ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

1. PhD         - University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, in 1999 (Field of Study: Horticulture)
2. MAgri.      - Hiroshima University, Japan, in 1994. (Field of Study: Plant environmental Sci.)
3. B.Sc. (Agric.)   - 2^nd class (Honours) – University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, in 1988 (Field of Study: Agriculture)

Professional Qualifications:

       Appointments : Senior Professor, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya. Sri Lanka

      Visiting Appointments  :

       Chairman, National Institute of Post-harvest Management, Sri Lanka – 2020-23

       Visiting Professor to North-west A&F University of Shannxi, China – July-August, 2019

       Institutional Reviewer to Universities and Institutions – 2015-21

       Deputy Director-Research/ Centre for Environmental Studies, University of Peradeniya – 2014-17

       Visiting Scientist to University Bologna, Bolona, Italy in September, 2013

       Research Fellow in University of Sydney – 2008

       Research Fellow in Warwick Univerversity – 2007

       Visiting Lecturer in Rajarata University of Sri Lanka -2005 and 2006

       Research Fellow in Shizuoka University – 2003

       Visiting Lecturer in Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA), Peradeniya – since 2000

   Research Interests  :

       Protected culture and Greenhouse technology

       Vegetable based farming systems

       Sustainable agriculture

Main Research Projects undertaken (Last 10 years)

As the principal investigator

• Life-cycle analysis of banana in Sri Lanka for reducing postharvest losses and mitigating GHG emissions, Funded by GRA and Ministry of Primary Industries of New Zealand (2020 – 22).
• Development of organic fertigation options for greenhouse vegetable crops, funded by Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural research Policy (SLCARP), Sri Lanka (Completed in 2018).
• Development of ecological vegetable based cropping systems for sandy soils in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka, Funded by the University of Peradeniya (Completed in 2017).
• Follow-up Research and Development Program leading to commercialization of university research output: Hydroponics Fertilizer Package, funded by the HETC-QIG-4 of the Ministry of Higher Education, Sri Lanka. (Completed in 2017).
• Development of protected crop technologies for improving yield and post-harvest quality of roses and gerbera, funded by SLCARP (Completed in 2013).

As a Co-investigator/ Research coordinator

• Commercialization of the Research Outcome of the Faculty of Agriculture (Coordinator), funded by the World Bank sponsored AHEAD Project of the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka (UGC) - (On-going).
• IOT based micro-climate control in tropical greenhouses and its influence on growth, yield and gene expression of tomato, funded under Early Career Fellowship Program of the Organization for Women in Science for Developing World (OWSD) (On-going).
• Investigations on eco-friendly weed management in tea cultivation as an alternative for synthetic herbicide use, funded by National Research Council (NRC), Sri Lanka - (Completed in 2021)
• Molecular and biochemical characterization of Sri Lankan pomegranate germplasm and expression analysis of major hydrolysable tannin genes under different environmental conditions and maturity stages  to popularize cultivation in Sri Lanka, funded by NRC, Sri Lanka - (completed in 2016).

Memberships :

• Advisory Board of the National Institute of Post-harvest Management, Sri Lanka
• Alumni Association of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture
• Protected Agriculture Entrepreneurs Association, Peradeniya
• Agriculture and Environmental Professionals Association, Sri Lanka

Keynote/Invited Papers:

• At the APO Workshop on Organic Agriculture for Biodiversity and Sustainability in Colombo on 10^th Dec., 2024
• At the International Summer School of the Hiroshima University, Japan on 27^th Sept., 2018

Peer Reviewed Scientific Communications / Research Publications

Research Publications (Recent)

Refereed Journals

1. Gunasena, A., Weerakkody, W. A. P., Samita, S., Weerasinghe, L. K., & Perera, L. (2024). Optimization of particle size distribution of coco pith: Implications of soil suitability classes, varietal variation, processing method and status of ageing. Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research, 11(3), 115-129. 
2. Bandara, R. M. D. M., Koswatta, D. D. K., Weerakkody, W. A. P., & Bandaranayake, P. C. G. (2024). Image sensing, a unique tool for early detection of nitrogen deficiency of tomato grown in hot and humid greenhouses. Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research, 24(2), 34-42.
3. Chandrasiri, M. K. D. C. K., Dharmapriya, U. S. S., Kulatunga, A. K., Ratnayake, R. M. R. N. K., Wasala, W. M. C. B., & Weerakkody, W. A. P. (2023, April). Supply Chain Reconfiguration as an Option to Mitigate Post Harvest Losses and GHGs: Simulating a Case Study from Banana Supply Chain in Sri Lanka. In Manufacturing Driving Circular Economy: Proceedings of the 18th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, October 5-7, 2022, Berlin (pp. 1044-1052). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
4. Kamalakannan S., Wasala W.M.C.B., Kulatunga A.K, Gunawardana C.R., Bandara D.M.S.P., Weerakkody W.A.P. (2022). “Life cycle Assessment of Food Loss Impacts: Case of Banana Postharvest Losses in Sri Lanka”, Science Direct Procedia CRISP 105, PP 859-864.
5. Erabadupitiya, H. R. U. T., Weerakkody, W. A. P., & Nandasena, K. A. (2022). Carryover effect of nitrogen and potassium on subsequent growth stages of tomato grown in hydroponics. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 1-11. Published online: 14 Jun 2022. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01904167.2022.2086880?journalCode=lpla2

6. Gunaratne, L.H.P., Hemachandra, K.S., Kumudumali, Y.M.K., Manawasinghe, N.K.G.K.R., Sathischandra, H.G.A.S., Soorasena, J.M., Thelasinghe, T. H. M. U. M.,  Upali, W. S. P. Y., Weerakkody, W. A. P., Weerasinghe, K.W.L.K. and Weerawarna, S. B. A. (2021). Comparative assessment of vegetable crop performances and ecological indicators during, transition from conventional to ecological agriculture. Asian Research Journal of Agriculture 14(1): 1-9.

7. Manawasinghe, N. K. G. K. R., Weerasekara, S. H., Karunaratne, C. S. L. M., Weerakkody, W. A. P., & Kulapala, B. (2021). Influence of substrate and supplementary LED lighting on vertical farming of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and pak choi (Brassica rapa var. chinensis). Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research 7(4): 42-52.

8. Erabadupitiya, H.R.U.T., Weerakkody, W.A.P. and Nandasena, K.A., 2021. Potassium application rates for tomato grown in soilless culture under hot and humid greenhouse conditions. Trop. Agric. Res, 32: 462-470.
9. Erabadupitiya, H. R. U. T., Weerakkody, W. A. P., & Nandasena, K. A. (2020). Critical nitrogen ranges for growth stages of tomato in soilless culture under greenhouse conditions in the tropics. International Journal of Vegetable Science, 1-15.

10. Warnasooriya, P.G.A.S., Weerakkody, W.A.P., Nissanka, N.A.S.P. and Vidanarachchi, J.K. (2020). Assessment of productivity and income genations from rural agricultural systems in the Mid-country Wet Zone of Sri Lanka-A Case Study. Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research. 12(1): 11-20. http://www.journalajaar.com/index.php/AJAAR/article/view/30069

Conference proceedings

1. Edirisinghe, U., Sugathas, S., Gunawardane, C., & Weerakkody, W.A.P. (2023). Health Safety and Quality of Guava Produced in Selected Guava Production Systems in Anuradhapura and Matale Districts. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Research Conference of SLTC 2023 (pp. 383). December 14th and 15th, 2023. SLTC Trace Campus, Colombo 10, Sri Lanka. ISBN 978-624-6045-02-9.
2. Rasnayake, A. Weerakkody, W.A.P. Wasala, C.K. (2023). Improving postharvest quality and extension of shelf-life of fresh banana (cultivar, Embul) b introducing bulk packaging for combs and innovative staking practices for bunches. pp. 98-103. In. Eeswara, J.P. (Ed.) Proc. International Postharvest Research Symposium, National Institute of Postharvest Management, Sri Lanka (21^st September, 2023).
3. Ayesha, K.P.D. and Weerakkody. W.A.P. (2022). Organic liquid fertigation for capsicum pepper cultivation. Proc. FORCE (Undergraduate Research Symposium of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka) pp. 37.      

Books/ Book Chapters/ CD-ROMs

1. Hettiarachchi, M.H.S.M., Wijayasinghe, K.D.B.V., and Weerakkody, W.A.P. (2024). Greenhouse cucumber production in the humid tropics. pp. 113-136. In. Z.A. Dhar and R. Bhat (Eds.), Advanced Research and Review in Horticulture Sciences (Vol.3), Bright Sky Publ., New Delhi.

2. Weerakkody, W.A.P. (2021). Controlled Environment Agriculture in Sri Lanka: Challenges and Opportunities. pp. 309-346. In. R. Senarantne R. (Ed.), The Future of Agriculture and Agriculture of the Future: From Beaten Tracks to Untrodden Paths (1st ed.). Tharanjee Prints, Maharagama (Sri Lanka).

3. Weerakkody, W.A.P., and Mawalagedera, S.M.M.R.  (2020). Recent Developments in Vegetable Production Technologies in Sri Lanka. pp. 189-214. In. Agricultural Research for Sustainable Food Systems in Sri Lanka (Vol. 1). Springer, Singapore.

4. Ranil, R.H.G., Pushpakumara, G., Fonseka, R.M., Fonseka, H., Bandaranayake, P.C.G., Weerakkody, W.A.P., Ariyaratne, W.M.T.P., De Silva, A.N. and Gunawardena, N.P.T., 2020. Utilizing neglected crop genetic resources for food and nutritional security: special reference to indigenous vegetables of Sri Lanka. pp. 39-66. In. Agricultural Research for Sustainable Food Systems in Sri Lanka (Vol. II). Springer, Singapore.