Plant Computational Identification and Collaborative Information System

1. Plant Computational Identification and Collaborative Information System Daniel Barthélémy & al. INRA Umr AMAP Team-project IMEDIA

2. Context • Two major threats: global Food crisis,and the “6th Extinction” (i.e. biodiversity erosion) • In both cases, knowledge on Plants is crucial and underpins the success of sustainable agriculture & forestry andof biodiversity conservation • Main bottlenecks concern: • Plant identification(shortage of botanists and taxonomists) • Accumulation, interoperability and diffusion of basic data models and knowledge on plant distribution and production, (heterogeneous isolated databases and experiences) • TropicalandMediterraneanregions are the most concerned: richest, but least known floras and ecosystems

3. Team - Project IMEDIA The Pl@ntNet project • First flagship program of Agropolis Fondation(http://www.agropolis-fondation.fr/, 3 M€ financed for 4 years, for a total budget of 7 M €). • Main objectives:to develop (i) acollaborative network(around communities of actors)and (ii) acomputational platform, dedicated to the aggregation of tools and knowledge in Botany. 3 leader teams : + A network of national & international partnership:French Institute ofPondicherry, IUCN, CGIAR, Invasive Species Specialist Group ISSG-GISP, Kruger National Park, Univ. Davis (USA), Univ. Coimbra (Venezuela), Umr DIAPC,UM2 Collections Service, …

4. Pl@ntNote software : a freely customizable, multi-purpose tool for plant data collection, management and scientific exploitation

5. Web CD-ROM PDA IDAO software : Easy Plant Identification through identikit Identikit: fully graphical, interactive interface ; unordered choice of identification characters Oscar-Asi@ITC(EU project 2005-2006): Weeds of rice and wheat in Indo-Gangetic Plains Oswald-Asi@ITC (EU project 2005-2006): Weeds of rice in Cambodia and Laos Biotik-Asi@ITC (EU project 2005-2007): Western Ghats (India) and Laos rainforest trees Orchis-Asia-Invest (EU project 2006-2008): Orchids of Laos for customs FSP « sud expert » MAE (2006-2010): Trees of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam Available applications

6. Images courtesy of NASC (Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre) IKONA Software (Boujemaa et al., 2001 Inria/Imedia Team)

7. Citizen Sciences and Collaborative Works (Taxonomic indexes, Databases Constitution, e-floras, …)

8. Diffusion Identification Mediation Validation Global integration 40 35 30 25 20 15 0 20 40 60 80 Example of use of the Platform Local management Web Portal Local Exploitation Software engineering Global Exploitation

9. Pl@ntGrape case study • Partners • UMR DIAPC-Team Diversity, Genetics and Genomics of Grape • Institut Français de la vigne et du vin • Objectives • Diffusion of cultivars on-line files descriptions • On-line morphological identification tool • Databases for researches on automatic visual identification

10. Pl@ntTree case study • Partner • UR Dynamics of Natural Forests (Cirad) • Objectives • Development of an Identification tool for tropical trees of French Territories (Reunion Is., French Guiana, etc.) by the use of: • Graphic identification approach • Automatic image recognition of leaves, flowers, etc. • Link with biodiversity distribution, models and research

11. Pl@ntGhâts case study • Partner • The French Institute of Pondicherry • Objectives • Co-development of a web portal on the biological diversity of Western Ghâts mountain chain (biodiversity hotspot) • Web interface for a free modular tool for the management ofherbarium data (Pl@ntNote) • Research study on the modelling of geographic distribution at plant species and plant community levels

12. Pl@ntInvasive_Kruger • Partners • Kruger National Park (South Africa) • Group ISSG-GISP (IUCN, New Zealand, Italy) • Objectives • Development of an identification and information platform for invasive plants of the Kruger National Park(S. Africa) • One of the world’s most important protected areas for savanna ecosystems • Over 300 invasive species • 120 field rangers involved in the park management Foxcroft et al. 2007. Cons. Biol.

13. Pl@ntInvasive-FOM • Partners • The French Committee for IUCN • IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) • Objectives • Development of an identification and information platform for invasive plants of the French Overseas territories (FOM) • Consolidation of existing scientific knowledge on invasive plants • Adoption of best invasive plant management practices

14. Pl@ntWeeds case study • Partners • IRRI • Africa Rice • Central Univ. (Venezuela) • Univ. of California Davis (Usa) • Cuulong delta rice research Institute (Vietnam) • Objectives • Consolidation of existing scientific knowledge on rice weeds • Adoption of best weed management practices in rice cropping systems

15. Pl@ntWood case study • Partner • UR Production & valorisation of tropical wood (Cirad) • Objectives • Valorization and Digitization of a unique collection of tropical wood samples. • Development of a graphic identification tool for~110 French Guianan tree species, based on wood anatomy (22 characters) • Extension of this identification method to a larger number of species, through image recognition techniques

16. … a network of complementary skills targeting plant observation, use and study … Conclusion

17. ... To share the fruits of research, knowledge and expertise.

18. WWW.plantnet-project.org(to be launched at the end of 2009) Email : contact@plantnet-project.org Thank You !!!