Research Projects

Three fruit bearing wild plants namely Rubus spp. Crataegus spp., Viburnum spp. and one leafy plant Taraxacum spp. will be selected for the study. To explore, collect and determine species diversity of selected wild edible plants of northern Himalaya used by tribals as food, the location for survey will include Gurez, Lolab, Tangdar, Kargil, Leh, Poonch and Rajouri. Samples of selected wild edible plants will be collected from their main growing regions and brought to the laboratory of Food Science and Technology, SKUAST Kashmir for studies. For nutritional profiling, total solid, carbohydrate, protein, fat, calorie and ash content will be determined as per standard procedures. Minerals and heavy metals will be determined by using ICP-MS. Antinutritional factors will be determined spectrophotometrically. Bioactive characterization will be done by determining polyphenols, terpenoids, vitamins etc. using HPLC. Antioxidant properties will be evaluated using various chemical assays like D

Si gnificant advancements were made in exploring, profiling, and value addition to selected wild edible plants of the Northern Himalayas, particularly Rubus , Viburnum , and Taraxacum species. Ethnobotanical surveys in regions like Gurez , Rajouri, Pahalgam and Tangmarg highlighted the tr aditional use of Viburnum for digestive ailments, respiratory conditions, and mild pain relief. Nutritional and nutraceutical profiling of Viburnum fruits revealed promising levels of vitamin C, total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. HPLC - b ased phytochemical analysis of Taraxacum confirmed the presence of valuable compounds such as chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin