Open and Non-conventional technology for Sensing the Environment) project, which is an ongoing research project between University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI). The project has paved the path for deploying low cost, open technologies based, non-conventional environmental monitoring systems in Deduru Oya river basin area of Sri Lanka. This research presents the selection process of appropriate sensors suitable for tropical climatic condition of Sri Lanka, issues encountered and remedies taken during the design and deployment phases.

scholarly journals Reducing post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables for ensuring food security – Case of Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16
Author(s):  
Leelananda Rajapaksha ◽  
DMC Champathi Gunathilake ◽  
SM Pathirana ◽  
TN Fernando
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Fruit And Vegetables ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Post Harvest ◽  
Wide Range

In Sri Lanka, 70% of 21 million population live in non-urban areas, and agriculture provides livelihood for approximately 40% of them. The agricultural marketing process in the country is a complex operation due to services and functions involved in moving a crop product from where it was produced to where it would finally be consumed. Further, with a wide range of agricultural crops being produced, post-harvest handling process create different degrees of quantitative and qualitative losses in a complex market chain, which are estimated at 20% to 40% for vegetables and 30% - 40% for fruits. Improper and non-scientific post-harvest practices and handling, gaps in integration of cold chain practices & elements with post-harvest process, and lack of knowledge & awareness on many related aspects at grass root farmer level etc. appear to contribute to losses that finally prevent due economic benefits reaching the small-scale producer. In order to increase the effectiveness of post-harvest process handling of fruit and vegetables, appropriate corrective measures targeting small scale producers as well as commercial scale producers need to be popularized and practiced. At small scale producer level, promotion of appropriate low-cost post-harvest practices and procedures, facilitating low-cost cold chain elements and user-friendly information flow mechanism on market situation would certainly help avoid some of the steps that lead to losses. Monitoring system of commercial post-harvest handling process that ensure scientific bulk handling, storage and transportation of fruit and vegetables, properly designed economic centers with well regulated environmentcontrolled storages etc. would greatly reduce loses in bulk handling, ensuring better food security in the island.

scholarly journals Factors Determining the Access to E-services of Public Institutions in Sri Lanka: A Case Study of Selected Divisional Secretariat Areas in Ampara District

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
M. A. M. Fowsar ◽  
T. Fathima Sajeetha
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Enhancing e-service facilities to the citizens would make it easy for them to access various government and private services. It has currently become an essential aspect of the evolution of public administration. All governments, including those of third world countries, are now trying to improve their e-service delivery. E-service delivery is one of the fundamental mechanisms to enhance quality service delivery with transparency, effectiveness, and efficiency. Sri Lanka has made attempts to deliver e-services in multiple sectors, but many constraints have prevented all citizens from accessing those services. Against this backdrop, this study attempts to investigate the factors that influence the ability of citizens to access the various e-services in selected Divisional Secretariat areas of Ampara district, Sri Lanka. This study was conducted using both qualitative and quantitative research methods during the period from July 2018 to January 2019. The qualitative data were gathered from published books, research articles, and personal interviews, and the quantitative data were gathered through a structured questionnaire and statistical reports of government institutions. The collected data were analysed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques, and results are presented in text, tables and charts format. The findings of the study show that factors such as security, the availability of electronic device facilities, and low cost encouraged citizens to access these services often. Nevertheless, factors like difficulty in understanding e-services and concerns about its security have discouraged people from accessing e-services.

scholarly journals Identification of Synthetic Food Colours in Selected Confectioneries and Beverages in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. T. Dilrukshi ◽  
Helani Munasinghe ◽  
A. Buddhika G. Silva ◽  
P. G. S. M. De Silva
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Natural Food ◽  
Textile Dye ◽  
High Tendency ◽  
Food Colour ◽  
Awareness Programs ◽  
Uv Visible ◽  
Layer Chromatography ◽  
Food Colours

Colour is a key component to enhance the ultimate appetizing value and consumer acceptance towards foods and beverages. Synthetic food colours have been increasingly used than natural food colours by food manufacturers to attain certain properties such as low cost, improved appearance, high colour intensity, more colour stability, and uniformity. Varied foods and beverages available in the market may contain some nonpermitted synthetic colours and overuse of permitted synthetic colours. This may lead to severe health problems such as mutations, cancers, reduced haemoglobin concentrations, and allergic reactions. According to the Food Act, 2011 (No. 26 of 1980), Sri Lanka, only nine synthetic food colours are permitted and the colour concentration cannot exceed 100 ppm as a single component or in combination. This study aims to identify the synthetic food colours in confectioneries and beverages available in Jaffna district, Sri Lanka. Randomly collected 110 samples from eleven Medical Officers Of Health areas in Jaffna district were analyzed by using thin layer chromatography and UV-visible spectrophotometry. According to the results, 100% beverages and 85% confectioneries contained permitted synthetic food colours. Out of all, 7% of the confectioneries did not contain any synthetic food colour and 8% of the confectioneries contained nonpermitted colours which do not comply with any of the permitted synthetic food colours. Tartrazine (E102) (41%) was the most used synthetic food colour in both confectioneries and beverages. Moreover, 60% of the beverages violated the label requirement without including proper colour ingredients. The study concluded that there is a high tendency to use synthetic food colours in confectioneries and beverages and some confectioneries contain unidentified colours including a textile dye. Therefore, the implementation of regulations and awareness programs of food colours for consumers and food manufacturers are highly recommended.

Potential of eppawala apatite as a directly applied low-cost fertilizer for rice production in Sri Lanka

1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Dahanayake ◽  
M. P. K. Ratnayake ◽  
P. A. Sunil
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Rice Production

Development of an Alternative Low-Cost Larval Diet for Mass Rearing of Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes In Sri Lanka

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umesha Senevirathna ◽  
Lahiru Udayanga ◽  
Mangala Ganehiarachchi ◽  
Menaka Hapugoda ◽  
Tharaka Ranathunge
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Mass Rearing ◽  
Head Width ◽  
Larval Diet ◽  
Larval Size ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Developmental Parameters ◽  
Adult Fitness

Abstract Background Aedes aegypti is a major vector of arboviruses that may be controlled on an area-wide basis using novel approaches such as Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT). Larval diet is a major factor in mass-rearing of Aedes mosquitoes for SIT and IIT programs. Therefore, current study aimed to evaluate the effects of two novel diets developed from dry fish powder on growth and development of immature stages and adult fitness-related characteristics of Ae. aegypti in Sri Lanka. Method: Three batches of 250 Ae. aegypti first instar larvae were exposed to three different larval diets as, standard dry fish powder (D1), dry fish powder meal and brewer’s yeast (D2) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reccomanded diet (D3), separately. Morphometric and developmental parameters of 4th instar larvae, pupae and adult mosquitoes reared under different dietary treatments were measured. General Linear Model (GLM) was used for statistical analysis. Results Significant diet-based variations were observed in the head length, head width, thoracic length, thoracic width, abdominal length, abdominal width and total length (F2, 87>4.811; P < 0.05) of Ae. aegypti larvae. The highest pupation success and the larval size were observed from the larvae fed with D2 diet, while the lowest was reported from D1. All adult morphometric parameters of adult male and female Ae. aegypti mosquitoes also denoted significant dietary variations, reporting the best sized adults from D2 diet (F2, 87>3.54; P < 0.05). Further, significantly higher fecundity and male longevity were also shown by the adult Ae. aegypti (F2, 6>7.897; P < 0.01) reared under diet D2. Conclusion Based on all the growth and developmental parameters, D2 diet reported the best quality adult mosquitoes similar to the IAEA recomanded diet, while being more inexpensive. Therefore, larval diet D2 could be recomaded as the ideal diet for for mass-rearing of Ae. aegypti for IIT and SIT-based vector control in Sri Lanka.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document