bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Fungicide Sensitivity of the Two Fungal Species: Rigidoporus microporus and Phellinus noxius: the Causal Organisms of the Two Major Root Diseases of Rubber in Sri Lanka
Authors: Silva M.K.R.  , Fernando T.H.P.S.  , Wijesundara R.L.C.  , Nanayakkara C.M.
Published: June 2022

White root disease caused by Rigidoporus microporus and the brown root disease, caused by Phellinus noxius are the two major root diseases of Sri Lankan rubber cultivations. In order to be used in a used in a collective approach towards both diseases, a comparison of the fungicide sensitivity of the two pathogens was intended in the study. In vitro screening of two potential fungicides namely: tebuconazole and hexaconazole was carried out using the poisoned food technique. One isolate from each pathogen was selected to have the highest pathogenicity level among the respective isolate collections. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with four replicates in each treatment. A series of concentrations: 0.1,5,10,25,50 and 100 ppm, was used to identify the sensitivity levels of the respective fungicide towards the two pathogen species and sterilized distilled water was substituted for the fungicide in the control sets. After an incubation period of 4 days at room temperature, the percentage inhibition of the respective fungus over the control was observed in each culture plate. On tebuconazole, P. noxius showed no growth at any of the tested concentrations. However, R. microporus, exhibited a mycelial growth up to the 10 ppm concentration. Though no growth was observed at the concentration of 25 ppm, R. microporus could resume its growth when the fungal disk was transferred back to the growth medium. However, when exposed to concentrations 50 ppm or above, the fungus could not resume its growth in fungicide free medium. With hexaconazole, too, P. noxius showed no growth at any of the tested concentrations, while R. microporus grew up to the 10 ppm concentration. Though R. microporus exhibited no mycelial growth on the culture plate at the concentration of 25 ppm, a slight growth of the fungus was observed on inoculated discs after the incubation period. However, even at the 100 ppm concentration, R. microporus could resume its growth when transferred back onto fungicide free MEA. Therefore, it can be concluded that, when the two particular fungal isolates are considered, P. noxius shows high sensitivity than R. microporus towards the both tested fungicides.

 Keywords: Rigidoporus microporus, Phellinus noxius, Fungicide sensitivity, Poisoned food technique
Effect of Linear Infrastructure on Protected Areas: A Study Relating to the Giritale Nature Reserve and Angamedilla National Park, Sri Lanka
Authors: Dissanayake D.M.T.S.  , Prematilaka P.H.K.L.A.  , Perera W.P.T.A.  , Jegathesan A.V.  , Wijesinghe M.R.
Published: June 2022

Rapid urbanization in the dry zone of Sri Lanka has resulted in considerable losses in its original forest cover. Urban expansion, which typically includes expansion of human settlements and commercial establishments, and the construction of linear infrastructural facilities (roads, railways, and transmission lines) have led to many adverse impacts on natural landscapes. Linear infrastructure would be particularly detrimental when natural habitats are fragmented. Here we report on the changes in green cover along a stretch of the Elahera-Giritale B112 road where reconstruction took place during 2017-2019. The road traverses through the Giritale Nature Reserve block II and Angamedilla National Park, in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The study area covered a 3.8 km section of the road, 80% of which runs through the protected areas, and a 1 km buffer on either side of this road. We monitored changes in forest cover over the two decades i.e., from 2000 to 2020, using differences in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), calculated based on the images in Landsat 5,7 and 8 thematic mapper using the ArcGIS platform. The accuracy of the classified habitats was verified using Google Earth images and ground-truthing. Accordingly, non[1]vegetated areas and four types of vegetated areas were identified. The range of NDVI recorded were non-vegetated (0.14-0.39), grasslands (0.39-0.41), shrublands (0.41-0.48), open forests (0.48-0.54) and dense forests (0.54-0.74). The study revealed that there were considerable losses in the forest cover over the 20 years. The non-vegetated habitats within the buffer zone of 200 m on either side of the road accounted for 8.6% of the total non-vegetated areas in the year 2000 whereas this had increased to 15.4% in the year 2020. Similarly, losses were noted for dense and open forests. Scrublands, grasslands, and built-up areas on the other hand have increased, replacing the forest habitats. The findings highlight the need to monitor forest cover losses arising from such linear infrastructure facilities, particularly when they are within or adjacent to protected habitats, and for remedial measures to be taken to strengthen the protection of these vital ecosystems.

 Keywords: Forest cover, Fragmentation, NDVI, Roads
Prediction of Diameter and Height of Rubber from Tree Age
Authors: Fernando P.D.H.  , Subasinghe S.M.C.U.P.  , Lokupitiya R.S.
Published: June 2022

Hevea brasiliensis (rubber) is one of the main economic crops in Sri Lanka which is cultivated primarily for latex production. Rubber tree is also a valuable source of fuel and timber used in wood[1]based industries such as medium density fiberboard manufacturing. Due to high economic value of rubber latex and wood, it is important for the plantation managers to have a reliable mechanism to monitor the growth of those trees in the plantations. Therefore, this study aimed at building mathematical models to predict the tree diameter at breast height (dbh) and total height of rubber with the tree age from the plantation establishment to the uprooting stage. Data collection was done at Halpe and Salawa rubber estates located in the low country wet zone. Dbh and total height measurements were collected from six age classes from 4 to 31 years, at each estate. Twenty trees were measured from each age class totaling to 240 tree measurements. After observing the distribution of both dbh and total height with tree age, two forms of non-linear models, viz., Michaelis-Menten and power-law, were selected for model construction. First, data collected from Halpe and Salawa estates were separately fitted to the selected two model forms and residuals were statistically compared. Since there were no significant differences of the residual values in the two sites for both dbh and height, the data were pooled and re-fitted to the selected models. The quality of the models were determined using both qualitative tests by standard residual distribution and quantitative tests by coefficient of determination, average model bias, mean absolute difference and modelling efficiency. Validation of the finally selected models was done using data reserved at the beginning which were not used for model construction. Finally, Michaelis-Menten models for dbh and height prediction of rubber were selected based on its higher performance than the power-law model.

Keywords:Hevea brasiliensis, Michaelis-Menten, Allometric model, Modelling efficiency, Residuals

Acknowledgement: Authors acknowledge the assistance of Pussellawa Plantations Limited
Discomfort Behaviour and Hair Coat Density of Muurah × Nili-Ravi Cross-bred Buffaloes as Affected by Louse (Haematopinus tuberculatus) Treated with Acaricides
Authors: Senaratna D.  , Wijethilake K.W.M.A.U.  , Atapattu N.S.B.M.
Published: June 2022

Buffalo farming is an important component of Sri Lankan dairy industry. Ecto-parasites live on the surface of epidermis cause irritation and associated discomfort behaviours leading to energy loss and finally affect to reduce the performance of buffaloes. Objective of the study was to investigate the significance of Louse (Haematopinus tuberculatus) infestation on discomfort behavior and hair coat density of Muurah × Nili-Ravi cross-bred buffaloes reared under semi-intensive farming in Kamburupitiya area in Southern Province in Sri Lanka. Lactating female buffaloes (n=5) represented from parity 1 to 5 were purposively selected to the study. Lice count (LC) and lice egg count (LEC) per unit body area and the hair coat density (HCD) were measured periodically at 5,10,15,20 and 25 days after application of acaricides. Six random samples were taken. Direct focal observations were made to understand the discomfort behaviors (scratching, rubbing, licking, tail wagging and ear wagging) using an ethogram. Variation of LC after treatment was tested using repeated measure ANOVA. Main effects and interaction effects were tested. Correlations between LC and LEC with the HCD were tested. A strong positive correlation (r=0.909) was observed between LEC and the HCD whereas a weak positive correlation (r=0.439) was observed between LC and the HCD. With the prolongation of treatment time, the LC was increased and from day 15 to 25 it was significantly (p<0.05) increased. With the age advancement, the HCD was decreased. All the discomfort behaviors were significantly (p<0.05) increased with the prolongation of days after acaricide treatments. It is concluded that irrespective of the age, with the increased duration after applying acaricide treatment, lice infestation also simultaneously increased causing discomfort to the animals. Application of acaricides again at 15 days is recommended to control lice and to free the buffaloes from discomfort.

Keywords: Acaricides, Buffalo, Discomfort behaviors, Hair coat density, Lice infestation
The Relationship between Socio-economic Characteristics of Urban Inhabitants and the Quantity of Domestic Waste Generation in Mattakkuliya Grama Niladhari Division, Colombo
Authors: Fathima M.N.
Published: June 2022

The unwanted objects and unusable substances are referred as waste. These are classified as agricultural waste (AW), commercial waste (CW), domestic waste (DW), and industrial waste (IW) based on their source of generation. DW is generated during the household activities like cleaning, cooking, etc. The exodus of DW is comparatively very high in urban areas than in rural. Also, there is a close relationship between the quantity of DW and the socio-economic characterizes of urban inhabitants. The objectives of this study are identifying the generating factors of DW and to explore the relationship between socio-economic characteristics of urban inhabitants and the quantity of domestic waste. To achieve the objective of the study, 150 houses in Mattakkuliya were randomly selected. Providing questionnaire, unstructured interview, and observation were the primary data collection method. Secondary data such as research papers, statistical reports, and the Internet were used for further data. Based on the study, about 3.5-16 kg of DW is produced daily from each household in the study area. Meanwhile, the daily per capita waste production is found to be 0.5-5 kg. Of these, food scraps (45%), paper (20%), glass (5%), plastic bags (18%) and others (12%) were the most important. Results indicated a linear relationship between socio-economic characteristics and the quantity of DW in the study area. Thus, direct and indirect socio-economic characteristics such as family size, income, average age of the family members, sex, occupation, literacy and marital status were the explored by the study.
Keywords: Domestic waste, Socio-economic, Urban inhabitants
Solvent-Free Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Volatile Organic Compounds from Ananas comosus (Pineapple) Waste and Possible Skincare Products Development
Authors: Siriwardane S.M.D.S.H.  , Dasanayaka P.N.  , Dassanayake R.S.  , Samarasekara J.K.R.R.  , Liyanaarachchi G.D.3  , Perera H.D.S.M.
Published: June 2022

Solvent-Free Microwave-Assisted Extraction (SFME) is a green analytical technique that uses no organic solvent in the extraction process. A significant amount of fruit waste such as seeds, rinds and peels are discarded daily by food processing operations, causing many environmental concerns. As an alternative approach to fruit-specific waste minimization, including pineapple waste, those fruit waste can be used to recover potentially valuable Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to utilize as value-added products. This study aims to extract VOCs from different parts of matured pineapple fruit waste, including core and peel, for skincare products development. This process uses SFME to extract VOCs from pineapple waste. Extractions were performed at three different experimental conditions by varying microwave power and extraction time of 300 W for 15 min, 500 W for 10 min, and 700 W for 5 min, respectively. The highest yield of 47.20% was obtained for the extraction performed with 500 W power and 10 min extraction time. Volatile Organic Compounds extracted by SFME were identified and characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Major VOCs extracted from the pineapple waste include Heptadecane, γ-dodecalactone, Hexadecane, γ-decalactone and Decanal. However, the highest VOCs were found in the pineapple core over the peel. Extracted VOCs were used to formulate a moisturizing cream and tested for its organoleptic properties, pH and spreadability. Result suggests favourable organoleptic properties such as white to off-white, non-greasy and no phase separation. The formulated moisturizing cream was able to retain the pH of 6.32±0.01 at the temperature of 27±2 ℃, and the spreadability of 4.76±0.11. Findings of the study reveal that SFME extracted VOCs of pineapple waste show promising potential in natural skincare products development.

Keywords: Pineapple waste, Volatile Organic Compounds, Solvent-free Microwave-Assisted Extraction, GC-MS, Moisturizing cream
Assessment of Mangrove Restoration Potential in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka for Climate Change Mitigation
Authors: Mahawaththa M.W.I.C.  , Vidanage S.P.  , Premakantha K.T.
Published: June 2022

Over the geological time, the planet's climate has been changing constantly, with large variations in global average temperatures. Millions of people are already suffering as a result of natural disasters worsened by climate change. The Paris Agreement is an international climate change treaty, and countries will present their climate action plans, referred to as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In response to the Paris Agreement, Sri Lanka presented NDCs in 2016. In which the coastal and marine sector has a restoration target of 10,000 ha of mangroves as a coastal greenbelt with mitigation co-benefits. However, identification of potential lands for such restoration of mangroves has not been done. Therefore, identification of potential areas for mangrove restoration is most important because mangroves cannot be restored where they were not previously existed. The main objective of this research therefore was to identify potential areas for mangrove restoration within the North-Western Province. Identification of potential lands in North-Western Province were done by using Google Earth Pro and ArcGIS 10.2.2. Most important physicochemical parameters such as salinity, pH, soil organic matter content, soil water holding capacity were analyzed under laboratory conditions, samples were obtained by different sites of mangrove habitats. Soil salinity, pH were measured by using calibrated multiparameter. The loss of ignition method for soil organic matter content and a customized method for soil water holding capacity were used. All parameters were subjected to two-way ANOVA in MINITAB 14 after following Anderson Darling Normality test. The mean of soil salinity, pH, soil organic matter content, and soil water holding capacity were ranged respectively; 4.26% to 5.93%, 6.07 to 8.62, 3.40% to 9.31%, and 30.39% to 46.38%. The potential lands for restoring mangroves in North-Western Province were identified in Chilaw, Kalpitiya, Mundel, Panirendawa, Puttalam, Vanathawilluwa and Vennappuwa Divisional Secretariant Divisions. Among them, availability for historical images in Google Earth Pro there were specially chosen areas to restore the mangroves. There is no any significant difference of physicochemical parameters among mangrove habitats and an abandoned shrimp farm where there were previously mangrove plants existed. Hence, abandoned shrimp farms and salterns can be used to restore the mangrove plants and the assisted natural regeneration of mangroves in suitable abandoned shrimp farms by way of facilitating hydrology to be explored as the best option for mangrove restoration.

Keywords: Mangrove restoration, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Assisted natural regeneration, Areas suitable for mangrove restoration
Climate Change Mitigation by Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Office Operations of a Global Logistics Company
Authors: Kariyawasam V.M.  , Witharana A.  , Pallewatta N.
Published: June 2022

Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects all continents. Climate change has become the most discussed topic in the last decade, owing to the increasing probability of extreme events occurring. Mitigation of climate change focuses on avoiding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. The industrial sector significantly contributes to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are one of the primary causes of climate change. Calculating a company’s carbon footprint (CF) is an important step toward reducing quantifiable emissions because it indicates the contribution of each activity to GHG emissions. The objectives of this study were to identify the major contributors to organizational GHG emissions and provide possible solutions for emission reduction. This research examines the organizational CF of a logistics company for a year, from April 2020 to March 2021. That global company, which has more than 2,900 employees in 32 countries and provides freighting, warehousing, and other solutions to the community, contributes to GHG emissions through freight transport and office operations. Office operations were considered here, and operational boundaries were established within offices in fourteen countries. GHG Protocol was chosen as the methodology for quantifying the organization’s CF. GHG emitting activities were identified and classified into three categories under the GHG protocol. Secondary data was collected from the company database called Sustainable Management System for the calculation, and invoices and bills were checked to ensure data accuracy. To extract emission factors, publications from the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority website, the Institute of Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) list of grid emission factors, and the World Bank Open Database were consulted. The annual carbon footprint was 3,710 tCO2e. The highest emission value resulted from indirect emissions associated with purchased electricity, which is 2,180 tCO2e and accounts for 58.8% of the company’s annual carbon footprint. The proportions of direct and other indirect emissions were reported to be 14.4%and 26.8%, respectively. Per capita consumption for the company was 2.18 tCO2e. The highest per capita consumption was reported from the stations in Sri Lanka which was 4.57 tCO2e. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, measures such as implementing solar energy systems and setting emission reduction targets are proposed as the major suggestions. This study is a part of the initiatives undertaken by the company to reduce its GHG emissions.

Keywords: Carbon footprint, Climate change, Mitigation, GHG emissions
Removal of Rhodamine B and Malachite Green from Aqueous Solutions using Cinnamon Wood Biochar
Authors: Abeyrathna W.A.H.T.  , Cooray A.T.  , Walpita J.
Published: June 2022

The dye and pigment industry have become a well-established industry now because color has been very close to man since ancient times. Color is being widely used to showcase the quality life. Recent reports estimate that greater than 0.7 million tons of dyes are manufactured annually all around the world. After the dyeing process, dye effluents are released into the environment from industries without proper treatment, and the amount is estimated to 1 to 1.5×105tons per year. Due to stability and complex structure, most of the dyes are resistant to degradation and they are highly toxic. It is required to remediate dye contaminated water effluents to protect natural water resources and ensure the well-being of the living organisms. In this study, an effort has been taken to develop biochar from low-cost precursor, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) wood and its ability to remove model dyes rhodamine B (RDB) and malachite green (MG) were investigated. Prepared biochar was characterized by Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify the surface functional groups. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the amorphous structure of cinnamon wood biochar (CWBC). Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the optimum conditions such as adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, and initial dye concentration. The best conditions for the maximum adsorption for the RDB dye was achieved in less than 15 minutes, using 0.20 g adsorbent dose in 100.00 ml dye solution at pH 3.09. The MG dye was adsorbed to CWBC effectively within 60 minutes, 0.01 g of adsorbent dosage in 100.00 ml dye solution at the pH 6.75. The maximum adsorption capacity for the RDB removal was obtained as 2.01 mgg-1and that was 403.06 mgg-1for the MG removal. Langmuir model explained the dye adsorption behavior and also it suggested that, adsorption mechanism was favorable in MG adsorption. Freundlich isotherm fitted best to explain the adsorption of RDB. Thus, the results confirm the feasibility of CWBC to be used as an efficient adsorbent in the removal of RDB and MG from aqueous solutions.

Keywords: Rhodamine B, Malachite green, Cinnamon wood biochar, Adsorption, Dye removal
Assessment of the Factors Influencing the Green Professionals of Construction Industry in Purchasing Green Products in Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera A.L.W.M.  , Wijerathna S.D.S.A.  , Layanga A.G.P.  , Rajapakshe P.S.K.
Published: June 2022

The construction industry is a major industry in Sri Lanka that consumes a large amount of material and energy. The production of construction materials results in many environmental issues such as natural resource depletion, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and so on. Therefore, construction industry professionals should realize the importance of environmentally friendly construction materials. In the process of manufacturing construction materials, it is vital to maintain environmental, social, and economic sustainability. With that background, this study was aimed to assess the factors influencing the green professionals of the construction industry in purchasing green products in Sri Lanka. A purposive sampling technique was used to select green professionals of Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) and primary data was gathered using a close-ended questionnaire. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze 200 valid responses where interest in purchasing green products as the dependent variable and education and awareness, the difference compared to conventional products, sustainability, transparency, and price as independent variables. According to the survey, the majority of professionals (65.5%) represented the private sector whereas the minority of professionals (4%) represented the non-governmental sector. Further, 98.5% of green professionals in GBCSL were interested in purchasing green products. Logistic regression analysis revealed that sustainability (p>0.000), transparency (p>0.049), and price (p>0.022) are significantly affecting the green professionals of the construction industry in purchasing green products. Moreover, education and awareness, and the difference compared to conventional products were not significant determinants among green professionals over purchasing of green products. In conclusion, sustainability, transparency, and price are influencing the personal perspective of green professionals to purchase green production materials in Sri Lanka. Hence, thisstudy recommends that construction material manufacturers should ensure the product’s environmental friendliness, accurate information and affordability and accurate information in order to ensure the long-term sustainability.

Keywords: Construction industry, Green products, Green professionals, Environmental issues, Sustainability
Fabrication of Eco-friendly Lithium Titanium Phosphate/Lithium Polysulfide/Graphite Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Piyatilaka P.H.R.D.  , Jayaweera P.M.  , Palliyaguru L.
Published: June 2022

The average global temperature has not changed by more than 1° C over 10,000 years. It is predicted that the global temperature will rise by 3° C by the year 2100, unless action is taken to limit temperature increment to 1.5° C. Since the beginning of the century, the field of lithium-ion battery development has skyrocketed. Li-ion batteries have become the primary electrical energy storage device for portable electronic devices in today's world. This study aims to innovate high-performance, less toxic, low-cost rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with lithium titanium phosphate as anode material, graphite as cathode material and lithium polysulfide as electrolyte under standard laboratory conditions. Cell performance was analyzed by observing the charge and discharge curves. In this research work, the charge-discharge performance was analyzed using LabJack U3-HV with LabJack software. The cell voltage was recorded with time, and using a fixed resistor, current flow was calculated. The cell showed initial voltage of 1.3 V and 10 mA in the first charge curve, the initial voltage was increased to 3.2 V in the second charge curve, and the current has decreased to 5.1 mA. During the discharging process, fast discharging was observed from 2.2 V to 0.2 V, giving current from 3.1 mA to 0.3 mA across 657 Ω. In the charging curve, small voltage plateaus can be seen around 1.5-2.0 V. It was observed that the voltage of charging cycles increases due to the increasement of the cell's internal resistance with time. When increasing the charging voltage across the cell, the current passing through the circuit was decreased by proving Ohm’s law and discharge curves demonstrated fast discharge within 60 minutes.

Keywords: Li-ion, Lithium titanium phosphate, Charge curve, Discharge curve
Solvent-Free Green Synthesis of Cu0.5Ti2(PO4)3 and Cu0.5TiO(PO4) NASICON-Type Compounds from Ilmenite Mineral Sand
Authors: Perera S.A.L.  , Palliyaguru L.  , Jayaweera P.M.
Published: June 2022

Ilmenite is a naturally available black or steel-gray color mineral, called titanium iron oxide, FeTiO3.This valuable mineral comprises a significant amount of titanium that can be utilized as a titanium source to synthesize various materials. This study focused on synthesizing copper titanium phosphate compounds via an eco-friendly solid-state reaction route. α-titanium bismonohydrogen orthophosphate monohydrate (α-Ti(HPO4)2.H2O/α-TiP), derived from beach sand ilmenite used as the starting material for the synthesis. α-TiP was obtained by digesting ilmenite with 85 wt% phosphoric acid under reflux conditions. The XRD pattern of the obtained white powder confirmed the formation of α-TiP. The synthesized α-TiP and copper (Ⅱ) acetate were ground with different molar ratios (1:2, 1:1, and 2:1) until it forms a fine powder following a solvent-free solid grinding method. These powder mixtures were calcined at 800 °C for 4 hours utilizing a muffle furnace. The obtained solid solutions developed green and two different shades of yellow color. The samples werecharacterized by XRD, Thermogravimetry (DSC/TGA) techniques, and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD results revealed the formation of solid solutions containing copper titanium phosphate (Cu0.5Ti2(PO4)3) at 1:1 and 2:1 molar ratios of α-TiP to copper (Ⅱ) acetate while the products obtained at 1:2 and 1:1 molar ratios confirmed the formation of copper titanium oxyphosphate (Cu0.5TiOPO4). Moreover, TGA results confirm the development of these mixed metal phosphates which can be further analyzed for applications in the ceramic industry. Therefore, calcination of the reaction mixtures by changing the molar ratios produced different colored stable compounds that can potentially be used as ceramic pigments, coatings, and electrode materials.

Keywords: Copper titanium phosphate, α-titanium bismonohydrogen orthophosphate monohydrate, Solid-state reaction route
Awareness, Practice and Perception of General Public using Native Plants for Landscaping: A Case Study from Diyatha Flower Market
Authors: Wijetunga A.D.M.A.K.  , Yakandawala K.  , Ranasinghe L.M.M.  , Udayanga N.W.B.A.L.
Published: June 2022

A native plant is a species indigenous to a given region or ecosystem hence occurring naturally in a given area. The contribution attired by native plants ranges from conservational purposes to aesthetics. At present, landscaping using native plants is a major constituent in sustainable industries, which is highly popular owing to its capability to improve the ecological significance of the environment. Even though Sri Lanka has a vast pool of native plants, the tendency towards purchasing and using native plants are relatively low. Since the lack of knowledge and the small market create a divergence, exotics are used and maintained unknowingly at the residential level. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the consumers’ knowledge, attitude, and practices on using native plants at Diyatha Flower Market of Sri Lanka. A pre-tested interviewer administrated questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information, knowledge, attitudes and practices of respondents (n=147) on the usage of native plants in landscaping. Five points Likert scale was used to rank the attributes and the association between purchasing native plants and demographic factors, knowledge, attitude, the practice of the respondents was measured by Pearson chi square test. According to the results, purchasing native plants for landscaping was influenced by several factors; occupation (p=0.034), practising of landscaping (p=0.003), attitudes (p=0.049) and the respondents’ knowledge (p=0.008) on native plants. Gender, age and educational level did not significantly correlate to purchasing behaviour, while limited diversity (61.9%), lack of knowledge (51.7%), and unavailability of native plants in the market (29.9%) were reported as the major causes for not purchasing native plants. Only 3.4% indicated insect attraction as a reason for purchasing native plants, implying the lack of interest in wildlife gardening/pollinator conservation concepts in Sri Lanka. A notably higher percentage of respondents had a moderate level of knowledge (49.6%) on natives. However, 42% of respondents denote low preference of using natives at the home garden level through majority of participants showed a highly favorable level of attitudes (91.1%) towards natives. This proved that people support native plants in general but lack of using the native species at the residential level. Hence, enhancing the knowledge and attitude of using native plants among the general public and encouraging research and extension work to popularize native species for landscaping is recommended.

Keywords: Diyatha flower market, Landscaping, Knowledge, Native plants, Public perception
Retail Trends and Urban Regeneration in Jaffna Peninsula
Authors: Sivajothy K.  , De Silva D.A.M.
Published: June 2022

Department of Agribusiness Management, Sabaragamuwa University, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka
An Empirical Analysis of Export Market Competitiveness of Spice Sector in Sri Lanka
Authors: Gunaratne M.D.N.  , Joseph R.
Published: June 2022

Ceylon spices had been popular in the world as far as the 15th century. The product range of the spice sector comprise of cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, mace and vanilla. The spice crop production continues to be largely confined to mix home gardens agroforestry systems in Sri Lanka particularly for pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom. But 70% of the cinnamon is grown as a pure crop in small holdings. Sri Lanka is a lower middle-income country with a small economy of around US$ 80.7 billion (nominal) gross domestic production (GDP) in 2020 and the value of spice exports was equivalent to 3.3 % of total merchandise exports. The trend of both spice sector export value and the contribution to the total exports are increasing over time. The objective of this study is to empirically analyze the market competitiveness of spice sector of Sri Lanka in international trade. Export statistics of spices over the period between 2001 and 2020 was used for the analysis of export performances in terms in terms of Country Share, Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) and Herfindahl Index (HHI). According to the export statistics, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zelanicum) exports show a steady increasing trend over time. Both pepper and cardamom show a zigzag variation in exports. The country’s export shares in the world export (in value term) are 21% in cinnamon, 1% pepper, 4% cloves, 1% in nutmeg, mace and cardamoms, 0.02% vanilla, and ginger and others 0.2%. The essential oil (mainly extracted from spices) contributes 0.86%. However, Sri Lanka is gradually losing its ground in spice sector except in essential oil. The RSCA was calculated, and Ceylon cinnamon shows the highest value of 0.995. The RSCA of clove, pepper, nutmeg- mace and cardamom are 0.979, 0.928 and 0.923 respectively. According to RSCA, theses spices are the foremost commodities enjoying a comparative advantage in Sri Lanka with RSCA value greater than 0. The HHI values of spices have reached the level of 0.25 indicating decreasing competition and the market is getting high concentration by countries like China, Vietnam, and India. This study shows although there is an increasing trend of the Ceylon Spice exports over time, but it is not enough to meet the rapid increase of demand of spice exports in the world market and the market is getting more concentrated by other players over time in international trade.

Keywords: Spices, Exports, Competitiveness, Market concentration
Az AVOBMAT (Analysis and Visualization of Bibliographic Metadata and Texts) többnyelvű kutatási eszköz bemutatása
Authors: Péter Róbert , Szántó Zsolt , Bilicki Vilmos , Berend Gábor
Published: June 2022

E dolgozat célja, hogy bemutassa az AVOBMAT (Analysis and Visualization of Bibliographic Metadata and Texts) többnyelvű kutatási eszköz működéséhez kapcsolódó munkafolyamatot és a különböző elemzőfunkciókat. A webes alkalmazás segítségével nagy mennyiségű metaadatot és szöveget lehet feldolgozni és kritikusan elemezni adatvezérelt, mesterséges intelligenciával és természetesnyelvfeldolgozásos technológiákkal támogatott módszerekkel és eszközökkel. Az AVOBMAT szöveg- és adatbányászati eszköz újdonságai a következők: (i) számos nyelven képes előfeldolgozni, (szemantikusan) gazdagítani és elemezni metaadatokat és szövegeket; (ii) a beépített funkciók lehetőséget biztosítanak a szoros és távoli olvasásra egyaránt; (iii) egy felhasználóbarát, interaktív grafikus felületen integrál metaadat és szövegelemzéssel kapcsolatos kutatási eszközöket. A platformfüggetlen alkalmazás elsősorban olyan felhasználók számára lett kifejlesztve, akik nem rendelkeznek programozási ismeretekkel. Az egyszerűen használható felület interaktív paraméterbeállítást és vezérlést biztosít a normalizálást is támogató előfeldolgozástól az analitikai szakaszokig. A felhasználók interaktív módon kísérletezhetnek az elemzések különböző beállításaival a munkafolyamat során. Ezáltal az AVOBMAT segít felismerni a számítógépes szöveg- és adatelemzés episztemológiai kihívásait, korlátait és erősségeit, valamint kritikus módon értelmezni az alkalmazott módszereket és eredményeket.
Psychological and pedagogical aspects of management in the education system of the penal system
Authors: Sakhautdinov Timur Ramazanovich
Published: June 2022

The article deals with topical issues of the development of psychological and pedagogical support for teaching staff in educational institutions of the penal system. It seems to be an urgent and promising direction to create the necessary situations for the professional education of persons serving sentences in the form of imprisonment, to improve educational work with convicts, to preserve and strengthen the working personnel of the penitentiary system. In accordance with the requirements of the Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation dated 03/24/2020 No. 59 "On approval of the Procedure for the organization of vocational education and secondary vocational education of persons who are sentenced to imprisonment and serving sentences in institutions of the penitentiary system of the Russian Federation", the necessity of obtaining vocational education and secondary vocational education by convicts is justified. Vocational education has a huge creative potential, and ..
SCIENTIFIC SPHERE OF THE SOUTHERN REGION AS A REFLECTION OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATE OF UKRAINE
Authors: GEYKO L.M. , KVACH Y.P. , SEDIKOVA I.O. , LABUNSKA O.B.
Published: June 2022

Topicality. Science is an extremely powerful socio-economic institution, without which industrial production is impossible. Science is closely intertwined with financial flows and due to their volume. But its current state and the state of financial support of scientific research in Ukraine, and including its Southern region, is very problematic. The study proved that this is the main obstacle to the development of science and raising its prestige
Economic growth and meeting the needs of society depend on the state and pace of development of science. Only by achieving a high level of science and scientific and technological development will Ukraine be able to take a worthy place in the international arena. Only a deep comprehensive analysis of the state of scientific and technical activities in the country and its regions allows to identify problems that have arisen in the field of science, and to justify ways to overcome them.
Aim and tasks. The aim of the article is to determine the place of science in the public life of the country and study its state in the Southern region of Ukraine, as well as to substantiate ways to increase the prestige of science in Ukraine and bring Ukrainian science to the European level.
Research results. To determine the ways to bring the science of the Southern region from the existing complex state, the diagnosis of scientific research in terms of their types and regions of the region in the dynamics of five years. The process of introduction and replication of innovative developments is investigated. Statistical analysis of the development of science is supplemented by sociological research. A study of the authority of Ukrainian science in the world. Indicators of countries where science takes good care of the state and feels comfortable are considered. Substantiated conclusions are made and ways to overcome the critical state of the scientific sphere in the Southern region and Ukraine as a whole are identified.
Conclusions. Science, as the engine of the socio-economic movement in Ukraine, must become a national value. This requires reforms and intensification of the work of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which may bring the time closer when the decline of scientific research will stop; a break in understanding the role of science in society, when it will not be treated in a way that can be left unsupported for years; changing the status of the renewed National Academy of Sciences, giving it the right of legislative initiative and the official return of the leading role in the scientific and technological revolution while preserving academic freedoms, self-government and democracy in work. Without a state that will lend a shoulder to scientists to successfully deal with all the internal problems of our science, especially its unclaimed, there is no chance to change the existing situation.
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESS OF THE ELEVATOR FOR IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY GRAIN INDICATORS
Authors:   State Biotechnology University, Tymchuk C. , Kundenko P. , Vakhonina L. , Mardziavko V. ,   Mykolayiv National Agrarian University
Published: June 2022

The article analyzes the system of automated process control at the elevator to determine promising areas for improving the quality of grain. The structural scheme of control and the algorithm of laying the transport route of grain according to the specified coordinates on the basis of SCADA-system are investigated. One of the directions of increase and improvement of technological process on the elevator is defined, which consists in improvement of control algorithms in the direction of optimization of technological processes of the elevator on many criteria (minimum of energy consumption, minimum of grain fighting, minimum of transport time), product performance. Key words: transport-technological line, SCADA system, quality of grain products,optimization criteria, elevator.
Marketing studies of grain market conjuncture (the niche crops)
Authors:   Vinnytsia Institute of Trade and Economics of Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics, Ratushna Y.
Published: June 2022

Results of modern marketing studies of grain market conjuncture, in particular niche crops in Ukraine, have been analyzed in the article. It has been found that grain market has undeniable advantages over other forms of organizing economic relationships. The prospects of growing niche crops have been described and the existing situation at grain market and the grain crops conjuncture have been outlined. The segmentation of crop market operators in relation to the production of niche crops has been analyzed. Key words: grain, niche crops, conjuncture, market, marketing, price, distribution, distribution prospects, infrastructure.
Application of nanofiltration for regulation of properties of secondary products of processing of animal raw materials
Authors:   Odesa National Academy of Food Technologies, Bondar S. , Trubnikova A. , Chabanova O. , Sharachmatova T. , Nedobiichuk T.
Published: June 2022

This article focuses on the study of the membrane concentration process using buttermilk ultrafiltration nanofiltration membranes. Two types of Vladipor OPMN nanofiltration membranes are being investigated in order to identify the main filtration dependencies. For each type, a pressure in the range of 0.5 to 2.0 MPa and a temperature of 20 to 40 ° C are applied. The results indicate that both types of membranes effectively retain lactose at a pressure of 2.0 MPa, a temperature of 40 ° C and a concentration factor. about 2. Varying the flow velocity above the membrane from 0.5 m / s to 1.5 m / s allows obtaining an increase in specific productivity by 15% from the initial one. The influence of the effects of concentration polarization on the specific productivity of nanofiltration membranes is established. The limitation of the concentration factor due to the increase in the osmotic pressure of the solution is determined. The conclusion is made about the possibility of large-scale introduction of nanofiltration of secondary material resources of milk processing in the study of membrane regeneration processes. Key words: buttermilk, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, lactose, membrane concentration.
Discounting of Receivables in the System of Financial Management of the Enterprise
Authors:   National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Buriak Alina
Published: June 2022

Abstract. Introduction. The transformation of the financial management of the enterprise takes place not only under the influence of scientific research and progressive experience, as well as changes in current tax, currency and investment legislation. The change in financial management was influenced by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine dated September 16, 2019 № 379, which approved the need to determine the present value of long-term receivables. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to summarize the provisions of current legislation on discounting receivables and to develop of directions ofreforming the financial management of the enterprise in terms of the introduction of mandatory discounting of receivables. Results. The study of discounting receivables in the financial management system of the enterprise involves understanding the discounting of receivables as a process of reducing future cash flows to present value in the context of managing the formation, distribution and use of financial resources and optimize cash flow. The structural and logical scheme of discounting of receivables in the system of financial management of the enterprise is offered. The approaches to determining the discount rate of receivables on the basis of generalization of recommendations of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine are generalized. Recommendation letters and news reports of state financial institutions offer a choice of discount rate that provides legitimate company to vary the size of losses from cost reduction and vary the size of the tax difference in determining tax liabilities in calculating income tax in 2019-2020 is given.. Conclusions. Discounting of receivables in the financial management system of the enterprise is proposed to be considered as a holistic system, which is based on the principles of financial management and is designed to organize the interaction of objects and subjects of discounting receivables. Discounting of receivables in the financial management system of the enterprise is proposed to be considered as a set of eight stages.
Self-Organization in the System of Economic Security of China: Theory and Practices
Authors:   National Technical University of Ukraine ", Pan Li ,   Kyiv Polytechnic Institute named after Igor Sikorsky"
Published: June 2022

Abstract. Introduction. The article proposes an alternative view to the study of the economic security of the state by applying the theory of self-organization in economic fields. The research was conducted based on the judgment that the economy is not able to stay in equilibrium forever: economic agents constantly change their actions and strategies in response to the result they create together, which indicates a real manifestation of self-organization in this economic system. The theory of the selforganization states the process and ability of the components of system to organize themselves and to form a stable and dynamic interrelation without external influences. In the past, economic science mainly relied on an approach from the point of view of equilibrium at the macro level and at the micro level of Homo economicus («economic person» or «rational person»), which does not take into account the economic complexity, non-linearity and self-order, which is typical for China's economic policy. Purpose. The author of this article argues that it could be more appropriate to evaluate the economic conditions, including the economic security of the state, by applying the theory of self-organization as a new method. With the aim of supporting the assumption, author of the article provided in the texts below the analyses and studies of self-organization as a theory, the analyses of china’s economic system. Results. It have been described in the text the trend of self-organization in China’s economy, the features or parameters of one system being in self organized condition, and then it have been presented the macroeconomic statistics that may indicate the economic security condition of China, such as the economic dependence, the structure of the Gross domestic product. In this situation, author in the article provided servable practical examples that demonstrate tendency of China’s economic system being more self-organized in the recent periods. Conclusions. As have been mentioned, the article considers the possibility of self-organization approach in ensuring the security of the economy and its sustainable development. From such a point of view, it is necessary to approach the question from the side of math modeling in the subsequent researches.