Intercropping and Betel Research Station

Contact details

Department of Export Agriculture, Dampalassa, Narammala, Sri Lanka.
TP No        :    037-2248879
Fax No       :    037-2249377
Email         :    ibrs@yahoo.com

Overview  :

The Intercropping and Betel Research Station (IBRS) was established on 1993 at Narammala as a pioneer research station for intercropping of EACs under coconut cultivation. The mission of the research station is to plan and implement research and development programs for promotion of betel cultivation and for studying the feasibility of intercropping Export Agriculture Crops under Coconut. The total land extent of the research station includes 64 acre including office complex, research fields and farm. In addition to the research and development activities the station provides extension services including training and dissemination of EAC related information for the betterment of the EAC sector in Sri Lanka.

Divisions   :

Breeding Division
Tel: +94 37 2249269

Agronomy Division
Tel: 0372249302
Email: agroibrs@gmail.com

Soil, Post-harvest technology and Plant protection Division
Tel: +94 37 2249194

Ongoing research

Breeding Division:

  1. Evaluation of ginger (Zingiber officinale) germplasm under coconut.
  2. Collection, establishment and evaluation of turmeric (Curcuma domestica L) germplasm under coconut
  3. Collection, establishment, evaluation and conservation of betel (Piper betle) germplasm in Sri Lanka
  4. Hybridization of selected black pepper (Piper nigrum L) cultivars for low country intermediate zone
  5. Evaluation of the performance of selected coffee cultivars (Coffia sp.) under coconut in low-country intermediate zone
  6. Evaluation of selected cocoa (Theobroma cacao) lines for intercropping with coconut in low country intermediate zone

Agronomy Division

  1. Studies on use of soil moisture conservation methods and agronomic management practices for improvement of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) productivity as climate change adaptation techniques
  2. Study the optimum shade level for producing export quality betel leaves (Piper betleL.).
  3. Effect of Irrigation and fertilizer application on inducing of flower initiation and yield of bush pepper throughout the year.
  4. Effect of shelter belts on different micro-meteorological factors, growth, yield & leaf quality parameters of betel (Piper betle L.)
  5. Studies on productivity improvement of cocoa under coconut in Kurunegala District in Sri Lanka

Soil, Post-harvest technology and Plant protection Division

  1. Study the potential use of coconut tree as a live supporting material for Pepper ( Piper nigrum)
  2. Development of value-added products using waste betel (Piper betle) leaves. (NARP)
  3. Characterization of soil fertility status in betel cultivations.
  4. Fertilizer Studies in betel (Piper betle L.).
  5. Investigate the probability of the prevalence of Betel Leaf Blight (BLB) disease among betel cultivations at Kurunegala district using GIS interpolation technique. 
  6. Confirmation of the causative organism for Betel Leaf Blight (BLB) and development of an in-house PCR method for early detection of the organism
  7. Effect of different pruning levels on canopy development and yield of pepper
  8. Investigation on use of indigenous techniques for controlling Bacterial Leaf Blight in Betel (Piper betle L.)
  9. Identification of Pests of Betel (Piper betle L.) Cultivation and Appropriate Management Practices to Maintain the Export Quality of the Leaves
  10. Evaluation of department fertilizer mixture for single supporting system in betel (Pipper betle L) cultivation.
  11. Evaluation of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) accessions for drought tolerance under different soil moisture regimes.
  12. Comparison of different potting/ nursery media used with coconut husk and coir dust for betel cutting production