Ethnobotanical Exploration of Plants Utilized by the Bhotiya Tribe in the Upper Johar Valley, Indo-Tibet Border

The excessive reliance on plastic in the $104.2 billion global toy industry has led to severe environmental concerns, with 90% of toys being plastic-based and 80% ultimately discarded in landfills, where they persist for up to 500 years. Addressing this issue, this study investigates the potential of sugarcane bagasse (SCB), an abundant agricultural by-product in India, and mycelium as biodegradable alternatives for toy manufacturing. With India producing over 500 million metric tons of sugarcane annually—resulting in nearly 100 million metric tons of SCB—repurposing this waste could contribute to sustainable material development. To evaluate SCB's viability, four substrate forms—fine, coarse, ashed, and filter mud—were prepared and inoculated with mycelium spores. Incubation occurred under controlled conditions (25–27°C, 25–30 days), followed by prototype formation in pin and ball molds and drying at 40°C for stability. The study assessed mycelium colonization, structural integrity, shrinkage control, dye absorption, and aroma infusion. Findings revealed that coarse SCB exhibited the highest colonization efficiency, with fine SCB supporting moderate growth, while ashed SCB and filter mud showed limited compatibility. Developed prototypes demonstrated 88% structural integrity, 93% shrinkage control, and 80% durability. Natural dyeing with turmeric and onion peels was effective, whereas aroma infusion yielded inconclusive results. By offering a viable, biodegradable alternative to plastic toys, this research promotes circular economy principles and waste valorization. Further exploration of material properties, large-scale production, and commercialization is essential for industry adoption.

@article{mukta2026,
  author  = {Mukta Martolia, Balwant Kumar*},
  title   = {{Ethnobotanical Exploration of Plants Utilized by the Bhotiya Tribe in the Upper Johar Valley, Indo-Tibet Border}},
  journal = {Journal of Bioresearch},
  year    = {2026},
  volume  = {4},
  number  = {2},
  pages   = {14-24},
  doi     = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14983212},
}