News
Drones used for first time in SL to fight rubber leaf fungus
For the first time in Sri Lanka, drone technology is being used to control the leaf fungus disease in rubber plantations, Company Estate Reforms, Tea Estate Related Crops, Tea Factory Modernization and Tea Export Promotion State Minister Kanaka Herath says.
Under the project, Minister Herath said it had been planned to spray fungal controlling chemicals using drones, which is designed especially for agricultural purposes.
The State Minister while observing a chemical spraying pilot project using drones recently said that the fungal disease that infects rubber plantations should be brought under control promptly otherwise it would be a huge threat to the entire rubber industry. He assumed that with using drone technology as well as modern pest control methods they would be able to control the fungal disease quickly and prevent it from spreading to other areas.
The pilot project of spraying chemicals with drones was carried out at the Panawatta Estate in Yatiyantota recently under the supervision of Rubber Research Institute (RRI) officials.
To control the fungal disease named Pestalotiopsis, chemicals are sprayed on the leaves of the rubber trees. Affected rubber leaves can be seen with yellow spots and gradually the green part of the leaf will fade away.
“Applying chemicals onto the leaves using drones is rather effective than applying chemicals from the ground as there are several practical issues. It is practically difficult to carry heavy chemical spaying machines throughout the plantation as most of the rubber plantations are on hilly areas” State Minister Herath said.
The fungal disease, which was harmful to rubber cultivation, was first reported in the Kalawana area in Ratnapura in 2019 and today it had spread to other districts such as Kegalle and Kalutara. Rubber Research Institute Deputy Director Dr. Priyani Seneviratne said.
There was a high probability of the disease spreading especially in areas with a high rainfall, she said.
“The disease was reported in 2017 in Indonesia and 2018 in Malaysia. On average, it is estimated that there will be a 30 per cent reduction in yields. “she pointed out.
Not only rubber plantations but also many plants including avocado and a few others were affected by the fungal disease. If more than 50 per cent of leaves fall off, rubber taping for rubber latex cannot be carried out. In such occasions it is reported a yield drop around 30 per cent.
The RRI Deputy Director said that the RRI would study the productivity of the pilot project and make extensive use of drone technology to prevent the disease.
Dr Seneviratne also noted that although many of the fungal diseases were usually prevalent in one rubber species and are resistant to other strains, it was observed that the particular fungal disease had spread to all species.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
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