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  • Dr Mekhala Vithana

    Dr Mekhala Vithana is a Lecturer in Horticulture in ECU’s School of Science.

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Dr Mekhala Vithana

Lecturer

Staff Member Details
Telephone: +61 8 6304 2146
Email: m.vithana@ecu.edu.au
Campus: Joondalup  
Room: JO19.341  
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1560-3600

Mekhala Vithana is a lecturer for ECU School of Science.

Current Teaching

  • SCI2151 Plant Physiology and Pathology
  • SCI2154 Principles of Fruit Production
  • SCI6162 Principles of Production Horticulture
  • SCI6163 Advanced Horticultural Production
  • SCI6164 Pathogens and Pests

Background

Mekhala joined Edith Cowan University in October 2021. She has over ten years of experience in University teaching and research in Horticulture and Agriculture related disciplines in both overseas and Australia. Mekhala received her PhD in Postharvest Horticulture with Chancellor’s commendation from Curtin University, Perth in 2018.

  • 2021                Lecturer, Edith Cowan University
  • 2019-2021       Analytical Scientist, Bioscience Pty Ltd.
  • 2018-2019       University Associate, Curtin University
  • 2009-2018       Lecturer, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
  • 2004-2009       Assistant Lecturer, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

Professional Memberships

  • 2018 - Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology, AIFST (Member)
  • 2009 – 2017 - Young Scientists Forum Sri Lanka, YSF (Member)
  • 2010-2014- Cashew Research and Management Committee Sri Lanka (Member)
  • 2021 - Australian Society of Horticultural Science

Awards and Recognition

  • 2018 - Chancellor’s commendation for PhD thesis offered by Curtin University, Perth
  • 2014 - Endeavour Postgraduate Award (PhD) offered by the Australian government
  • 2011- Award of Scholarship for MPhil program under the ‘Higher Education of Twenty First Century’ project offered by Ministry of Higher Education Sri Lanka
  • 2004 - S.F.H Perera Memorial Prize for Agriculture offered by University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Research Areas and Interests

  • Regulation of the levels of health promoting compounds in fruit and vegetables
  • Value addition to underutilised horticultural produce
  • Increasing shelf life of fresh horticultural produce

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy - Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University of Technology, 2018.
  • Master of Science in Crop Science, Sri Lanka, 2009.
  • Bachelor of the Science of Agriculture, Sri Lanka, 2004.

Research Outputs

2024

Journal Articles

  • Vithana, M., Singh, Z., Ul Hasan, M. (2024). Pre- and Post-harvest Elicitation with Methyl Jasmonate and Salicylic Acid Followed by Cold Storage Synergistically Improves Red Colour Development and Health-Promoting Compounds in Blood Oranges. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 2024(Article in press), 15 pages. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-11212-8.

2019

Journal Articles

  • Vithana, M., Singh, Z., Johnson, S. (2019). Regulation of the levels of health promoting compounds: lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in the pulp and peel of mango fruit: a review. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 99(8), 3740-3751. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.9628.
  • Vithana, M., Singh, Z., Johnson, S. (2019). Harvest maturity stage affects the concentrations of health-promoting compounds: Lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in the pulp and peel of ripe ‘Kensington Pride’ mango fruit. Scientia Horticulturae, 243(3 January 2019), 125-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.08.019.
  • Vithana, M., Singh, Z., Johnson, S., Gupta, R. (2019). Concentrations of health-promoting phytochemicals in ripe mango fruit triggered by postharvest application of elicitors. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 99(3), 1126-1134. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.9280.

2018

Journal Articles

  • Vithana, M., Singh, Z., Johnson, S. (2018). Dynamics in the concentrations of health‐promoting compounds: lupeol, mangiferin and different phenolic acids during postharvest ripening of mango fruit. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 98(4), 1460-1468. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.8614.
  • Vithana, M., Singh, Z., Johnson, S. (2018). Levels of terpenoids, mangiferin and phenolic acids in the pulp and peel of ripe mango fruit influenced by pre-harvest spray application of FeSO4 (Fe2+), MgSO4 (Mg2+) and MnSO4 (Mn2+). Food Chemistry, 256(1 August 2018), 71-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.02.087.
  • Vithana, M., Singh, Z., Johnson, S. (2018). Cold storage temperatures and durations affect the concentrations of lupeol, mangiferin, phenolic acids and other health-promoting compounds in the pulp and peel of ripe mango fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 139(May 2018), 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2017.12.003.

Research Projects

  • SCATES: Securing Critical Agriculture Technology and Emerging Solutions, Cyber Security Research Centre Ltd, Grant, 2023 ‑ 2024, $180,000.
  • Novel Strategies to Regulate Storage Life, Chilling Tolerance, Health-Promoting Compounds, and Overall Quality of Mango Fruit, Edith Cowan University, Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant Scheme 2022 (Stream 2), 2023 ‑ 2024, $39,794.

Research Student Supervision

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