Session Breakdown
International Tea Symposium 2025
Oral Presentations Line-up
Day 1 – 10th November 2025 (Monday)
Technical Session 1 - Innovations in Tea Crop Improvement and Biotechnology
Number of Presentations: 5 | Time: 11:00 - 12:30
| Time | Manuscript ID | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 - 11:15 | IST/25/SL/055 | New Candidate Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Cultivars of TRI 5000 Series for Low Country Tea Growing Regions in Sri Lanka | Dr. J H N Piyasundara, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 11:15 - 11:30 | IST/25/IN/026 | Screening of Bangladesh Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Germplasm for Drought Tolerance | Prof. A K M G Sarwar, Bangladesh Agricultural University |
| 11:30 - 11:45 | IST/25/SL/048 | Optimization of the Somatic Embryogenesis Protocol for In-vitro Mutagenesis of Tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O Kuntze] | Ms. D M R Dasanayaka, Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 11:45 - 12:00 | IST/25/SL/044 | Identification of Drought Tolerance Accessions of Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in Low Country Wet Zone of Sri Lanka | Ms. N M Vithanage, Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 12:00 - 12:15 | IST/25/SL/056 | Floral and Leaf Morphological Characterization of Old Tea Genetic Resources in Hakgala Botanic Garden, Sri Lanka | Ms. G D N N Dayarathna, Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 12:15 - 12:30 | IST/25/SL/045 | Investigating the Genotypic Differences in Critical Temperatures for Pollen Germination and Pollen Tube Growth of Selected Tea (Camellia sinensis) Cultivars | Ms. W U L Withanage, University of Ruhuna |
Technical Session 2 - Quality Improvement and Product Innovation
Number of Presentations: 5 | Time: 12:30 – 13:45
| Time | Manuscript ID | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:30 - 12:45 | IST/25/IN/001 | Unlocking Healthier Brewing Alternatives: Differential Biochemical Profiling of Traditional and In Vitro Callus-Derived Sources for Decaffeinated Tea | Prof. N M Boopathi, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University |
| 12:45 - 13:00 | IST/25/SL/039 | Development of a Hydrolyzed Collagen Incorporated Green Tea Blend and FTIR Characterization of the Developed Blend | Ms. H M B Y B Herath, University of Peradeniya |
| 13:00 - 13:15 | IST/25/IN/021 | Validation of Improved Method for Theanine Determination in Matcha Tea by Inter-laboratory Study | Ms. S Nomura, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan |
| 13:15 - 13:30 | IST/25/IN/015 | Response Surface Optimization for Extraction of Bioactive Compounds in CTC Black Tea Infusions | Prof. I Ahmad, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology |
| 13:30 - 13:45 | IST/25/SL/030 | Evaluation of Biochemical Composition in Field-Grown Tea (Cultivar: TRI 2043) using Agrophotovoltaic-Driven LED Lighting | Prof. A J Mohotti, University of Peradeniya |
Technical Session 3 - Competitiveness and Market Trends in Tea
Number of Presentations: 5 | Time: 15:05 - 16:20
| Time | Manuscript ID | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:05 - 15:20 | IST/25/SL/040 | Market Potential for Ceylon Tea Geographical Indication: An Economic and Policy Assessment | Ms. Dilani Hirimuthugodage, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka |
| 15:20 - 15:35 | IST/25/SL/027 | From Leaf to Cup: Forces behind Tea-Based Radical Innovations in Sri Lanka | Dr. H M C G Pilapitiya, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 15:35 - 15:50 | IST/25/IN/013 | The Paradox of Organic and Sustainable Certifications in Nepalese Orthodox Tea: Do Producers Truly Benefit? | Dr. G Luitel, Tribhuvan University |
| 15:50 - 16:05 | IST/25/SL/004 | Sustaining Competitive Advantage in the Tea Industry: A Case Study on Innovation, Quality Management, and Operational Efficiency in XYZ Tea Company | Ms. H R D A Priyantha, University of Peradeniya |
| 16:05 - 16:20 | IST/25/SL/043 | Factors Influencing the Ceylon Tea Export Market Share in East Asian Countries | Ms. B S D Perera, Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka |
Day 2 – 11th November 2025 (Tuesday)
Technical Session 4 - Gender, Society and Tea
Number of Presentations: 5 | Time: 08:50 - 10:05
| Time | Manuscript ID | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:50 - 09:05 | IST/25/SL/022 | In the Shadows of Ceylon Tea; Post-Colonial Feminist Analysis on Intimate Partner Violence and Access to Justice Among Malaiyaha Tamil Women in Sri Lanka’s Tea Plantations | Ms. K M N T Konara, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University |
| 09:05 - 09:20 | IST/25/SL/050 | Analysis of Factors Influencing the Transformation from Conventional to Organic Tea Farming in the Uva High Grown Region | Mr. K A W T H Vijesooriya, Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka |
| 09:20 - 09:35 | IST/25/SL/059 | The Adoption of Innovative Mechanization Technologies in Corporate Sector Tea Plantations in Sri Lanka: A Case of Mechanized Harvesting | Dr. T G N Mahinda, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 09:35 - 09:50 | IST/25/SL/058 | An Investigation of Planters Insights for Alternative Worker Deployment Models of Tea Plantations in Sri Lanka | Ms. K W N Nadeeshani, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 09:50 - 10:05 | IST/25/SL/036 | Effect of Incentives on the Collective Action of Farmer Organizations: A Case Study of Tea Smallholding Development Societies in Sri Lanka | Dr. K G J P Mahindapala, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
Technical Session 5 - Innovative Approaches in Sustainable Crop Protection
Number of Presentations: 4 | Time: 10:55 - 11:55
| Time | Manuscript ID | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:55 - 11:10 | IST/25/IN/042 | Insecticide Resistance Status of Tea Looper (Hyposidra talaca) in Northeast India’s Tea Ecosystems and its Probable Resistance Mechanism | Dr. S M Roy, Tocklai Tea Research Association |
| 11:10 - 11:25 | IST/25/SL/053 | Biochemical Correlates of Shot-Hole Borer (Euwallacea fornicates) Resistance in Uva Tea Cultivars with a Focus on Polyphenols, Catechins and Caffeine | Ms. S P R Wijewardhana, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 11:25 - 11:40 | IST/25/IN/025 | Non-conventional Management Strategies of Live-Wood-Eating Termite in Tea Plantations in North-East India | Mr. M Debrishi, Raiganj University |
| 11:40 - 11:55 | IST/25/SL/049 | Endophytic Fungi from Tea Cultivars: Identification and in vitro Antagonism Against Fusarium ambrosium, a Symbiont of Shot Hole Borer (Euwallacea fornicates) | Dr. G D Sinniah, University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
Technical Session 6 - Climate Resilience and Crop Sustainability
Number of Presentations: 4 | Time: 11:55 - 12:55
| Time | Manuscript ID | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:55 - 12:10 | IST/25/SL/052 | Quantity-Intensity Relationship of Potassium and Magnesium in Tea Growing Soils of the Low-Country in Sri Lanka | Dr. L R M C Liyanage, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 12:10 - 12:25 | IST/25/SL/057 | Design and Development of an End Effector for an Unmanned Tea Harvesting System | Prof. A J Mohotti, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka |
| 12:25 - 12:40 | IST/25/SL/060 | The Trends in Climate and Determination of Climate-Yield Relationships in Different Tea-Growing Regions of Sri Lanka During the Period from 2010 to 2024 | Prof. W A J M De Costa, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 12:40 - 12:55 | IST/25/SL/069 | Nutrient Losses Through Surface Runoff in Different Soil Conservation Practices in Mid Elevation Tea Lands in Sri Lanka | Dr. L A S P Jayasinghe, Tea Resear |
Technical Session 7 - Technology Transfer in Tea
Number of Presentations: 5 | Time: 14:20 – 15:35
| Time | Manuscript ID | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:20 - 14:35 | IST/25/SL/024 | Cultivating Innovation: Influence of Social Capital and Extension Services on Technology Adoption among Sri Lankan Tea Smallholdings | Dr. A L R U Kumara, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 14:35 - 14:50 | IST/25/SL/046 | Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Digital Farm Field School Extension Approach for Technology Dissemination for Tea Smallholdings in Kandy District in Sri Lanka | Dr. M K S L D Amarathunga, Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka |
| 14:50 - 15:05 | IST/25/SL/054 | Bringing Tea Technology to the Farmer Doorstep: Participant’s Perception on the Effectiveness of Mobile Crop Clinic Approach in the Low Country Tea Growing Region of Sri Lanka | Mr. C E Munasinghe, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |
| 15:05 - 15:20 | IST/25/SL/038 | Effectiveness of Advisory Videos in Educating Tea Smallholders in the Mid-Country and Uva Regions in Sri Lanka | Mr. M Anukoolan, University of Peradeniya |
| 15:20 - 15:35 | IST/25/SL/018 | Managers’ Perception on Crop Productivity and Training Needs of State-Managed and Regional Plantation Company Tea Estates in Mid-Country, Sri Lanka | Mr. K R W B Kahandawa, Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka |