Prelims: Current events of national and international importance
Why in news?
An invasive species detection app, NeophyteID, will be launched at Kerala recently.
It is an AI-powered mobile application designed to help users identify invasive plant species across Kerala.
Developed by -Researchers at the Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences (MBGIPS).
Powered by -The YOLOv11 machine learning model.
Key features- The app leverages image recognition and geospatial tracking to accurately detect and map invasive (neophyte) plant species directly from your camera or gallery.
Each identification contributes to a real-time distribution map, supporting research, conservation, and community-based biodiversity management.
It is accessible in English and Malayalam.
It is aimed as a citizen-friendly app which enables local communities, students and ecologists to collectively monitor, report and manage the spread of invasive plants threatening native flora and ecosystems.
