Data Management in Multi-disciplinary African RTB Crop Breeding Programs

Abstract

Quality phenotype and genotype data are important for the success of a breeding program. Like most programs, African breeding programs generate large multi-disciplinary phenotypic and genotypic datasets from several locations, that must be carefully managed through the use of an appropriate database management system (DBMS) in order to generate reliable and accurate information for breeding-decisions. A DBMS is essential in data collection, storage, retrieval, validation, curation and analysis in plant breeding programs to enhance the ultimate goal of increasing genetic gain. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), working on the roots, tubers and banana (RTB) crops like cassava, yam, banana and plantain has deployed a FAIR-compliant (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) database; BREEDBASE. The functionalities of this database in data management and analysis have been instrumental in achieving breeding goals. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for each breeding process have been developed to allow a cognitive walkthrough for users. This has further helped to increase the usage and enhance the acceptability of the system. The wide acceptability gained among breeders in global cassava research programs has resulted in improvements in the precision and quality of genotype and phenotype data, and subsequent improvement in achievement of breeding program goals. Several innovative gender responsive approaches and initiatives have identified users and their preferences which have informed improved customer and product profiles. A remaining bottleneck is the effective linking of data on preferences and social information of crop users with technical breeding data to make this process more effective.

A case of transdisciplinarity and collaborative decision making: the co‐construction of Gendered Food Product Profiles

“…Collaboration over time of the project helped to create trust and co‐ownership of the data by social scientists, breeders and food scientists. This was also enabled at the higher level, with structural change occurring with breeding institutions towards a stage gate process currently being implemented in the CGIAR and among national partners 62,63 …”

“…This was also enabled at the higher level, with structural change occurring with breeding institutions towards a stage gate process currently being implemented in the CGIAR and among national partners. 62,63 However, the potential of power dynamics to influence how contributions and experiences among stakeholders are valued in the micro-politics of discussions among the design team is a challenge. Especially in the boiled sweetpotato case, the crossdisciplinary approach of the research and GFPP process was new for most of the design team.…”

Genetic and environmental effects on processing productivity and food product yield: drudgery of women's work

“…Local and regional checks included commercial checks which are popular commonly grown landraces in the chosen study locations (informed by the Cassava Monitoring Study that investigated the varieties cultivated by farmers in Nigeria including genetic fingerprinting of varieties as well as measurements of areas covered by each variety, 19 ) as well as popular genotypes provided and preferred by champion processors in each study location (see Table 1). Advanced newly bred genotypes were developed for the product profile ‘granulated and paste products’ in Nigeria 20 which mainly encompasses gari‐eba and fufu food products. The varieties were developed using feedback from cassava end users including participatory processing 21 and Tricot on‐farm testing 22…”

Drivers of consumer acceptability of cassava gari‐eba food products across cultural and environmental settings using the triadic comparison of technologies approach (tricot)

“…13 New standardized and scalable tools allowing the integration of different datasets can potentially improve the efficiency of conventional breeding. 5 Linking food science measurements such as instrumental textural profile analysis (ITPA), color analysis and functional properties of the food product to the overall liking of food samples from different varieties is needed to establish which parameters represent what consumers prefer. This is crucial to facilitate the selection of genotypes for specific, dual or multipurpose food uses.…”

“…21 Tricot also easily allows the integration of traditional food science tools such as just-about-right and a check-all-that-apply test. 22 Soon, ClimMob will be able to export these data to breeders' databases, such as BreedBase and CassavaBase, 5 to integrate these data seamlessly into decisionmaking by RTB breeding programs.…”