Music influences the growth of plants through either promoting or restricting the growth of plants. The effects of Pirith chanting and pop music were focused in the present study. Seeds of Two (02) rice varieties (Bg300 and Kaluheenati) were subjected to dormancy break treatment, kept in a soundproof confined chamber and arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two (02) replicates and 10 seeds per replicate. Seeds were allowed to germinate under the sound rhythms; pop music, Pirith chanting and silence separately in sound proof chamber. A set of pop songs and Thunsuthra in Pirith chanting were chosen as the two (02) sound rhythms. Seeds were kept under silence served as the control. Music and Pirith were played separately for an hour, at 30cm distance away from the seeds with an intensity of 55-60 dB for seven (07) days continuously, maintaining equal environmental conditions. Following seven (07) days, the percent germination was recorded. The same germinated seeds were planted in plastic pots filled with paddy soil, up to ¾ of the total depth and pots were arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two (02) replicates and five (05) plants per replicate. Following one week, plants were subjected to the sound rhythm treatments and silence separately for three (03) months continuously. Measurement on growth and yield performance were recorded every fortnight. Significantly different (p < 0.05) in growth and yield performances were observed under Pirith and pop music. Considerably higher rates of growth and yield were observed for varieties exposed to Pirith and comparatively, the effect of Pirith on growth and yield performance was higher with respect to pop music thus implying that the rhythmic chanting of Pirith is the most appropriate type music that improved the growth performance of Oryza sativa.

There was a significant effect of nano-ZnO-fertilizer on yield parameters than growth parameters of the three rice varieties.• The varietal responses to the applied nano-ZnO-fertilizer varied and higher responses were observed in inbred Bg94-1.• The performances between the two traditional varieties, Pachchaperumal and Suwandel were more or less similar.• Weight of 100-seed of Suwandel treated with nano-ZnO 120 mg L -1 was prominent.• Foliar application of nano-ZnO-fertilizers increases growth and specifically yield performances of rice varieties under consideration.

Response of Codariocalyx motorius to Western pop music and Pirith chanting was examined by conducting an experiment with three months old C. motorius saplings, kept in a sound proof confined chamber. Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used with five replicates. One week after planting, plants were exposed to three treatments; Western pop music, Pirith and silence. Music and Pirith were played separately for an hour, 30 cm distance away from plants with a sound level of 58-63 dB for two months continuously, maintaining equal environmental conditions. Measurements on growth performance were taken once in a fortnight. Percentage difference of parameters was calculated and data were analysed using ANOVA. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between the treatment of Pirith and Western pop music were observed for plant height, leaf width, leaf area, and chlorophyll content and leaflet length. However,thin layer chromatographic profiles observed under UV light and Anisaldehyde spray reagent exhibited no difference in chemical components. Magnitudes of the percentage difference between measured parameters of C. motorius under Pirith chanting and Western pop music indicated that there was discernible effect of Pirith chanting on the measured plant parameters in the study implying that rhythmic chanting of Pirith is the most appropriate type of music which improved the growth performance of C. motorius.

Aloeswood or Agarwood has long been perfumery commodity traded between Mediterranean Region and Southeast Asia since ancient times. Oil or chips are obtained by destructive harvesting of several Thymeleaceous genera includes Aquilaria and Gonystylus and are expensive and highly demanded ingredients in the global market. The recent recovery of Gyrinops walla as a potential producer of market-quality agarwood in mature damaged woods and branches, the intense illicit felling and exportation G. walla leading to the verge of extinction from Sri Lankan flora. The sustainable utilization of G. walla undoubtedly enhances the foreign exchange of the country and the non-destructive utilization G. walla through biotechnology is the only option available for sustainable exploitation and conservation of the vulnerable G. walla species. An electro-elicitation apparatuses were designed and built to stimulate calli and cell suspensions. The elicited and calli and cell suspensions were harvested at different time periods to extract sesquiterpenes. Current intensities of 10 mA and 50 mA, and 0.1 mA were the optimum values for the induction of sesquiterpenes; γ-selinene, β-caryophyllene, α-cadinol and α-guaiene, production in both calli and cell suspension after 8 weeks and 6 hours, respectively. The findings of the study led to conclude the possibility of induction of production of sesquiterpenes through electro-elicitation of G. walla calli and cell suspension in an in vitro system for sustainable utilization and conservation endeavours.

Purpose: Herbicide-resistant rice varieties in combination with post-emergent broad-spectrum herbicides improve the eff ectiveness of weed management in rice fi elds. Herbicide-resistance can be acquired naturally or induced by classical or modern breeding techniques. In the present study, screening of Sri Lankan rice varieties to glufosinate was examined and attempts were made to develop glufosinate-resistant rice varieties with the help of the breeding technique, mutagenesis. Research Method: Natural glufosinate-resistance was studied in seven (7) traditional and eighteen (18) inbred rice varieties under 0.27, 0.30 and 0.33 kg ha-1 glufosinate concentrations. Induced glufosinateresistance in seed-derived calli of four glufosinate-susceptible rice varieties using Ethyl Methane Sulfonate was also observed and these were then treated with 0.2% (v/v) glufosinateto to determine induced glufosinate-resistance in seed-derived calli. Findings: Two traditional varieties (Pachchaperumal, Ma Wee) and fi fteen inbred varieties (At362,