Annual Research Session 2009http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/134962024-03-27T01:49:06Z2024-03-27T01:49:06ZVariation in The Quality of Irrigation Water With Increasing Distance From Sea: A Case Study in Kaluthawala Villege Of BatticaloaM, YogendranM, SugitharanS, PAthmarajahhttp://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/136232020-10-22T08:17:23Z2009-01-01T00:00:00ZVariation in The Quality of Irrigation Water With Increasing Distance From Sea: A Case Study in Kaluthawala Villege Of Batticaloa
M, Yogendran; M, Sugitharan; S, PAthmarajah
Ground water is the source for irrigation in the coastal area of Batticaloa district. Intensive crop
cultivation is occurring in some villages in the coastal areas namely, Kaluthawalai, Chettipalayam,
Kaluwanchikudi etc. and farmers have no idea about the quality of irrigation water they use.
Considering the general problems with irrigation water in the coastal area, the present investigation
was carried out with a view of assessing the irrigation water quality closer to the seashore in
Kaluthawalai village. Irrigation watersamples werecollected during July toAugust2008. Samplings
were done four times in 2 weeks interval and those were analyzed for chemical parameters. The
quality characteristics of water collected at different locations were compared and correlated with
the distance from the sea. Results showed that the pH greater than 7.0 indicating the alkaline
nature and vulnerable to irrigation. The EC values increased with the increase in distance from the
sea but not reached the permissible level. All the samples were under C3 class (EC=0.75-2.25dS/m)
according to the electrical conductivity values that indicating the moderate salinity will lead to
increasing problem during continuous irrigation with this water. The concentrations of cations in
water indicated that Ca was the dominant ion followed by Na and Mg. Total dissolved solids,
cation concentration, Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) and Ca/Mg Ratio of irrigation water in the
study area were within the tolerant limit. There is non-significant relationship was observed
between water quality parameters with the distance from the sea. Further, it is revealed that the
groundwater of the study area is likely suitable for irrigation with the management practices
against the salinity problem. However, over exploitation of ground water may lead to salt water
intrusion near coastal area of the village
2009-01-01T00:00:00ZSpecies Composition Of Mosquitoes and The Risk of Dengue Fever in The Batticaloa DistrictM, VinobabaP, VinobabaP.J, JudeS, DharshiniS.N, Surendhranhttp://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/136212020-10-22T08:12:34Z2009-01-01T00:00:00ZSpecies Composition Of Mosquitoes and The Risk of Dengue Fever in The Batticaloa District
M, Vinobaba; P, Vinobaba; P.J, Jude; S, Dharshini; S.N, Surendhran
Mosquito-borne diseases are a major public health problem in Sri Lanka causing high morbidity
and mortality. The parasitic diseases such as Malaria and Filariasis are mainly vectored by
Anopheles culicifacies Giles and Culex quinquefasciatus Say respectively. The transmission of
viral disease such as Japanese encephalitis is mediated by Culex tritaenorhynchus Giles and
Dengue and Chikungunya are transmitted by Aedes aegypti Linnaeus and Aedes albopictus
Skuse.Adramatic increase in the reported cases of Dengueand DengueHaemorrhagic Fever (DHF)
in Sri Lanka has been observed in recent years. Nearly 23,656 suspected cases with over 237
deathswerereportedduringthe32week periodof theyear2009.(Source:EpidemiologyUnit, SriLanka).
In this background, the present study was carried out from June 2008 to end of February 2009 in
Urban, Suburban and Paddy field areas in the Batticaloa districts to record the mosquito species
and to relate the risk of mosquito borne viral and protozoan diseases. Outdoor Cattle Baited Hut
(CBH) and Cattle Baited Net (CBN) collection of adult mosquitoes were made and collected adult
mosquitoes were analyzed for their species composition. Out break of Dengue was correlated
with the spatial distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in both indoor and outdoor
ovitrap collections in the Batticaloa Urban areas and the Chenkalady Suburban areas.
During the study period, five species of Anopheles sp, four Culex sp, one species of Mansonia sp
and Armigerous sp and twoAedes sp were identified. In addition, larvivorous predator mosquitoes
such as Lutzia sp (subgenus of Culex) and Toxorhynchites sp were also collected. Among these
identified mosquitoes, An.subpictus was the predominant species contributing the maximum of
33% in September in Urbanareaswhile 32%and16%in Suburban and Paddyfieldareasrespectively.
Aedes aegypti was the predominant species in the outdoor collection in Batticaloa Urban area and
in the indoor collection in Chenkalady Suburban area. Statistical analysis indicated that the
highest values for Aedes aegypti, with mean value of 157.6± 19(SE), from outdoor collection in
Batticaloa Urban areas and from indoor collection in Chenkalady Suburban areas with mean value
of191.55±22.70 (SE).
The study also revealed a correlation between the Dengue fever records and the presence of
Aedes aegypti in the Batticaloa Urban area. The vector management practices should be designed
based on the spatio-temporal relationships with vector species with active participation of the
public and health education.
2009-01-01T00:00:00ZDeveloping A Decision Support System For On - Farm Water Management In Sri LankaR, VijayakumarS, pathmarajahM, Sugirtharanhttp://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/136192020-10-22T08:06:34Z2009-01-01T00:00:00ZDeveloping A Decision Support System For On - Farm Water Management In Sri Lanka
R, Vijayakumar; S, pathmarajah; M, Sugirtharan
Scarcity of Water resource is getting more and more serious to the irrigated Agriculture and
ecological system in Sri Lanka. Improvement of irrigation water management is an important
measure to save water and increase water use efficiency (WUE). Decision making on irrigation is
one of the most complicated activities undertaken by irrigation planners, managers, marketing
agents, manufacturers, academics and farmers. Therefore, a Decision Support System (DSS) has
been developed to improve the On-Farm Water Management. This study was conducted to
develop a user-friendly DSS, using appropriate computer technologies to make available the
irrigation-related informationto Sri Lanka. This package allows retrieval facilityfor informationon
major soil types and their properties, rainfall and reference crop evapotranspiration for different
locations of SriLanka. Further, for thecalculation of cropwater requirementsandirrigationscheduling
a facility was made to link the CROPWAT programme. Also, this software package provides
recommendation on irrigationmethodsuitable for a particularlocationand crop based on infiltration
rate, hydraulic conductivity, available water capacity and irrigation water quality. In addition to
that, details on irrigation expertise and training tools are provided for academic and research
interests. It is hoped that this research has adequately demonstrated the potential value of
irrigation information. And some other necessary resources will be found for further development
of this work to benefit the wider irrigation community.
2009-01-01T00:00:00ZEffect of paddyhusk ashasa source of Potassiumon the Preformance of Cowpea (Vignaunguiculata) in Sandy RegosolUmadevi,TPriyatharshini,JSeran,T.Hhttp://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/136172023-11-06T08:37:44Z2009-01-01T00:00:00ZEffect of paddyhusk ashasa source of Potassiumon the Preformance of Cowpea (Vignaunguiculata) in Sandy Regosol
Umadevi,T; Priyatharshini,J; Seran,T.H
An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy farm, Eastern University, Sri Lanka to study the
effect of paddy husk ash as a source of potassium on the performance of cowpea ( Vigna
unguiculata) in sandy regosol. The treatments included recommended rate (75 kg/ha) of muriate
of potash (T1) and application of paddy husk ash at the rate of 1500 (T2), 2500 (T3), 3500 (T4) and
4500 (T5) kg/ha. This experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)
with five treatments and four replications in sandy regosol. Before being carried out the research
work, potassium and phosphorous contents and the pH of the soil at the experimental site and
paddy husk ash used in this experiment were analyzed. The agronomic parameters such as plant
height, number of leaves, total biomass of plant and harvest index were recorded. Potassium
content of cowpea seeds were also analyzed after harvest of pods.
The present results revealed no significant differences in plant height and number of leaves
among treatments. Significant difference was observed in total biomass among treatments.
Application of paddy husk ash at the rate of 4500 kg/ha (T5) gave the highest biomass (0.068 kg/
plant) followed by T4. Treatments showed significant difference in weight of cowpea seeds per
plant. Application of paddy husk ash at the rate of 4500 kg/ha (T5) gave the highest seed weight
per plant (0.017 kg/plant) and muriate of potash at the rate of 75 kg/ha (T1) gave second highest
weight (0.016 kg/plant). Harvest index was higher in the treatment with recommended rate of
muriate of potash (T1)(28.2%) followed by treatment with the application of paddy husk ash at the
rate of 4500 kg/ ha (T5)(24.2%). Potassium (1.46 g) content in 100 g cowpea seeds was slightly
high in the treatment with recommended rate of muriate of potash (T1)than other treatments and
in T5, potassium content was 1.44 g. After the harvest of crop, the soil pH and potassium content
of soil increased with the increasing rate of application of paddy husk ash. The soil potassium
content after harvest was high in T5 (0.193 %) followed by T4 (0.191 %) and T1 (0.191 %). In this
study, the application of paddy husk ash at the rate of 4500 kg/ ha (T5) would be more suitable for
obtaining high yield and the paddy husk ash has the positive effect on cowpea cultivation as a
source of potassium fertilizer.
2009-01-01T00:00:00Z