Publications by authors named "Aruna Weerasooriya"

Microbes like bacteria and fungi are crucial for host plant growth and development. However, environmental factors and host genotypes can influence microbiome composition and diversity in plants such as industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).

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Introduction: With climate change, frequent exposure of bioenergy and food crops, specifically soybean ( L.), to low-temperature episodes is a major obstacle in maintaining sustainable plant growth at early growth stages. Silicon (Si) is a quasi-essential nutrient that can help to improve stress tolerance; however, how Si and a combination of cold stress episodes influence plant growth, plant physiology, and microbiome diversity has yet to be fully discovered.

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Background: The sustainability of crop production is impacted by climate change and land degradation, and the advanced application of nanotechnology is of paramount importance to overcome this challenge. The development of nanomaterials based on essential nutrients like zinc could serve as a basis for nanofertilizers and nanocomposite synthesis for broader agricultural applications and quality human nutrition. Therefore, this study aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using pecan (Carya illinoinensis) leaf extract and investigate their effect on the growth, physiology, nutrient content, and antioxidant properties of mustard (Brassica juncea).

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Industrial hemp ( L.) is identified as a leading fibre crop and there is increasing interest in fibre due to its new range of industrial applications. However, the complexity of hemp germplasm resulted in insufficient information on the effect of genotypes on fibre quality and quantity.

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Radioprotectors are agents that have the potential to act against radiation damage to cells. These are equally invaluable in radiation protection, both in intentional and unintentional radiation exposure. It is however, complex to use a universal radioprotector that could be beneficial in diverse contexts such as in radiotherapy, nuclear accidents, and space travel, as each of these circumstances have unique requirements.

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Foodborne illnesses caused by the consumption of food contaminated with foodborne pathogens at infectious doses are becoming a common health issue throughout the world. Metal nanoparticles with potential antimicrobial properties are an area that can be explored to discover novel antimicrobial agents. The traditional synthesis methods of metal nanoparticles involve the use of toxic chemicals and the generation of harmful byproducts.

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Valerian is an herbal preparation from the roots of Valeriana officinalis used as an anxiolytic and sedative and in the treatment of insomnia. The biological activities of valerian are attributed to valerenic acid and its putative biosynthetic precursor valerenadiene, sesquiterpenes, found in V. officinalis roots.

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This paper presents a comparative study of anatomy of leaves, stems and roots of three species of Plumbago, namely P. auriculata Lam., P.

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A new (2α,3β)-23-sulphonyl-2,3-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1) together with eighteen known compounds were isolated from Centella erecta (L.f.) Fern.

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Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Centella asiatica resulted in the isolation and characterization of eight triterpenes and/or saponins [which were characterized as 23- O-acetylmadecassoside (1), asiatic acid (2), madecassic acid (3), asiaticoside C (4), asiaticoside F (5), asiaticoside (6), madecassoside (7), and 23- O-acetylasiaticoside B (8)] together with sitosterol 3-O-beta-glucoside ( 9), stigmasterol 3- O- beta-glucoside (10), and querectin-3- O-beta-D-glucuronide (11). A new ursane-derived saponin (23- O-acetylmadecassoside) and a new oleanane-derived saponin (23- O-acetylasiaticoside B) were found as well. Structure elucidation was done by using spectroscopic techniques (HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR), chemical methods, and comparative literature studies.

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