Genetics & Plant Breeding Division

2. M.K. Meegahakumbura received the award for “Excellent student – University of Chinese Academy of Science (2014-2015)

2. Dr. L. Perera received a merit award for scientific publications

3. Dr. L.Perera and M.K. Meegahakumbura received National Award for Excellence in Agricultural Research for the “Identification of the causal agent of the WCLWD” awarded by Council for Agricultural Research Policy, Sri Lanka (SLCARP)-2014

4. M.K. Meegahakumbura received the third prize for presentation at the Annual Symposium of the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species; Kunming Institute of Botany; Chinese Academy of Science-2014

5. Dr. S A C N Perera received the award for excellence in research at CRI during 2012-2013, awarded at the 5th Plantation Crops Research Symposium (2014).

6. Dr. S A C N Perera received a National award for excellence in agricultural research for the research project titled, ‘Assessment of the Genetic Diversity of Coconut with Special Reference to Phenotypes in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka’ awarded by the Council For Agricultural Research Policy, Sri Lanka (SLCARP).

7. Dr. S A C N Perera received the Best paper and the presentation award in the coconut sector at the 5th Plantation Crops Research Symposium (2014).

2. M.K. Meegahakumbura received best presenter merit award at the Annual Symposium of Young Scientists forum of the National Science and Technology Commission-2012

1. Dr. L. Perera received the presidential research award for publications in 2009

2. Ms. H.D.M.A.C. Dissanayaka received the silver medal for the best paper presentation at the 2nd Symposium on Plantation Crops Research in 2008

1. Dr. S.A.C.N. Perera received the award for the best presenter in the genetics session at the Annual Congress of the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture.

1. Samarasinghe C.R.K, Kumarathunge D.P, Meegahakumbura M.K. A novel genotypic selection methodology to create a breeding population for developing drought-tolerant cultivars in tree crops MethodsX, Vol 10 (2023) 102217.

1. R. Weerasinghe, H. D. M. A. C. Dissanayaka, C. R. K. Samarasinghe, M. K. Meegahakumbura, Fighting Drought: A Mini Review with Special Reference to Tropical Palms. Cocos 2022

2. Samarasinghe, C.R.K .,Kumarathunge, D.P., Perera, L., Nainanayake, N.P.A.D., Ranasinghe, C.S.,Meegahakumbura M. K (2022) A Preliminary Estimation of Drought Tolerance Potential of Sri Lankan Coconut Cultivars through Evaluation of the Seedling Stage under Control Environment. Proceedings of the 10th YSF Symposium. pp266-274

3. Weerasinghe, P.R., H.D.M.A.C. Dissanayake, H.D.M.A.C., Meegahakumbura, M.K., Samarasinghe, S.W.C.R., and Perera, S.A.C.N (2022). Rate of inflorescence emmitance reveals prospects for inter-spadix self-pollination in sri lankan tall coconut (cocos nucifera ), . Proceedings of the 10th YSF Symposium pp83-87

1. Samarasinghe C.R.K., M.K. Meegahakumbura, M.K., Kumarathunge, D.P., Dissanayaka, H.D.M.A. C., Weerasinghe, P.R., Perera. L. Genotypic selection approach made successful advancement in developing drought tolerance in perennial tree crop coconut. Scientia Horticulturae 287 (2021) 110220.

1. M.K. Meegahakumbura H.D.M.A.C. Dissanayaka, S.A.C.N. Perera, C.R.K. Samarasinghe, P.R. Weerasinghe, V. Vidanarachchi and L. Perera (2020) Exchange and Utilization of Global Genetic Resources in the National Coconut Breeding Programme in Sri Lanka: A Historic Overview. Journal of the Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka (COCOS) 23:37-46

2. H.T.R. Wijesekara, S.A.C.N. Perera, D. Bandupriya, M.K. Meegahakumbura and LalithPerera (2020) Detection of Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease Phytoplasmaby Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. Journal of the International Coconut Community (CORD) 36:1-5

01. M.K. Meegahakumbura, C.R.K. Samarasinghe, H.D.M.A.C. Dissanayaka, S.A.C.N. Perera, H.M.N.B. Herath, P. Weerasinghe and L. Perera (2019) Development of High Yielding and Early Flowering New Coconut Cultivars with Exotic Pollen. In: Proceedings of the seventh symposium on plantation crop research, Rodrigo et al. (Eds), Pp. 1-11

01. Samarasinghe, C. R. K., Meegahakumbura, M. K., Dissanayaka, H. D. M. A. C., Kumarathunge, D. P., and Perera, L., 2018. Variation in yield and yield components of different coconut cultivars to within year rainfall and temperature variation, Scientia Horticulturae 238, 51-57.

01. Perera, L., Samarasinghe, C. R. K., Kumarathunge, D. P., Dissanayaka, H. D. M. A. C. and Meegahakumbura, M. K. (2017) Cultivar by environment interaction of coconut under different water and heat regimes at their early stage of growth. Pakistan Journal of Botany 49(2):475-478.

01. Perera L., Samarasinghe C.R.K., Kumarasinghe D.P., Dissanayake H.D.M.A.C. and M.K. Meegahakumbura (2016) Cultivar by environmental interaction of coconut under different water and heat regimes at their early stages of growth. Pakistan Journal of Botany49(2): 475-478

1. ADNT Kumara, L Perera, MK Meegahakumbura, NS Aratchige, LCP Fernando (2015) Identification of Putative Vectors of Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease in Sri Lanka In: new Horizons in Insect Science: Towards Sustainable Pest Management, Springer India pp: 137-146

2. SACN Perera, HMNB Herath, HTR Wijesekera, WGR Subhathma and WATL Weerakkody (2015). Evaluation of Coconut Germplasm in Weligama and Matara area in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka for Resistance to Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease. In print Cocos: 20.

3. SACN Perera, GK Ekanayake, HMNB Herath (2015). An investigation of the tender nut potential of diverse coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) varieties/forms in Sri Lanka. CORD39-45

2. Perera A A F L K. Selection of coconut cultivars for organic production Chapter 3; In: organic coconut production in Sri Lanka, Eds. H P M Gunasena, H A J Gunathilake and J M D T Everard, Coconut Research Institute, Lunuwila, Sri Lanka. (ISBN 978-955-9013-14-3 May, 2014)

3. SWGC Ruwan Kumara, HDMAC Dissanayaka, MGMK Meegahakumbura, L Perera (2014) Response of Coconut Hybrids with Different Origins to Stress Conditions during Early Growth Stage in Sri Lanka. Proceedings of the 5th Plantation Crop Research Symposium, BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka

4. Perera SACN (2014). Chapter 11: Oil palm and coconut. In: Alien Gene Transfer in Crop Plants, Volume 2,Achievements and Impacts, Eds. Aditya Pratap and Jitendra Kumar, Springer Publishers, USA (ISBN 978-0-387-77593-7)

5. LCJ Kamaral, SACN Perera, KLNS Perera and PN Dassanayaka (2014). Genetic Diversity of the Sri Lanka Yellow Dwarf Coconut Form as Revealed by Microsatellite Markers. In print. Tropical Agriculture Research Volume 26.

6. SACN Perera, G K Ekanayake, P N Dassanayake and J M D T Everard. (2014) Characterization of Newly Classified Coconut Forms in Sri Lanka for Fruit Morphology and Variation at SSR marker Loci. Proceedings of the fifth Plantation Crop Research Symposium pp 29-38

2. Wijesekara, H T R, Perera L, Meegahakumbura M K, Dassanayake, E M and Ranasingha C (2013). Serological and Molecular techniques. Gunasena H P M et al. (Eds.), Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease: Six Years After, Coconut Research Institute, Lunuwila, Sri Lanka. (ISBN 978-955-9013-10-5, March, 2013)

3. Suhair, F. S., Perera SACN, Vivehananthan, K (2013) Evaluation of Genetic Variation of Exotic Coconuts (Cocos nucifera L.) Using SSR Markers. Proceedings of the 12th Agricultural Research Symposium of the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka.

4. Perera S.A.C.N., and Dissanayaka, H.D.M.A.C. (2013). Management of the Weligama coconut leaf wilt disease: Screening and Breeding Coconuts for resistance/tolerance to WCLWD. In Wiligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease- Six years after. Eds, HPM Gunasena, H. A. J. Gunethilake, L. C.P.Fernando, J.M.D.T. Everard and P.A.H.N. Appuhamy.Coconut Research Institute pp. 96-106Weligama Wilt after 06 years

2. S C Fernando, E S Santha, S A C N Perera, H D M A C Dissanayake, M K Meegahakumbura and L Perera (2012) In Vitro Characterization of Indigenous Coconut Varieties (Cocos nucifera L.) of Sri Lanka for Water Stress Tolerance. CORD: 28(2): 55-63

3. H D M A Dissanayake, R B Attanayake, A A Fernando, R Jayathilake, M H L Padmasiri, H M N B Herath, S A S Chandrasiri, S A C N Perera, M K Meegahakumbura and L Perera (2012). Development of promising coconut hybrids utilizing novel brown dwarf coconut variety, 4th Plantation Crop Research Symposium 20-21 September, Thaj Sanudra Hotel, Colombo.

4. Meegahakumbura M. K., Perera, L., Wijesekara, H. R. T., Fernando, W.B.S., Kalani, N.G.A., M. J. Dickinson (2012) PCR based detection of Waligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease. Proceedings of the young Scientist Forum Symposium, National Science and Technology Commission Sri Lanka, pp: 16

1. Mauro-Herrera M, Meerow A W. Perera L, Russell J and Schnell R J (2010) Ambiguous genetic relationships among coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) cultivars: the effects of out-crossing, sample source and size, and method of analysis. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 57 (2): 203-217

2. Perera L, Meegahakumbura MK, Wijesekara HTR, Kalani NGA, Munasing CE, Fernando WBS, Dickinson MJ (2010) In: George VT, Krishnakumar V, Augustine JB, Niral V, Josephrajkumar A (eds) Proceedings of the International Conference on Coconut Biodiversity for Prosperity. Niseema Printers and Publishers Kochi–18, India, p 146

3. Perera, SACN (2010). QTL analysis in coconut via genome mapping: Principles, requirements and prospects. Cocos: 20 pp 57-65

4. Ekanayake, GK, Perera, SACN, Dassanayake, PN, Everard, JMDT (2010). Varietal classification of new coconut (Cocos nucifera l.) forms identified from Southern Sri Lanka. Cocos: 19 pp 41-50

5. S. A. C. N. Perera (2010) Chapter 8 Coconut. In book titled ‘Technological Innovations in Major World Oil Crops’ Ed. S.H. Gupta. Springer Publications. USA (ISBN 978-1-4614-0355-5)

1. Vadamalai, G., Perera, L., Hanold, D., Rezaian, M.A. and Randles, J.W. (2009). Detection of Coconut cadang-cadang viroid sequences in oil and coconut palm by ribonuclease protection assay, Annals of Applied Biology, 154 (1): Pp. 117-125.

2. Mauro-Herrera, M., Meerow, A.W., Perera, L., Russell, J. and Schnell, R.J. (2009). Ambiguous genetic relationships among coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) cultivars: the effects of out-crossing, sample source and size, and method of analysis. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution (DOI 10.1007/s10722-009-9463-x, Published online).

3. Perera, L., Perera, S.A.C.N., Bandaranayeke, C.K. and Hugh Harries. (2009). Coconut Chapter 12; In: Oil Crops, J Voll and I Rajcan (Eds.), Springer Publishers, USA. (ISBN 978-0-387-77593-7, August, 2009).

4. Perera, K.N.S., Perera, S.A.C.N. and Vivehananthan, K. (2009). Detection of Microsatellite marker segregation in an F2 population of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.).

5. Perera, S.A.C.N., Ekanayake, G.K., Attanayake, R.B. (2009). Characterization of Conserved Coconut Germplasm in Sri Lanka with Morphological Descriptors, CORD, 2009, 25 (1): Pp. 46-53.

6. Perera, S.A.C.N. and Ekanayaka, G.K. (2008/2009). Characterization of Sri Lankan indigenous coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) varieties for diversity in quantitative morphology, Tropical Agriculturist, 157: Pp. 25-42.

2. Wijesekara, H.T.R., Perera L., Wickramananda, I.R., Hearth, I., Meegahakumbura M. K., Fernando, W.B.S. and De Silva P.H.P.R. (2008). Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease: A new disease in Southern Sri Lanka, Proceedings of the Plantation second Plantation Crop Research Symposium, BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka. A Ninanayaker and E Jayamanne (Eds.), Samayawardena printers, Colombo.

3. Perera, P.I.P., Perera, L., Hocher, V., Verdeil, J.L., Yakandawala, D.M.D. and Weerakoon, L.K. (2008). Use of SSR markers to determine the anther-derived homozygous lines in coconut, Plant Cell Reports, 27: Pp. 1697-1707.

4. Perera, S.A.C.N., Pooni, H.S. and Kearsey, M.J. (2008). Chromosome Substitution Lines for the analysis of heterosis in Arabidopsis thaliana, Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 36(4): Pp. 275-280.

5. Perera, S.A.C.N. and Kilian, A. (2008). Diversity arrays technology: A high throughput molecular marker system for coconut, Pragna xix (1) (Special issue), Pp. 60-64

6. Kamaral, L.C.J., Perera, S.A.C.N. and Attanayake, D.P.S.T.G. (2008). Molecular Evaluation of different morphotypes of the coconut variety Sri Lanka Yellow Dwarf, Proceedings of the 8th Agricultural Research Symposium, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, University of Wayamba, Pp. 149-153.

2. Kumarasinghe, W.M. Perera, S.A.C.N. and Gunasekara, T.M.C.P. (2006). Evaluation of morphological differences and yielding ability of nut colour based phenotypes of Sri Lanka tall coconut, Proceedings of the 6th Agricultural Research Symposium, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, University of Wayamba, Pp. 307-310.

3. Perera, S.A.C.N., Wilkes, T.M. and JKearsey, M. (2006). More precise QTL mapping using STAIRS, Tropical Agricultural Research, 18: Pp. 227-236.

1. Perera, L. (2005). Genetic Diversity and relationships of coconut revealed by microsatellite markers, In: Plant Genome: Biodiversity and Evolution, Vol. I Part B, Phanerogams (Higher Groups). A.K Sharma and A. Sharm (Eds.),. Science Publishers Inc., USA. (ISBN 1-57808-352-2, March, 2005).