(GIST OF SCIENCE REPORTER) NeophyteID App

(FEBRUARY-2026)

Recently, the Kerala Chief Minister launched the NeophyteID application.

It is an AI-powered mobile application designed to help users identify invasive plant species across Kerala.
It is developed by researchers at the Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences (MBGIPS),
Technology Used: It is powered by the YOLOv11 machine learning
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.

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.
Languages: It is accessible in English and Malayalam.