Research Divisions
Agronomy
Biometry
Crop Protection
Genetics & Plant Breeding
Plant Physiology
Processing Research
Soils and Plant Nutrition
Tissue Culture
Technology Transfer
Soils and Plant Nutrition Division
| Head/Principal Soil Scientist | Dr. Ananda Tennakoon, BSc(Agric), MPhil, PhD |
| Soil Scientist | Dr. (Mrs.) D M D I Wijebandara, BSc, MPhil, PhD |
| Soil Scientist | Miss M K Fathima Nadheesha, BSc (Chem), MSc. |
| Soil Scientist | Mrs H M I K Herath, BSc (Agric), MSc. |
| Soil Scientist | Mr L R M C Liyanage, BSc (Agric.) |
The mission of the Soils and Plant Nutrition Division is to develop cost effective technology for the maintenance of nutrient status of coconut palms and other associated crops by the application of inorganic and organic fertilizer, conservation of productive soils and improvement of sub-optimal soils for coconut production, and management of soil water status for sustainable productivity of coconut plantations in diverse soils and agro-ecological conditions.
Current Research Programmes in the Division
- Assessment of the effect of sodium chloride on yield of coconut
- Assessment of the effect of phosphates from different sources on the growth of coconut seedlings and yield of coconut
- Evaluation of the efficiency of rock phosphate as a fertilizer for coconut in the dry zone
- Evaluation of the effect of application of high dose of chemical fertilizer on the coconut yield and develop criteria for different recommendations
- Studies on application of kieserite with NPK for minimizing K and Mg interaction
- Studying the effect of N, K & Mg on the performance of coconut seedlings and yield of coconut
- Comparative assessment of three organic manures, green manure against APM
- Amelioration of Boralu and Sudu series soils by adding organic manure for improvement of the soil
- Design a suitable drip irrigation system for coconut in Andigama soils
- Evaluating the effect of fertigation in coconut
- Quantification of nutrient removal by coconut palm
- Evaluating the nutrient status in coconut growing soils (Nutrient map)
- Assessing the impact of organic manure on leaf scorch decline and rapid decline palms
- Study the dissolution of dolomite in high pH soils
- Effect of different phosphate sources on the performance of coconut seedlings in Southern soils
Services of the Division
- Differential Fertilizer Recommendation for coconut
Fertilizer recommendation are made on the basis of nutrient status of the palms diagnosed by leaf nutrient concentration of the 14 th frond.
- Land suitability test for coconut cultivation
- Quality reports for export coir pith products
- Leaf/soil analysis reports
- Fertilizer/water analysis reports
- Fertilizer package based on nutritional status of available organic manure sources for coconut