Last updated on August 11th, 2020 at 02:48 pm
Biochemistry Division conducts studies on chemical and biochemical aspects of tea. Recently, it has embarked in biotechnology and advanced molecular techniques with the view to strengthening tea breeding programs.
Key Research Areas
- Product development and value addition
- Development of standards of tea
- Biological effects of tea consumption
- Application of molecular technology to support germplasm conservation and crop improvement
- Chemical ecology of tea pests and diseases
- Estimation of pesticide residue levels of made tea
- Health benefits of tea
Major Achievements
- Obtained the patent for process of preparation of tea wine and Tea Sause (Pending)
- Obtained the patent for the discovery of anti-fungal activity of black tea components, catechins and theaflavins, against Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. Krusei and C. glabrata
- Process development for instant black tea production by applying membrane filtration technique
- Extraction of protein from spent tea and/ or refuse tea by membrane filtration technique
- Quality improvements of Sri Lankan Silver tips/ white tea
- Isolation and characterization of EST-SSRs and development of a set of new SSR primers for tea
- Construction of genomic and EST-SSR based genetic framework map for tea
- Assessment of genetic diversity and relationship of tea germplasm accessions using RAPD, AFLP, and SSR marker