Mushtaq Ahmad

Quaid-i-Azam University | QAU · Department of Plant Science

Considering the limited data available on tree species in Uzbekistan, this research aimed to provide new insights. We gathered plant samples from different locations within Samarkand city and thoughtfully selected 15 tree species that represent the country’s flora. Using scanning electron microscopy, we conducted comprehensive analyses of pollen mo...

Herbal flora has been employed to address and heal diverse health-associated predicaments since the antiquated era. Withania coagulans , a member of Solanaceae family, is a noteworthy medicinal herb commonly referred to as Rishyagandha. Predominantly located within the Eastern Mediterranean region, with its range extending as far as South Asia, is...

Astragalus L. sect. Aegacantha Bunge has 57 described species mostly confined in Southwest Asia and Central Asia. Here, we studied the pollen morphology of 17 species from this section present in Pakistan. Pollen morphology of sect. Aegacantha species is poorly investigated despite its systematic importance. The main aim of this study is to determi...

The species of Astragalus L. sect. Aegacantha Bunge, occurring in a specific geographical range comprises eighteen species present in Pakistan. The present study was circumscribed seventeen delimiting species within the section with morphological, anatomical and seed macro- and micromorphological characterizations. In morphological study, shape and...

Scanning microscopic imaging has become a valuable research tool in micromorphology with improved techniques playing an important role in analysing the ultrastructure of leaf specimens. The foliar epidermal anatomy of 25 selected poisonous plants with special emphasis on stomata and trichomes was reported using microscopic techniques, for instance,...

Medicinal plants and their products have played a significant role in improving health conditions through herbal therapies. This study is confined to report and explore floral dicot diversity and their potential in drug development in the herbal industry and revenue generation at local, regional, and national levels. The inhabitants of deserts use...

This study examines the role of light microscopic (LM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) micromorphological traits of the epidermis in identifying and classifying invasive plants. SEM was conducted to increase our understanding of microscopic qualities that are not visible in light microscopy and to elucidate unclear affinities among invasive...

The green chemistry method for nanocatalyst synthesis along with environmentally feasible non-edible sources are promising alternatives to fossil fuels. The current study focuses on the synthesis of copper oxide phyto-nanocatalyst and the identification of a new renewable feedstock, Citrullus colocynthis, to reduce environmental pollution. The high...

Book Chapter

Our current investigation aimed to explore Cichorium intybus as a novel and nonedible seed oil (34% w/w) producing plant species for green and sustainable production of biodiesel to contribute an alternative substitute to depleting fossil fuel reservoirs. Transesterification of Cichorium intybus seed oil was catalyzed by green nanoparticles of MgO...

There is a relentless human need to understand life by tracing the historical development of the discipline of plant sciences, the part of natural science that covers traditionally treated plants. The history of plant taxonomy and floristic studies—the botanical classification of plants into different groups and their distribution in different natu...

Petiole anatomy is considered one of the important diagnostic characteristics that can be effectively employed in taxa discrimination at the species level. In this study, comprehensive petiole anatomy of 25 wild Brassicaceae taxa from Northern Baluchistan was carried out to examine variations in petiole anatomical features that are significant in t...

Several studies have demonstrated the usefulness of leaf epidermal, and spore morphological characters in the taxonomy of genus Asplenium. However, works on the Pakistani species of Asplenium are not existent. With the objective to verify the efficacy of leaf epidermal and spore morphological traits, the leaf epidermis and spore morphology in nine...

Due to the diverse and rich taxa, Asteraceae needs to explore from the untouched area. In this study, the pollen study was intended to assess the taxonomic value for Asteraceous taxa growing on the Sikaram Mountain Pak‐Afghan border. Both microscopic techniques (LM and SEM) play a significant role in the identification and classification of herbace...

Recently, intensifying energy crises accompanying ecological crises due to the decline in fossil-fuel reserves and extensive greenhouse gas emissions have triggered the exploration of renewable substitutes for petro-diesel. In this scenario, biodiesel is the best alternative to non-renewable finite conventional fuels due to its cost-effectiveness,...

Salinized lands are considered a major problem in arid and semi-arid countries. About one-third of the irrigated land of the world is salt-affected because of unsustainable irrigation approaches. Fresh water resources are depleting rapidly. In this situation, it is difficult to develop non-conventional agricultural technology that could use saline...

Halophytes include plant species that are adapted to live especially in saline soils. About 955 million hectors of land are salt-affected worldwide and the Southwestern Asian deserts constitute the most part of this land. Nearly 30% of the semi-arid irrigated areas of Asia are facing salinization. Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, L...

Halophytes are highly specialized plants having specific morphological and physiological adaptations that allow them to survive under saline conditions. Their tolerance is determined by different factors, as they have variety of adaptations to maintain their ion homeostasis in such environments and they acquire or store water as well as protect the...

Effective forest conservation and management needs to consider ecological factors and the susceptibility of different tree species to anthropogenic activity. Dry deciduous forests in the tropics have been undervalued because of their low timber production compared to temperate and boreal forests. In order to quantify the current significance of Pak...

Citation: Akhtar, M.T.; Ahmad, M.; Ramadan, M.F.; Makhkamov, T.; Yuldashev, A.; Mamarakhimov, O.; Munir, M.; Asma, M.; Zafar, M.; Majeed, S. Sustainable Production of Biodiesel from Novel Non-Edible Oil Seeds (Descurainia sophia L.) via Green Nano CeO 2 Catalyst. Energies 2023, 16, 1534. https://doi. Abstract: The current study focuses on the synth...

Sustainable biodiesel synthesis from waste, toxic and non-edible oil seeds give a sustainable opportunity to combat energy crises and environmental depreciation. A new non-edible oil of Diospyros malabarica (Malabar Ebony) was analyzed for the synthesis of eco-friendly biodiesel using newly synthesized green nanoparticles (NPs) of Cadmium oxide (Cd...

Better processing techniques must be utilized widely due to the rising demand for honey. The most common honey processing techniques are applied to melissopalynomorphs to check the quality and quantity of valuable honey using microporous ultrafiltration membranes. It is essential to have the ability to selectively filter out sugars from honey using...

The aim of the study was to visualize the micromorphology of Amaranthaceous pollen using scanning electron microscopy collected from the Thal Desert. Field collection was conducted from July to September 2021. A total of 14 taxa of the family Amaranthaceae were collected which belong to nine genera. Achyranthes aspera, Aerva javanica, Aerva lanata,...

Palaeoflora in Pakistan in the Miocene is characterized by its high biodiversity. The present study investigated the pollen of fossil plants from the Murree Formation of Pakistan. Shales and mudstones were collected from the Murree section located at the foothills of the Margalla hills and analyzed by palynofacies and palynostratigraphic analyses....

Renewable energy sources such as biodiesel have gained attention due to their pollution free and eco-friendly nature. The use of heterogenous nanocatalyst is preferred in biodiesel production to their ease of recovery and recyclability. In this study, biodiesel was produced from nonedible Cordia dichotoma seed oil using NiO nanocatalyst. NiO nanoca...

Micromorphological and ultrastructural data have been helpful in determining the evolution, classification, ecology, and phylogeny of seed plants. Taxonomic utility of seed characters has been explored, although the value of micro-structure in selected dicot angiosperms from desert areas has not been adequately addressed. We conducted a comparative...

Sustainable biodiesel synthesis from waste, toxic and non-edible oil seeds give a sustainable opportunity to combat energy crises and environmental depreciation. A new non-edible oil of Diospyros malabarica (Malabar Ebony) was analyzed for the synthesis of eco-friendly biodiesel using newly synthesized green nanoparticles (NPs) of Cadmium oxide (Cd...

The contribution of bioenergy to the global energy system is substantial and indispensable. Because of the population explosion, global energy demand has increased along with fossil fuel consumption. In this scenario, energy derived from biomass may significantly lower carbon emissions, exclusively in difficult-to-decarbonize industries like manufa...

Current study focuses on the utilization of non-edible oil seeds of Cannabis sativa as an economical feedstock for synthesizing high quality biodiesel using novel, green and extremely reactive tungsten oxide (WO3) nano catalyst. The as synthesized green nanoparticles (NPs) were examined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray D...

Depletion of non-renewable fuel has obliged researchers to seek out sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives. Membranes have proven to be an effective technique in biofuel production for reaction, purification, and separation, with the ability to use both porous and non-porous membranes. It is demonstrated that a membrane-based sustain...

This research examined the histological micro-structure of tendril vasculature in cucurbitaceous taxa. In this research, the tendril anatomy of 17 taxa of Cucurbitaceae categorized into seven genera, including Cucumis (five species), Cucurbita and Luffa (three species each), Citrullus and Momordica (two species each) while Lagenaria and Praecitrull...

This paper described the microstructural features of the histological vasculature family Amaranthaceae. The petiole anatomy of 14 Amaranthaceous species categorized into nine genera, including Amaranthus and Chenopodium (3 species each), Alternanthera (2 species), and Aerva, Achyranthes, Atriplex, Bassia, Digera, and Gomphrena (one species each). A...

The pollen morphology of weeds was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A morpho-palynological investigation of 18 species of weeds that belongs to 16 angiosperms families was performed using SEM to document distinguishable microscopic features. The main objective of the present study was to provide basic knowledge about morpho-palyn...

Introduction of waste and non-edible oil seeds coupled with green nanotechnology offered a pushover to sustainable and economical biofuels and bio refinery production globally. The current study encompasses the synthesis and application of novel green, highly reactive and recyclable bismuth oxide nanocatalyst derived from Euphorbia royealeana (Falc...

Climate change and food security are highly interlinked challenges currently faced by human societies. Food and nutrition insecurity has increased due to a greater sensitivity to shifting climatic conditions and obsolete food production and processing methods. To face such challenges, climate-smart agriculture can be referred to as an approach that...

Excessive emission of sulfur dioxides from the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels for thermal and industrial purposes has been associated with serious environmental hazards. Biodesulfisation (BDS) can be an effective approach for reducing the impact of toxic gases to its inbuilt operational feasibility under ambient environmental conditions....

Pollen grains were studied for ten species of Astragalus L. endemic to Pakistan, by using light and scanning electron microscopy with the aim of extending the knowledge of their morphology and investigating whether pollen morphology can help in the identification and delimitation of controversial taxa. Consequently, we observed qualitative characte...

Heterogeneous catalyst prepared from Ailanthus altissima oil cake along with cadmium sulphide catalyst proved to be an efficient, cost-effective and sustainable source of biodiesel synthesis from Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) seed oil. Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) is a non-edible wild plant having significant oil content of 40%, being an ideal low cost...

Membrane technology has been embraced as a feasible and promising substitute to the traditional technologies employed for biodiesel synthesis which are energy and time consuming. It needs less energy, has high stability, is environmentally friendly, and is simple to operate and control. Therefore, in our current study membrane technology was employ...

This study aimed to document indigenous knowledge about the utilization of medicinal plants for various illnesses in the North-Eastern part of the Kakar region of Balochistan province. The ethnomedicinal documentation contains quantitative and qualitative information on medicinal plant diversity with aimed to develop current marketing for medicinal...

The effects of synthetic fertilizer and nutrient leaching are causing serious problems impacting soil function and its fertility. Mitigation of nutrient leaching and use of chemical fertilizer is crucial as fertile land adds up sustainability to climate changes. Biochar produced from agricultural bio-waste and municipal solid waste has been used fo...

In the current study, a novel green nano-catalyst from Tragacanth gum (TG) was synthesized and used for sustainable biodiesel production from Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. seed oil. Brassica juncea (L.) Czern contains 30% oil on dry basis and free fatty acid content of 0.43 mg KOH/g. Physio-chemical characterization of a newly synthesized nano-cataly...

: In the current study, a novel green nano-catalyst from Tragacanth gum (TG) was synthe�sized and used for sustainable biodiesel production from Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. seed oil. Brassica juncea (L.) Czern contains 30% oil on dry basis and free fatty acid content of 0.43 mg KOH/g. Physio�chemical characterization of a newly synthesized nano-cat...

We confined the formation and characterization of heterogenous nano‐catalysts and then used them to produce biodiesel from the novel non‐edible seed oil of Prunus aitchisonii. P. aitchisonii seeds’ oil content was extracted at about 52.4 ± 3% with 0.77% FFA. Three different heterogenous nano‐catalysts—calcined (CPC), KPC, and KOH‐activated P. aitch...

Invasive alien species (IAS) are considered as the second major threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction worldwide. They are aggressive competitors and dominate an ecosystem where they introduce and cause reduction in indigenous diversity. Invasive plants alter the evolutionary pathways of native species by competition, niche displacement,...

This study aims to examine the potential of non-edible seed oil (Cucumis melo var. agrestis), seed oil content 29.1%, FFA 0.64 (mg KOH/g) for biodiesel production via nano-catalyst. The catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energ...

The present study was aimed at investigating seed macro and micro-morphological and foliar epidermal anatomical characters of 15 Acanthus species from Pakistan. Firstly, plant specimens were collected and then identified on the basis of relevant references. For morphological analysis, seed characters were carefully examined using stereo microscopy...

In the recent era, population control is a global issue as well as national community health concern. Plants are being used as a source of medicines by human beings since ancient times. This study highlights the collection, identification and diversity of medicinal plants concerning their traditional knowledge to get better access to the herbal mal...

In the recent era, population control is a global issue as well as national community health concern. Plants are being used as a source of medicines by human beings since ancient times. This study highlights the collection, identification and diversity of medicinal plants concerning their traditional knowledge to get better access to the herbal mal...

The research and innovative strategies for large scale production and commercialization of algae based biodiesel still presents a need for analysis based on sustainability and quality check. In this study, the three key growth factors (nitrogen concentration, temperature and pH) were manipulated using the Box-Behnken design of the experiment, with...

Membrane technology has been adopted as a prospective and promising alternative to the standard technology used for biodiesel production since the time when it had some limitations. During this research project, the inedible seed oil generating feedstock known as Saussurea heteromalla was put through a biodiesel production process that utilized mem...

Environmental pollution caused by conventional petro-diesel initiates at time of crude oil extraction and continues until its consumption. The resulting emission of poisonous gases during the combustion of petroleum-based fuel has worsened the greenhouse effect and global warming. Moreover, exhaustion of finite fossil fuels due to extensive exploit...

Isodon rugosus Wall. ex Benth (IR) is one of the ethnomedicinal important plants of Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan. The present study aims to evaluate the micro-morphological features, phytochemical screening, and pharmacological potential of IR. SEM and LM were used as an identification tool. Five different solvents were used to prepare IR ex...

Microscopic visualization of micro‐morphological characters were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopic (SEM) tool, which has proven to be very successful to analyze the pollen surface peculiarities. The significant goal of this research was to perform microscopic examination of pollen of some of the most frequently visited honeybee floral...

Biodiesel is a sustainable, inexpensive, and alternative energy source produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Precise and authentic identification of oil yielding plant species is very crucial. Therefore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed in our current investigation to study micromorphological characteristics of ten novel oil...

Livestock rearing often remain the sole means of livelihood in agro-pastoral communities harboring in rural mountainous settings. This study documents the characteristics, altitudinal distribution, seasonal availability, mode of utilization, preference rank, and palatability of fodder species used by indigenous agro-pastoralist communities of Buner...

Bergenia ciliata is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of kidney stones. The presented review is the first attempt to gather utmost information about the distribution, ethno-medicines, phytochemical analysis, phar-macology and toxicology of B. ciliata. This review was designed with the aim to compile fragmented information about B. ciliata in...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: This is the first study of the indigenous knowledge in regard to the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of oral diseases in the Central Punjab, Pakistan region. The study aimed to document indigenous knowledge about the treatments of oral diseases using quantitative ethnobotanical indices, as well as highlight...

Garam Chashma valley is a mountainous valley situated in the Hindukush mountain range in Pakistan. This area is blessed with rich and diverse medicinal flora extensively utilized by the local community to cure health issues. The present article aims to explore and document the indigenous traditional knowledge about wild plants and their curative pr...

Opuntia is the most diverse and widely distributed drought resistant promising genus of family Cactaceae. The cladodes were utilized to quantify the chemical composition of these plants helpful in lignocellulose conversion and their application towards biofuel production. The present study was aimed to evaluate and compare the taxonomic relationshi...

Microscopic pollen characters from 19 species of family Asteraceae collected from different areas of the Potohar Plateau of Pakistan have been investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. This study uses microscopic techniques to provide detailed information on pollen and its exine structure based on qualitative and quantitative chara...

This research aimed to explore the melliferous bee flora pollen from arid zones of District Attock, Islamabad Capital and Rawalpindi. Morpho‐palynological features has provided key information for the classification and help to explain the taxonomy of several genera and species. Therefore, in this work, we examined the morphological characters of p...

Palynological characterization is considered to be one of the significant taxonomic tools for the delimitation and identification of morphologically complicated taxa. Hence, the pollen morphology of 12 species of spineless Astragalus L. was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Studied pollen were small to medium, monad, prolate to...

The cleaner and sustainable production of biodiesel from toxic and hazardous non-edible seed oils offer a remarkable opportunity to deal with energy crises and provide a renewable substitute to depleting fossil fuels. In the current study, the potential of the novel, toxic and non-edible seed oil of Zanthoxylum armatum was investigated for eco-frie...

Herbal medicines are gaining popularity worldwide for human healthcare because of their therapeutic potential. However, adulteration and use of unauthentic raw herbals as substitutes have become a major issue for the local communities and industry for reasons of safety and efficacy. Therefore, the authentication of medicinal plants before their use...

Honey is a nutrient-rich natural substance prepared by honeybees from the nectars of flowers. Various factors including botanical composition of the bee diet, geographical locations and environmental features affect the biochemical properties of honey, including its composition in biomolecules. In the present study melissopalynological techniques w...