This study is reporting the biofuel synthesis and characterization from the novel nonedible feedstock cocklebur seeds oil. The Cocklebur crop seeds oil was studied as a potential source for biofuel production based on the chemical, structural and fuel properties analysis. The oil expression and FFAs content in cocklebur crop was reported 37.2% and 0.47 gram KOH/g, using soxhlet apparatus and acid base titration method, respectively. The maximum conversion and yield of the cocklebur crop seeds non-edible oil to biofuel was pursued 93.33%, using transesterification process. The optimum protocol for maximum conversion yield was adjusted: 1:7 oil-methanol molar ratios, ZnO nano-particle concentration 0.2 gm (w/w), reaction temperature 60 • C, and reaction time 45 min, respectively. ZnO nano-particle was prepared by a modified sol-gel method, using gelatin and the particle was XRD, TEM, XPS, and UV-vis spectroscopies. Qualitatively, the cocklebur crop synthesized biofuel was quantified and structurally characterized by GC/MS, FT-IR, NMR, and AAS spectroscopies. Quantitatively, the fuel properties of cocklebur crop biofuel was analyzed and compared with the international ASTM and EN standards.

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Background: Local people of the Kumrat Valley, district Upper Dir in Northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan rely on wild food plants (WFP) for nutrition, medicine, and monetary value. The present study aimed to accomplish a detailed investigation of local wild food plants and their therapeutic importance to identify innovative organic food products that show potential for local marketing through their use prevalence and monetary value.Methods: Semi-structured interviews and group discussion, were conducted from May to September 2019. In the field survey, 78 local participants were selected using random sampling. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using Use Value (UV), Informant Agreement Ratio (IAR), and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC).Results: A total of 50 species of wild food plants and 2 fungal species of 30 botanical families and 40 genera were encountered. Family Rosaceae dominated with the highest species number (6 species), followed by Moraceae and Leguminosae. With respect to life forms, herbs constituted (60%), trees (30%), and shrubs (30%). Ripe fruits (43%) were the most frequently used part of wild foods.Conclusions: Important species may serve to guide development initiatives aimed at sustainable and culturally local projects. Traditional knowledge can be used for the synthesis of new allopathic medicines.

Background: A fair amount of ethnobotanical knowledge of wild plant species is still held by the native people of the Himalayan mountainous region. The present study quantified the ethnobotanical usage of plants in a remote tehsil (Karnah) of district Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, evaluating the traditional medicinal plants use against various diseases.Methods: This study was conducted in 2019 and 2020 to collect information regarding different ethnomedicinal uses of plant species growing in the region through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Multivariate ecological community analysis was used to find the relationship between ethnobotanical usage and plant species.Results: Floristically, a total of 29 plant species belonging to 25 genera were used as medicine. Asteraceae was the largest family with 14% species. The results of preference analysis showed a significant difference in plant part usage (χ 2 =70.587, df=9, p<0.001). The highest priority of local people was for leaves (38%). The most frequently usage was against stomach problems (20%). The dendrogram generated five distinctly separate clusters based on the usage of wild plant as traditional medicines against various diseases. A majority of the local people (81.33%) used traditional medicines and 49.23% regarded traditional medicines as always effective. Conclusions:This study provides a useful self-care tool for the native people of the Kashmir Himalayas and other similar Himalayan mountainous region. Further, this study will help in developing scientifically-informed strategies for conservation of medicinal resources and sustainable use of plant diversity in this part of Himalayan region.

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Traditional diets exist in all cultures and geographic regions, and they often represent healthy eating options. Traditional culinary preparations have, however, often undergone profound change, even in the isolated Himalayan region. Therefore, we adapted methods to identify traditional plant foraging activities to better understand their significance in food system sustainability, as well as to promote innovative local gastronomies. Information on wild food and foraging practices was gathered from varied ethnic groups such as Kashmiri, Gujjars, Pahari, Dogra, Bakarwal, Balti, Beda and Brokpa through interviews (n = 716) and group discussions (n = 67) in four bio-geographic regions of the Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas (J&KH). The data were subjected to ordination techniques (Principal Component Analysis) via R software Ver. 4.0.0. We documented 209 food species, of which 73% were plants and 27% animals, used by the inhabitants of four bio-geographic regions of J&KH. The highest number of food plant species was recorded in Indian Kashmir, followed by Jammu, Azad Kashmir and Ladakh (81, 65, 60 and 27 species, respectively), and the maximum number of animal species was reported in Indian Kashmir, followed by Azad Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu (33, 21, 19 and 17 species, respectively). The Azad Kashmir and Indian Kashmir regions showed greater similarity, whereas the least overlap was observed between Kashmir and Ladakh. The PCA showed considerable variation between different regions, and specific groups of species were more related to one specific region than others. The reported uses of Abies pindrow, Acacia modesta, Bergenia ciliata, Bergenia stracheyi and Juglans regia among plants, and Jynx torquilla, Streptopelia orientalis and Tadorna ferruginea among animals, are novel for the gastronomy of this part of the Himalayan region. We also recorded for the first time from this region seven unique food preparations of wild animals. This study documented extensive traditional knowledge on the usage of wild species, and is the first scientific description of wild food species and their vernacular names in the Western Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir. Our findings can contribute significantly to combating food insecurity by revitalizing and reconsidering the rich bio-cultural food heritage around which local traditional communities have developed their food systems.

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