SLINTEC cottons on to carbon neutral fertiliser
The Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) has just received the US patent for slow-releasing fertiliser.
Thushara Vajira Perera, Director SLINTEC, told the Business Times that this fertiliser was tested by the Ministry of Agriculture at Mahailuppallama on rice varieties. “It was found that rice grows better with this fertiliser. As the fertiliser dissolves slowly, there is no need to add multiple rounds of it, unlike in traditional fertiliser.” He also said that similar growth in tea has been seen in the Uva province and low-country tea estates. “This fertiliser has increased its yield by 20 per cent.”
Mr. Perera said that the new finding has come on the back of the government getting a mandate to be carbon neutral in 17 years. “The government has also pledged to be urea products neutral in another seven years. The study done by Tea Research Institute shows that this slow releasing fertiliser does not release any ammonia or ammonium into the atmosphere.”
Mr. Perera pointed out that if other countries in the region also have pledged the same mandate as the Sri Lankan government to be carbon neutral and urea neutral, Sri Lanka has an export opportunity on this product.
The four areas that SLINTEC currently concentrates on are developing antimicrobial and antifungal products, exploring the potential of Cinnamon in managing diabetes mellitus, screening Ayurvedic Concoctions, and tea-related work.
Mr. Perera added that after the recent Business Times article on their cinnamon tablet, certain marketing companies had called them, requesting to be the marketing arm of this product. SLINTEC is conducting a small-scale study to investigate the specific role of cinnamon in management of diabetes.
“The cinnamon we have used for the research is endemic to Sri Lanka, and the development process involves a proprietary R&D technology which was developed at SLINTEC. Our aim is to provide a locally derived solution for diabetes through SLINTEC efforts. We hope that SLINTEC will be able to give a Sri Lankan endemic solution for diabetes,” Mr. Perera said.
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