SLIIT Conference and Symposium Proceedings

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All SLIIT faculties annually conduct international conferences and symposiums. Publications from these events are included in this collection.

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Biochar

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    PublicationOpen Access
    Evaluation of the Knowledge Base in Agriculture and Food to Reduce and Prevent Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu)
    (Faculty of Engineering, 2025-09-09) Ariyawansha, R.T.K.; Basnayake, B.F.A.; Dharmasena, D.A.N.; Gamage, A
    Kidney disease is a growing global problem, more so in tropical regions. The cause of CKDu is multifactorial and influenced by heavy metal (HM) contamination, inhibiting essential enzymatic reactions. Fertilizers and water contamination are believed to cause the disease. This study aimed to review the existing knowledge base, focusing on a transitional approach to advanced technologies with the least HMs and to use justifiable scientific reasoning supported by published data, to used to demonstrate the movement of Cadmium (Cd) at both low and high concentrations from applied fertilizer through the soil to grain and rice. The quantity of fertilizer applied per ha with the given Cd levels was equated to Cd concentrations in the harvested grain and rice per ha, considering positive or negative contributions from the soil. Weekly consumption levels of rice at the threshold limits by an average Sri Lankan were determined for low and high Cd levels in rice using the tolerance limits of two international standards. It is best to characterize watersheds and determine the movement of nutrients and HM in ferruginous soils. Hinderance to phosphate immobility in these soils can be overcome by applying biochar biofertilizer with possible enrichment of biofilm biofertilizers to replace totally inorganic fertilizers contaminated with HMs. Cd levels of 836.25 and 393.75 of the two publications equate to the assumed harvest: lowest 21.22, average 385.13, and the highest 1246.10 mg Cd ha-1. Allowable standards indicate that the weekly limit of a Sri Lankan to consume rice is 300 g, containing a high concentration of 0.2618 mg Cd kg-1 and 1kg or 604 g, having 0.1339 mg Cd kg-1 for an average harvest of 4350 kg.ha-1. Water contains HM, particularly arsenic from fertilizer and pesticides. Recommended researching while implementing phytoremediation, mechanized farming, preventing UVB, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and organic agriculture with supporting technologies of watershed resource management.
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    PublicationEmbargo
    Newly Introduced Creeper Legume Vigna marina as a Solution for Protection of Road Cuts in Sri Lanka
    (Faculty of Humanities and Sciences - SLIIT, 2021-03-26) De Silva, M.H.S.C.; Yapa, P.I.; Mahatantile, W.D.K
    Acelerated soil erosion and landslides are destructive degradation consequences in the central highlands, Sri Lanka. Therefore, cost-effective and sustainable slope stabilization techniques have become an urgent need to solve the problem. Properly designed vegetation covers play a significant role in erosion control. However, average plants cannot thrive on extremely degraded soils in the affected area. Therefore, the introduction of a low-demanding legume, Vigna marina (Burm.) Merr., as a vegetation cover was tested against soil erosion. Protection of bare road-cuts against soil erosion was the main focus of the study. The growth of V. marina was tested using five treatments - i.e. control (T1), subsoil (T2), decomposing parent material (T3), 20% Pinus wood biochar+subsoil (T4), and 20% Pinus wood biochar+decomposing parent material (T5). Control treatment was established as recommended by the Department of Agriculture for a similar plant (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The highest growth was recorded in T1 followed by T4 and T5. The poorest growth was recorded in T2 and T3. Nitrogen (N) content of the soil has been significantly increased in T2, T3, T5 and T4 respectively whereas, a significant decline in soil N was recorded in T1. A significant decline in phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) content in the soil was common to all. The highest Nitrogen content of root nodules was in T5 and the lowest in T1. The largest number and the dry weight of root nodules were observed in T4 and T5 compared to the rest. The poorest nodule activity was recorded in T1. Therefore, V. marina appears to be a cost-effective sustainable slope stabilization technique for protection of road cuts.
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    PublicationEmbargo
    Effect of Three Types of Biochar in Cocopeat Medium on Shoot Cutting Production of Chrysanthemum
    (Faculty of Humanities and Sciences,SLIIT, 2021-09-25) Kathriarachchi, A. S; Wimalasiri, E. M; Ampitiyawatta, A. D; Kumara, G. D. K; Weerasinghe, W. W. B. P. B
    Biochar is a popular growing media amendment that increases fertilizer and water use efficiency, nutrient retention and crop productivity in floricultural crops. In Sri Lanka, cocopeat is used as the major growing medium for most of the floricultural crops. Therefore, the objective of this study was to incorporate biochar as a potential media amendment to improve the performances of plants through the enhancement of media properties. The performance of Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora) was tested in amended media, as Chrysanthemum shoot cuttings is one of the most important floricultural products exported from Sri Lanka. The experiment was conducted with four treatments: B1 - 80% Coir dust+ 20% paddy husk biochar (v/v); B2 - 80% Coir dust+ 20% coconut shell biochar (v/v); B3 - 80% Coir dust+ 20% pine wood biochar (v/v) and C - 100% Coir dust (control). Incorporation of biochar significantly (p < 0.05) changes pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and water holding capacity (WHC) of the growing medium. Compared to the control, the time taken by Chrysanthemum shoots to reach standard size and quality did not show a significant (p > 0.05) difference in B1 while B2 and B3 showed significant (p < 0.05) differences. The number of shoots produced per plant three weeks after the first pinching and the post-harvest life and rooting performance was not significantly (p > 0.05) different among treatments. The incorporation of biochar into the coir dust growing medium for Chrysanthemum showed promising results which need to be assessed using other substrates and different mixing ratios.