Wasantha Liyanage | Ruhuna university (original) (raw)

Papers by Wasantha Liyanage

Tropical Agricultural Research and Extension

Mushrooms can accumulate heavy metals from the growth substrates. This study compared the growth ... more Mushrooms can accumulate heavy metals from the growth substrates. This study compared the growth and yield performances of commercially grown American Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) in the presence of different heavy metals in the substrate. The substrate of the mushroom media contained different heavy metals (Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), and Mercury (Hg)) in three concentration levels (25, 50, and 75 mg/kg of sawdust). An experiment was carried out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with five replicates. Both growth parameters (total biological efficiency, total colonization time, time for primordial formation, number of fruiting bodies in the first flush, and weekly mycelium growth rate) and yield parameters (weight and the total number of fruiting bodies) of the mushroom were recorded. Three flushes were made during the study period from October to December 2016. All the data were analyzed statistically using ANOVA (p<0.05) and Duncan’s multiple range test by SAS statistical software (version 9.1.3). The results revealed that biological efficiency of Cd, Hg, and Pb metal concentrated mycelium showed significantly higher values at all three different concentration levels compared to As that lowest at 75 mg/kg concerted level. The highest time of primordial formation, the highest total colonization time, and numbers of fruiting body’s development in the first flush was observed at 75 mg/kg level as treated substrate. Further studies are required to find the bioaccumulation of the heavy metal in the mushrooms.

Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka

Purpose: Water footprint (WFP) is a widely used environmental indicator to compare and identify t... more Purpose: Water footprint (WFP) is a widely used environmental indicator to compare and identify the strategies for better water use efficiency. The Objectives of the present study were to calculate and analyze the WFP of Oyster mushroom cultivation under small-scale farming conditions in Sri Lanka. Research Method: Water footprint was estimated as the sum of water used for preparing the mushroom growing substrate and the on-farm water requirement for the production of a ton of mushrooms. Production parameters and on-farm water usage of three small-scale Oyster mushroom farms were recorded. Findings: WFPs of growing substrates were low (591 - 642 m3/ton) and varied within a narrow range. The main on-farm water-consuming activities were the preparation of growing media, water for sterilization of media, spraying of water during the growing cycle, floor cleaning, and laborer’s water consumption. WFP of mushroom cultivation under the conditions specified in this study was 1181 m3/ton. B...

Ceylon Journal of Science

Ceylon Journal of Science, 2021

Damping-off disease is caused by Pythium sp., Phytophthora sp., Rhizoctonia sp., and Fusarium sp.... more Damping-off disease is caused by Pythium sp., Phytophthora sp., Rhizoctonia sp., and Fusarium sp., and affects seedlings at the nursery stage. Phytophthora and Pythium cell walls contain cellulose. The current study aimed to determine potential use of cellulase extracts of selected fungal species i.e. Talaromyces sp., Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sp., A. niger, and Penicillium oxallicum to suppress these pathogens and to investigate the potential use of fungal co-culture extracts with the highest cellulase activity for seed treatment to control damping-off. The impact of cellulase extracts on pathogen growth was determined by agar well diffusion method. For seed treatment, tomato seeds were soaked in cellulase extracts from the selected co-culture for 24 h and were sown in pathogens inoculated soil samples. Cellulase extracts of Trichoderma and Aspergillus suppressed Phytophthora growth with 63% and 57% of inhibition percentages respectively. When seeds were treated with Talaromyces sp.+Aspergillus sp.+P. oxallicum coculture extracts, the highest seedling emergence percentage was observed in Phytophthora sp. Fusarium sp., and four-pathogen mixture-inoculated soils respectively. Lowest disease incidence was observed in Phytophthora sp. inoculated soil. Results show the potential of cellulolytic fungal species; Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sp., and co-culture of Talaromyces sp.+Aspergillus sp.+P. oxallicum in suppression of Phytophthora sp. a common causative agent of damping-off.

Tea Blister blight, which is caused by Exobasidium vexans Massee is the most serious tea leaf dis... more Tea Blister blight, which is caused by Exobasidium vexans Massee is the most serious tea leaf disease in Sri Lanka. The disease is primarily...

DOI: 10.21276/sjams.2018.6.9.60 Abstract:The aim of the study was to investigate the anti-pathoge... more DOI: 10.21276/sjams.2018.6.9.60 Abstract:The aim of the study was to investigate the anti-pathogenic activities of selected cyanobacteria isolated from freshwater bodies of Sri Lanka. Ethanolic extract of six uni algal cultures i.e.,Oscillatoria sp., Synechococcus sp., Dermocarpa sp., Chroococcussp., Nostoc sp. and Microcystissp. were tested against five plant pathogens and seven human pathogens using agar disk diffusion method. Human pathogens include Escherichia coli ATCC 35218, E. coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureusATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosaATCC 27853, EntarococcusfaecalisATCC 29212, Klebsiellapneumoniaeand Candida albicans. Plant pathogens include Colletotricummusae, Colletotricumcoccodes, Pomopsissp., Tricodermasp., and Cladosporiumcladoplorioides. The cyanobacterial extract at the rate of 0.01 g/ml and 0.025 g/ml did not show any zone of inhibition on pathogenic fungi and bacteria. In the present study, at the rate of 0.05 g/ml extract concentration, Synechococcus s...

American Journal of Biomass and Bioenergy, 2016

The experimental design and techniques for biofuel production from different feedstock varies dep... more The experimental design and techniques for biofuel production from different feedstock varies depending on geographical region, water sources (fresh water, sea water, waste water or brackish water) and overall, available species variations. Also the sampling, culture conditions, isolation, purification of cultures, harvesting, fatty acid extraction followed by conversion of extracted lipids to biofuel followed different methods in different studies. Therefore, it is a demand to simplify the techniques, improve the methods, and develop the efficiencies with less laborious inputs but rapid and best outcomes. Biofuel production research should focus not only selecting suitable biomass or obtaining high yield of lipids but also look for economically feasible method along with sufficient and continuous supply of biomass. Considering these, cyanobacteria and microalgae creates a great potential for biofuel production. In this review, we focused on compiling different materials and methods used for different studies and their best outputs towards biofuel production from cyanobacteria and micro-algae.

Frontiers in Plant Science, Oct 25, 2022

Nipa (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) is an important mangrove palm species, but it is understudied due to... more Nipa (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) is an important mangrove palm species, but it is understudied due to lack of information on genetic patterns within its distribution range. In this study, we identified 18 informative microsatellite markers to assess genetic variations among local populations in the Indo-West Pacific (IWP). Results showed population stratification based on high genetic differentiation (F ST = 0.22131) with the Mantel test indicating significance to isolation-by-distance. We found a pronounced differentiation between the west populations in Sri Lanka and east populations in Southeast Asia. The east populations around the South China Sea were more genetically similar than those along the Malacca Strait and Java Sea. These genetic clines were shaped by ocean circulations and seasonal monsoon reversals as plausible factors. The Malacca Strait was confirmed as both a genetic and a geographic barrier rather than a corridor according to the Monmonier plot. Simulations of directional migration indicated a statistically strong contemporary genetic connectivity from west to east where Sri Lankan immigrants were detected as far as central Philippines via long-distance dispersal. This is the first report on the recent migration patterns of nipa using microsatellites. Assignment of first-generation (F 0) immigrants suggested Mainland Southeast Asia as a melting pot due to the Frontiers in Plant Science frontiersin.org 01

Tropical Agricultural Research and Extension, 2010

Tropical Agricultural Research and Extension, 2011

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum Presl., Syn. Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) is an important spice crop g... more Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum Presl., Syn. Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) is an important spice crop grown in Sri Lanka and some other countries in Southeast Asia. Although cinnamon is a hardy plant, it is subjected to attack by a variety of insects and microbes. The major insect and mite pests reported in Sri Lanka and other Southeast Asian countries include, a jumping plant louse Trioza cinnamoni (Homoptera: Triozidae), a plant feeding mite Eriophyes boisi (Acarina: Eriophyiidae), Synanthedon spp (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). The minor insect pests reported are the lepidopteran caterpillars Chilasa clytia, Graphium sarpedon, Orthaga vitialis, Dasychira mendosa, the fruit borer Alcides morio, and the leaf miner Acrocercops spp. The important diseases of cinnamon reported are leaf spot/blight caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and grey leaf spot/blight caused by Pestalotia cinnamomi. Phytopthora cinnamomi causing stripe canker and the pink disease caused by Corticium salmonicolor affecting stems of cinnamon and Phellinus lamaensis causing brown root rot have also aroused some attention by the researchers. The Identification and management strategies adopted for the above pests and diseases are reviewed.

The paper gives an account of the variations in nutritional and physiological characteristics fou... more The paper gives an account of the variations in nutritional and physiological characteristics found in different isolates of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causing anthracnose disease of papaya, in India. The pathogen under study varied in its ability to utilize different carbon and nitrogen sources. Fructose was found to be the best source of carbon for the growth and sporulation of most of the isolates. Among the nitrogen sources tested, aspartic acid supported the maximum growth of isolates followed by potassium nitrate and proline. In contrast to this, isolates sporulated better in media containing potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate or sodium nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. The response of different isolates to different temperature levels were found to be vary. However, most of the isolates preferred temperature range of 28 0 C to 30 0 C for the growth and sporulation when grown on Richard's agar medium. C. gloeosporioides isolates grew well at pH 5 while sporulation was better at pH 6.

ScFv monoclonal antibodies were raised against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. and S... more ScFv monoclonal antibodies were raised against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. and Sacc. isolates of papaya using phage display technology. Phages obtained after fourth round of biopanning were used to generate monoclonal antibodies against the pathogen. Four monoclonals were identified having the highest binding affinity to C. gloeosporioides and were selected to differentiate isolates of C. gloeosporioides along with isolates of C. capsici, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense and Alternaria spp. Cetyle trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) method with some modifications was followed to isolate total genomic DNA in another experiment. Initially, DNA samples were amplified with 20 different OPA random primers and two of them were selected to amplify individual DNA samples from the eight papaya isolates and C. capsici, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense and Alternaria spp . All monoclones found to have high binding affinity towards different isolates of C. gloeosporioides compared to three other species, indicating their specificity towards C. gloeosporioides. There was a greater variation observed among isolates according to band patterns when amplified with OPA 3 and OPA 14 primers selected. However, with both these primers, there were common bands(1200 bp with OPA 3 and 965 bp with OPA 14) that may be specific to C. gloeosporioides.