Biodiesel a fuel substitute produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or algae is one of the most important renewable natural resources for agrarian countries. The justification for developing biodiesel as an alternate fuel is manifold, and rising crude oil prices and the vulnerability of energy security have made biodiesel necessary and inevitable. The Practical Handbook on Biodiesel Production and Properties has assembled and analyzed the recent trends of biodiesel research, production, and implementation. It includes practical guidance on the identification of plant resources and their distribution, botanical description, palynology, oil extraction, production process, and biodiesel yield. The production and usage of biodiesel will strengthen the agricultural sector, provide energy to remote areas without access to conventional energy, contribute towards economic development, and increase industrial activity. Drawing on both scientific and participatory processes, this book enables the successful utilization and commercialization of biofuel technology.

The Himalayan region is among the largest mountains systems of the world with uncounted unique medicinal plants resources. The lesser Himalayas ranges are the extension of Greater Himalayas. They have unique ecology, vegetation and diversity of medicinal flora due to tremendous variation in the altitude, climate and associated wildlife. The utilization of medicinal plants in medicine suffers from the fact that although plants are used to treat diseases, scientific evidence is lacking in many cases. Different societies of the world use the plants according to their own beliefs and knowledge and previous experiences. Their knowledge about the use of the plants is usually not known to the other world or science. This book provides a brief introduction of Lesser Himalayas, ethnobotanical aspects, marketing and anthropogenic pressure on medicinal flora. It comprises one hundred medicinal plant species including Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms (Monocots and Dicots) along with their scientific description and traditional uses.

Our intention with this book was to present the reader with the most accurate, significant, and up-to-date background and knowledge in the areas of ethnomedicinal and nutraceutical vegetation for the Lesser Himalayas in a comprehensive text. Wild Edible Vegetables of Lesser Himalayas provides a complete review of over 50 important plants of this region and details each species including photographs, botanical name, local name, family, flowering and fruiting period, status and habitat, parts used, distribution, ethnobotanical uses, cultural aspects, medicinal uses, and nutraceutical aspects. Medicinal uses include mode of preparation, method of application and diseases studied; cultural aspects and index; nutraceutical data provides analysis of fats, proteins, fibers, carbohydrates, ash, moisture content, dry matter, and energy value; elemental analysis includes various essential and toxic metals; phytochemical screening includes total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols and ascorbic acid, and antioxidant potential in terms of DPPH scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, H2O2 scavenging activity, Fe2+ chelating activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and phosphomolybdenum assay for each species. Wild Edible Vegetables of Lesser Himalayas is a concise and handy guide for scientists, scholars, and students interested in the study of agriculture, food science, nutraceutical science, bioscience, biodiversity, applied ethnobotany, ethnoecology, and ecology.

Biodiesel-a fuel substitute produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or algae-is one of the most important renewable natural resources for agrarian countries. The justification for developing biodiesel as an alternate fuel is manifold, and rising crude oil prices and the vulnerability of energy security have made biodiesel necessary and inevitable. The Practical Handbook on Biodiesel Production and Properties has assembled and analyzed the recent trends of biodiesel research, production, and implementation. It includes practical guidance on the identification of plant resources and their distribution, botanical description, palynology, oil extraction, production process, and biodiesel yield. The production and usage of biodiesel will strengthen the agricultural sector, provide energy to remote areas without access to conventional energy, contribute towards economic development, and increase industrial activity. Drawing on both scientific and participatory processes, this book enables the successful utilization and commercialization of biofuel technology.

The Himalayan region is among the largest mountains systems of the world with uncounted unique medicinal plants resources. The lesser Himalayas ranges are the extension of Greater Himalayas. They have unique ecology, vegetation and diversity of medicinal flora due to tremendous variation in the altitude, climate and associated wildlife.

The utilization of medicinal plants in medicine suffers from the fact that although plants are used to treat diseases, scientific evidence is lacking in many cases. Different societies of the world use the plants according to their own beliefs and knowledge and previous experiences. Their knowledge about the use of the plants is usually not known to the other world or science. This book provides a brief introduction of Lesser Himalayas, ethnobotanical aspects, marketing and anthropogenic pressure on medicinal flora. It comprises one hundred medicinal plant species including Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms (Monocots and Dicots) along with their scientific description and traditional uses.

The present study deals with manifests the typical plant diversity of Himalayan region of Kaghan Valley, Pakistan. The morphological and palynological studies including light microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)has done on 40 species and 22 genera of 21 families. This study is very fruitful results as all selected plants are medicinal and have very strong ethnobotanical characteristics, and the work done has given the key to identification of following medicinal plants for further Pharmacognostic and taxonomical studies in future.

This book describes ethnobotanical exploration, taxonomic evaluation and nutraceutical assessment of twenty different edible wild fruit species. The detailed study includes taxonomy, morphology, organoleptography, micromorphology, palynology and ethnobotanical uses. The research project provides vital information for the selection and promotion of edible fruits, for increased utilization and better nutrition. These wild edible fruits not only serve as a source of nutrients and as an alternative and unorthodox source of food but also as good medicine.

This book describes the taxonomic and systematic studies of some important medicinal plants of Dir valley, Pakistan. The information regarding morphological and palynological characterization along with pollen fertility estimation of about 50 species of 37 genera belonging to 7 families are studied in detail. Morphological characters help in understanding the adaptation and differentiation in particular environment while the pollen morphology and its fertility estimation is closely related to its function and many of the pollen features helped the species to adapt the life on particular geography and disperse its pollen in successful manner to fertilize the egg for the production of a new plant. The data derived from the research can contribute to the taxonomy of these families and may provide new dimensions towards further research in the discipline of morpho-palynological systematics.

This book describes the systematics, ethnobotanical uses and nutritional survey of twenty different species of wild edibles (fruits and vegetables). The information regarding taxonomy, morphology, organoleptography, palynomorphological characterization, anatomy, medicinal and ethnobotanical uses are incorporated in detail. Wild edibles (fruits and vegetables) are the best alternative of cultivated food and source of several essential nutrients. These wild edibles can be used in long terms to overcome the rising food prices, micronutrient deficiency and poverty elevation.

This book described in detail the systematics and medicinal uses of 22 species of Ficus. The information regarding taxonomy, morphology, palynomorphological characterization, anatomy, elemental analysis of thirteen elements through flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer of different parts of species and medicinal uses with special emphasis on Anti-diabetic uses are incorporated in seven chapters.

In the modern time, medicinal plant resources are being depleted by the increase of population and excessive biotic activities. If this trend of constant depletion of medicinal plants persists, this may cause an acute paucity of the resources of medicinal plants in future and pose a serious threat to the physical well being of mankind. Hence, the study of plants as a source of medicine has become more important in the context of present global trade scenario, where the cost of allopathic medicines are likely to be beyond the reach of common man. So more folklore of our indigenous knowledge of medicine should be explored and availability of such plants should also be surveyed in each and every part of the country. There exists a considerable diversity in the flora of Kaghan Valley. Bryophytes are represented by 6 species, Pteridophytes by 53 species, Gymnosperms by 12 and Angiosperms by 775 species (i.e., Monocots 136 species and Dicots 639 species). It manifests the typical plant diversity of Himalayan region of Kaghan Valley.

A plant resource can be defined as a plant or a part of plant that is of actual or potential value to people. There are many types of values, utilitarian and otherwise. It is possible to regard all plant species and all plant genetic diversity as resources. Plants are universally recognized as a vital part of the world's biological diversity and an essential resource for the planet. In addition to the small number of crop plants used for basic food and fibres, many thousands of wild plants have great economic and cultural importance and potential, providing food, medicine, fuel, clothing and shelter for vast numbers of people throughout the world. Plants play a key role in maintaining the planet's basic environmental balance and ecosystem stability and provide an important component of the habitats for the world's animal life. The purpose of the project was to build capacity in applied ethnobotany for the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of plant resources and documentation of traditional knowledge of plants.

This monograph includes the tribe Paniceae comprising the genera Brachiaria, Cenchrus, Echinochloa, Eriochloa, Oplismenus, Panicum, Paspalidium, Paspalam, Penniseum and Setaria. For the recognition and circumscription of the tribes, genera and species, very limited characters of the floral parts are used, whose validity and significance is important. The absence of a valid taxonomic treatment of these genera make it necessary to revise the past work and to carry out further research on new aspects. This study was carried out to clear up the taxonomic position of a number of taxa. The present account includes the comprehensive study of the morphological, anatomical and palynological aspects and elemental dispersive spectrophotometer analysis (EDS) of 10 genera of tribe Paniceae present from Pakistan.

Grasses belong to one of the most fascinating families of flowering plants and have a wide range of diversity and play significant role in the lives of human beings and animals. The value of grasses to mankind has been recognized since the dawn of human civilization, and culture of cereal grasses dates back to period when man was emerging from wild beast stage. Grasses inhabit the earth in greater abundance than any other comparable group of plants, some are present in warm, humid and tropical climates, while others have adopted the polar regions, where the growing season is two months or less and direct sunlight is absent for many months of the year. Grasses are used as food for human and forage for domesticated animals. A high proportion of the world's most fertile and productive soil is developed under the vegetation cover of grasses. Roots, stolen, rhizomes and littler form the annual replacement of leafy culms, not only are soil builders but also are effective soil stabilizers. Wild life is also dependent upon grass and grassland habitats for food, shelter and normal completion of their life cycle.

In recent years there is a spurt in the interest regarding survival of traditional herbal drug medication. At the same time in the global perspective, the authenticity, purity and standardization are important aspects with respect to herbal drugs. As the name implies authenticity relates to providing the materials is true and corresponds to right identity. This book describes the chemotaxonomic markers including organoleptography (color, taste, odor, appearance, texture, clarity), morpho-palynology {macro and microscopic features based on light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), leaf epidermal anatomy (LM), chromatographic analysis (TLC)} and fluorescence quenching (UV and IR analysis) used as an aid in the identification of genuine source of herbal drugs. Because of gravity of problems like adulteration, nomenclatural confusion, morphological similarities and lack of knowledge about genuine source, these chemotaxonomic techniques are of utmost importance for wider acceptance according to World Health Organization (WHO).

This study represents one of the most extensive studies of the family Polygonaceae from Pakistan that includes multiple accessions of forty seven species belonging to seven genera of the family. One species i-e., Rumex senguineus collected from Brighton, United Kingdom used for AFLP analysis is also morphologically described. As this work is descriptive in nature, it highlights the taxonomic utility of morphological, anatomical, palynological and molecular markers. Most of the literature available for the genus Polygonum L. dealt with sectional division of the genus but in this study, it has been treated as to be segregated into different genera. So in particular, this study has attempted to justify the recent division of complex genus Polygonum L. into segregate genera instead of sections as put forwarded by previous workers and to evaluate Rumex L. taxonomically through these markers. Out of these forty eight species, thirteen species belonging to four genera have been analyzed through molecular technique known as AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism).

The research project was carried out during 2006- 2009. The studies confined to the revision of 31 species belonging to six genera, Abutilon Mill., Alcea L., Althaea L., Malva L., Hibiscus L., and Sida L. of family Malvaceae in Pakistan. A synthetic approach (classical and applied) is adopted by the application of general plant morphology, foliar epidermal anatomy and pollen morphology. AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) marker system was used to explore phenetic relationships and diversity within and among 13 Malvaceous species belonging to 5 different genera.