Dr. Harshini Herath

Dr. (Ms.) Harshini HerathSenior Lecturer (Grade I)

PhD (Australia), MSc (Peradeniya), BSc (Kelaniya)

University Location : Room No. B1 307/1
email: harshi@kln.ac.lk
Telephone: +94-11-2903224 / + 94-11-2914480
Fax: + 94-11-2914480
Google Scholar | Research Gate

ORCID ID

Research Interests

Study on plants and algae with economic importance
Microorganisms with industrial and environmental applications

Selected Publications

Perera, P., Herath, H., Paranagama, P. A., Wijesinghe, P., & Attanayake, R. N. (2023). Wood decay fungi show enhanced biodeterioration of low-density polyethylene in the absence of wood in culture media. Plos one, 18(7), e0288133.
Somasiri, I. V., Herath, H., Ratnayake, R. M. C. S., & Senanayake, S. P. (2023). Propagation of Antidesma alexiteria and Syzygium caryophyllatum, two underexploited fruit plants in Sri Lanka: Effect of cutting types, potting media and auxin application. Dendrobiology, 89, 65-76.
de Silva, R., Herath, H., Ratnayake, S., Attanayake, R., & Senanayake, P. (2022). Pollen biology and reproductive ecology of selected paleotropical Dendrobiums and its commercial hybrids. Journal of Pollination Ecology, 32, 64-79.

Perera, P., Deraniyagala, A. S., Mahawaththagea, M. P. S., Herath, H., Rajapakse, C. S. K., Wijesinghe, P., & Attanayake, R. N. (2021). Decaying Hardwood Associated Fungi Showing Signatures of Polyethylene Degradation. BioResources, 16(4), 7056-7070.
Silva, A. B. W. R., Herath, H., Senanayake, S. P., & Swarnathilaka, D. B. R. (2018). Phenetic and genetic characterization of selected economically important species in the family Zingiberaceae. Sri Lankan Journal of Biology, 3(1).
Abeywickrama, K., Wijerathna, C., Herath, H., & Sarananada, K. H. (2009). An integrated treatment of basil oil (Ocimum basilicum) and alum with modified atmosphere to control crown rot disease in Embul banana.Tropical Agricultural Research & Extension, 12(1), 23-30.
Herath, H., & Abeywickrama, K. (2008). In vitro application of selected essential oils and their major components in controlling fungal pathogens of crown rot in Embul banana (Musa acuminata–AAB).International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 43(3), 440-447

Abstracts

Balasooriya, C.M., Wanigatunge, R.P., & Herath, H.M. (2023). Antifungal Potentials of Ulva fasciata crude extracts against plant pathogenic fungus Pseudopestalotiopsis theae. ICAPS 2023, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, p. 75.
Mallawarachchi, T.W.N., Herath, H.M., Magana-Arachchi, D.N. & Wanigatunge, R. P. (2023). Occurrence of Microcystins in the Kelani River and a Drinking Water Treatment Plant Facility in Sri Lanka. ICAPS 2023, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, p. 97.
Kumari, J. A.T. T., Thathasarani, Y.K.D.D., Priyadarshan, A.I.S., Herath, H.M. and Senananyake. R.A.S.P. (2022). Assessment of chlorophyll and anthocyanin contents of selected Phalaenopsis cultivars. Proceedings of the National Symposium of Floriculture Research (NaSFlorR)-2022, Department of National Botanic Gardens and Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy, p.3.

Perera, P., Senanayake, G., Herath, H. M., Wijesinghe, W. R. P. & Attanayake, R. N. (2021). Identification and characterization of decaying hardwood inhabiting fungi in Sri Lanka in terms of lignin degradation and laccase production. 41st Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, p. 76.
Somasiri, R. P. I. V., Herath, H. M., Ratnayake, R. M. C. S. & Senanayake, R. A. S. P. (2021). Phytochemical screening and antioxidant properties of three underutilized fruit species in Sri Lanka. International Conference on Applied and Pure Sciences 2021, University of Kelaniya, p. 99.
Weerapperuma, W. A. D. A. D., Thilakarathna, W. G. S. R., Herath, H. M. & Wanigatunge, R. P. (2021). Antioxidant activities of Sargassum sp. and Gracilaria sp. in the Thalpe coast of Sri Lanka. 41st Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, p. 53.
Perera, P., Herath, H. M., Rajapakse, C. S. K., Wijesinghe, W. R. P., & Attanayake, R. N. (2021). Enumeration of Phlebiopsis flavidoalba and Schizophyllum commune as potential polyethylene degraders from decaying hardwoods. iPURSE 2021, University of Peradeniya, p. 129.
Somasiri, R. P. I. V., Herath, H. M., Ratnayake, R. M. C. S. & Senanayake, R. A. S. P. (2021). Vegetative propagation of Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) Alston, an underutilized fruit species: Effect of stem cutting types, potting media and auxin application. Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC).
Somasiri, R. P. I. V., Herath, H. M., Ratnayake, R. M. C. S. & Senanayake, R. A. S. P. (2021). Vegetative propagation of Antidesma alexiteria L. (Hinembilla), an underutilized fruit species: Effect of stem cutting types, potting media and auxin application. The 2nd National Symposium on Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences (NSATRS), University of Colombo, p. 16.
Weralupitiya, C. M., Herath, H. M. & Wanigatunge, R. P. (2020). First evidence of epiphytic marine algae Acrochaete leptochaete identified from Beruwala reef, Sri Lanka by DNA barcoding. International Conference on Applied and Pure Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, p. 4.
Samarawickrama, H. D., Herath, H. M., Wijesinghe, P. & Attanayake, R. N. (2020). Screening for polyethylene degrading fungi from decaying hardwoods and plastic debris. 40th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, p. 78.
Chithrasena, C. D. V., Herath, H. M. & Wanigatunge, R. P. (2020). Screening for lipid degrading bacteria in polluted Kalu Oya river water and analyzing their lipase activities. 40th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, p. 77.
Samarakoon, T. M. U. E. K., Herath, H. M. & Wanigatunge, R. P. (2020). Epiphytic association of Acaryochloris marina (a cyanobacterium) with the green alga Valoniopsis. 40th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, p. 53.
Weralupitiya, C. M., Herath, H. M. & Wanigatunge, R. P. (2020). Novel record of genus Symbiodinium associated with the green alga Codium at Beruwala reef, Sri Lanka. The 5th International Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology (BioTech 2020), Malaysia, p. 7.
Kahagalla, T. H., Herath, H. M., Attanayake, R. N., &. Senanayake, S. P. (2019). Germinability and viability of pollen of selected commercial Dendrobium hybrids. International Postgraduate Research Conference 2019, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, p. 67.
Weralupitiya, C. M., Herath, H. M. & Wanigatunge, R. P. (2019). Novel record of Ulva sp. identified from Barbarian Reef, Beruwala of Sri Lanka. Proceedings of the 24th International Forestry and Environment Symposium, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, p. 48.
Kahagalla, T. H., Herath, H. M., Attanayake, R. N., &. Senanayake, S. P. (2019). Phylogenetic relationships of selected commercial Dendrobium hybrids in Sri Lanka. 4th International Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, p. 39.
Silva, W. E. R., Herath, H., Attanayake, R., Ratnayake, S. & Senanayake, S. P. (2019). Comparison of pollen viability and germinability of indigenous Dendrobium crumenatum Swartz and commercial cultivar Dendrobium ‘Micky Pinky Splash’. 39th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, p. 41.
Jayasinghe, J. A. S. M., Medhavi, P. I. H. R., Magana-Arachchi, D. N., Wanigatunge, R. P. & Herath, H. M. (2019). Production of certain extracellular enzymes by some bacteria and amplification of cellulase gene from Bacillus species. 4th International Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, p. 21.
Keerthika, V., Ranatunga, M. A. B., Perera, D. & Herath, H. (2019). Comparison of different RNA extraction protocols: An optimized RNA extraction protocol for tea leaves [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze]. 4th International Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, p. 66.
Samarasinghe, N., Wanigatunge, R., Herath, H. & Magana-Arachchi, D. (2019). PCR amplification of Microcystin synthetase genes from cyanobacterial mats collected from Maha Oya hot springs. NIFS - Young Scientists’ Symposium on Multidisciplinary Research, Sri Lanka, p.10.
Jones, M. G. K., Iqbal, S., Tan, J., Herath, H., Bilgi, V., Rahman, S., Naz, F. and Fosu-Nyarko, J. (2016). The application of gene silencing technology to control crop pests. 2nd International Symposium on New Processes & Applications for Plant and Microbial Products, New Delhi, India.
Jones, M. G. K., Tan, J., Herath, H., Iqbal, S., Nicol, P. and Fosu-Nyarko, J. (2012). New approaches for plant resistance to nematode pathogens. In Proceedings of the 7th Australian Soil borne Diseases Symposium, Fremantle, Perth, Australia.
Harshini Herath, John Fosu-Nyarko, Michael G. K. Jones. (2012). In vitro silencing of genes encoding trans-spliceosome units of the plant parasitic nematode Pratylechus thornei, by RNA interference (Paper ID: 108). Combined Biological Sciences Meeting, University of Western Australia.
Jones, M. G. K., Wylie, S. J., Saqib, M., Gill, R., Cakir, M., Luo, H., Zhang, J., Nicol, P., Iqbal, S., Tan, J., Tan, M., Herath, H., Chamberlain, D., Quader, M., Francisco, P., Ong, J., Agrez, V., and Fosu-Nyarko, J. (2011). Applications of 'Next Generation' sequencing in plant pathology. In: 21st Annual Combined Biological Sciences Meeting, Perth, Western Australia.

On Going Research

Teaching