Technical Activities

Besides the workshops and field trips, on the technology front work was progressing in a smooth phase.

Just prior to the third workshop a windows beta version of the BIOTIK tool was released. It was made available on the project website, as a free download for those interested. The software was developed using Visual Basic and the database was developed in Microsoft Access. This beta version was released in accordance with the work plan and also to facilitate an early testing of the drawings used in the software and the architectural design of the software itself on field.

The release has the main features of the BIOTIK application viz. the main screen, associative function buttons to select the habit, phyllotaxy, results with a formidable backend database support. The main screen of the application also had options to select between various character states for characters such as the roots , leaves (simple, monocotyledon and compound) and habit. The advantageous aspect of such a discrete design of application with an independent database backend is that, any future modifications to both Desktop and online versions becomes easier and does not require total rewriting of the application itself. The development process was in consistent progress with other related areas of activity and has resulted in the Biotik applications for India and Laos.



A Project funded by


Project Duration


IFP CIRAD  Asia IT&C National University of Laos National Herbarium - Leiden