No abstract

The present study was aimed at stimulating the growth and yield of Sri Lankan tea cultivar TRI 2025 grown in different climatic regions in the country. The model was developed and calibrated using weather, crop and soil data collected from different climatic zones. The model is designed to simulate shoot replacement cycle, leaf area of a shoot, shoot growth, dry matter partitioning and tea shoot yield. The model was validated using shoot development and growth data not used for model calibration. These validation data were collected from low, mid and high elevations representing temperature and rainfall gradients in the country. Model calibration showed that thermal time required to initiate the fish leaf, 1st, 2nd and 3rd normal leaf in a tea shoot from the time of natural senescence of the scale leaves were 129, 188, 235, 296 °C days, respectively, and a tea shoot reached the harvestable stage after 393 °C days. The model simulated leaf area (cm2) and fresh weight (g/m2) of tea shoots at different developmental stages and locations which were in good agreement with the measured values at the validation stage (R2 > 0.92 and 0.98, respectively). Similarly, simulated shoot yields (g/m2/month) at the validation stage were strongly correlated with the measured values (n = 12, R2 > 0.58, RMSE = 5–17 g/m2/month). Thus, the model can be used to estimate the shoot yield of tea cultivar TRI 2025 grown in different climatic conditions in Sri Lanka. Areas requiring further improvements to the model are also discussed.

This study focused on investigation of role of wild collected underutilised crops (UC) in rural food and income security with special concern to the availability of those crops at respective village markets. It analysed the availability of wild collected products in the selling stocks of traditional sellers in respective village markets. Wellawaya Divisional Secretariat Division in Moneragala district in Uva Province of Sri Lanka was seleted for the study. Rapid market chain analysis was the principal tool equipped for this investigation. Data collection was conducted by using primary data collection methods mostly under uncontrolled environments. Number of key informant interviews with upstream agents, focus group discussions with collectors and informal discussions with few sellers were done. In addition, a few telephone interviews were conducted with key agricultural actors in the area.Galsiyabala, Palu, Weera, Polpala, Binkohoba, Kithual products and curry leaves (Karapincha) were the key wild collections available in the markets. However, the contribution from the forest varied from around (40% to 100%). In general, males engage in wild collection by making significant damages to those trees due to falling of trees and cutting main branches. Reasonable proactive strategies are not yet adapted to ensure sustainable utilisation of wild resources rather than penalties by courts when collectors are captured by Forest Department officers. People practice this as a souces of part-time seasonal income. Though income is seasonal, they receive higher values by selling some traditional medicinal products under informal fixed prices. The price of all other products is determined by traders where collectors have minimum bargaining power in this context.