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Page | 128 Table 1: Global initiatives on PGR informatics: PGR Informatics databases and portals
Information resource Web address
Barcode of Life www.barcodeoflife.org
Convention on Biological Diversity www.cbd.int
Encyclopedia of Life www.eol.org
European genebanks portal eurisco.ipk-gatersleben.de
Genesys portal www.genesys-pgr.org
Global Biodiversity Information Forum www.gbif.org Indian Bio-resources Information Network www.ibin.gov.in
Indian genebank portal pgrportal.nbpgr.ernet.in
International Legume Database www.ildis.org
International variety protection database www.upov.int
Japanese genebank portal www.gene.affrc.go.jp/databases_en.php National Plant Germplasm System of USDA www.ars-grin.gov/npgs
Species 2000 www.sp2000.org
World Information and Early Warning System www.fao.org/wiews/en
Ever-increasing importance of PGR conservation and utilization on one hand and advancements in computer technology for digitization and management of data on the other have catapulted PGR Informatics into limelight. PGR Informatics has assumed significance because of the following factors:
• Increased awareness about PGRFA
• Various international agreements (CBD, GPA, ITPGRFA) coming into force
• Availability of information in text, images, maps, videos, etc.
• Technologies to record, link and archive such diverse types of information
• Growing power (and falling costs) of computers and internet to facilitate access and retrieval
Why manage PGR information?
The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR) Plans, conducts, promotes, coordinates and provides the lead in activities of collection, conservation, evaluation, introduction, exchange, documentation and sustainable management of diverse germplasm of crop plants, crop wild relatives and landraces. Ever-increasing challenges to crop production
Page | 129 demands development of varieties that yield better in the face of biotic and abiotic stress.
Crop improvement depends upon the availability of diverse germplasm.
PGR Informatics assists decision making on the prioritization and allocation of resources.
Genebank curators, breeders and students as well as policy makers and funding agencies can rely on PGR Informatics tools and applications to plan and implement activities related to PGR management and utilization.
Typically, PGR Informatics manages accession level data including taxonomy, biogeography, and ethnobotany of the germplasm acquisitions (domestic collections and exotic introductions), their seed health, multiplication for supply and conservation, regeneration, experimental data on characterization and evaluation leading to utilization. In addition to field data, it also includes biochemical and genomic data as well as publications. Once the information is digitized and stored, computer technologies allow management and analysis irrespective of the scale and types of data leading better visualization and predictions.
Historical perspective
Biodiversity informatics as a discipline started with the construction of the first taxonomic coding system by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science for the Biota of Chesapeake Bay in 1972. This work led to development of a number of other taxonomic databases specializing in particular groups of organisms culminating into the "Catalogue of Life" in 2001 as well as into "Biodiversity Information Projects of the World." Encyclopedia of Life, Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL), TreeBASE, Species 2000, Global Biodiversity Information Forum (GBIF), Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN), World Biodiversity Information Network (REMIB), Indian Bio-resources Information Network (IBIN) inter alia have been the torchbearers of biodiversity informatics (Agrawal et al., 2012).
Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) supports the national germplasm collections important to food and agriculture, collectively called the National Genetic Resources Program of United States Department of Agriculture. GRIN provides genebank personnel and germplasm users with access to databases that maintain passport, characterization, evaluation, inventory, and distribution data important for the effective management and utilization of national germplasm collections. European Search Catalogue for Plant Genetic Resources (EURISCO) is a search catalogue providing information about ex situ plant collections maintained mainly in Europe. It is based on a network of National Inventories of 43 member countries and 400 institutes providing information on ~2 million accessions. NAROis the Japanese Genebank of National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, manages databases that include information on passport data, evaluation as well as more general information on genetic resources. GENESYS is a global portal to information about PGR, from which information on germplasm accessions from genebanks
Page | 130 around the world can be found. GENESYS resulted from collaboration between Bioversity International on behalf of System-wide Genetic Resources Programme of the CGIAR, the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the International Treaty on the Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. In addition to passport data, GENESYS provides access to over 11 million records of characterization and evaluation data. PGR Portalis a gateway to information on PGR conserved in the Indian National Genebank housed at ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi, with information on about 400,000 accessions.
Indian initiatives in the field of PGR Informatics are concentrated at NBPGR. Following section lists major PGR Informatics applications that are developed at NBPGR and are being used by researchers around the world.
PGR Portal
PGR Portal is an open access information portal on plant genetic resources conserved in the National Genebank of NBPGR. Information on as many as 3,11,575 indigenous and 52,972 exotic accessions are accessible in the PGR Portal now. In addition to the continuous activity of testing and bug-fixing, addition of new features like “Gap analysis” and “Database” were added for internal activities.
Page | 131 Genebank Dashboard
It is a user friendly Dashboard designed, developed and implemented to provide a personalized quick access to genebank information to PGR workers, breeders, students, research managers and administrators. The dashboard is designed to be compatible with old and new computers, tablets and smart phones. The dashboard figures are dynamically updated as and when genebank database is updated.
PGR Map
PGR Map offers map-based data retrieval providing easy and intuitive access to PGR information. PGR Map offers three benefits: What’s around me, Search the map and Search for species.
Germplasm Exchange and Quarantine Information System (GEQIS)
Updated version of GEQIS was developed incorporating generation of new reports, enhanced data integrity by introducing automatic detection of data duplication, fee calculations and
Page | 132 invoice/receipt printing incorporating new GST rules, allowing indigenous (IC) entry along with exotic (EC) entries etc.
Germplasm Registration Information System (GRIS)
A mechanism for “Registration of Plant Germplasm” was instituted in 1996 by ICAR to serve as a recognized tool for registration of PGRFA at national level facilitated access to the developed or identified potentially valuable germplasm for utilization in crop improvement programs. Since the institution of this mechanism, a total of 1,313 germplasm belonging to 209 crop species have been registered.
Page | 133 Why GRIS: The Germplasm Registration Information System has been developed to make the entire process of germplasm registration—submission of application, evaluation by experts and decision by Plant Germplasm Registration Committee—a web-based system. The system is expected to provide genebank managers, breeders and plant researchers with a hands-on tool for management of germplasm registration process, and to policy makers with a reliable source of information. With the advent of this system, it is expected that the entire process of germplasm registration is made simple and fast, facilitating transparency and expeditious decision making. GRIS also has advantages like real-time tracking of application, speedy disposal, searchability and retrieval of old records.
Geo-informatics portal in PGR
A study to link germplasm to changing climatic regimes was earlier carried out with the funding of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). A web interface named PGR CLiM was also developed to access information (www.nbpgr.ernet.in:8080/climate). It was improved to be a portal running on a GIS-server that is now interactive to choose layers of germplasm accessions (ten crops); soil type; AEZ;
temperature and rainfall (current, 2020 and 2030).
Page | 134 Mobile apps in PGR Informatics
Two mobile apps “Genebank” and “PGR Map” have been developed to enhance access to PGR information with an easy user interface. The apps have been developed for both Android and iOS. The apps have been hosted on Google Play and App Store.
PGR-IP management system
Based on the application reported in 2016, a mobile app, iP-PGR, was developed for easy access to information. Application development was supported by ICAR-National Fellow project. iP-PGR can be downloaded from google play store.
Page | 135 Conclusions
In spite of the above mentioned progress, Indian efforts in PGR informatics are yet to achieve progress in many vital areas for the following reasons: (i) ICAR-NBPGR conserves all crop species; (ii) NBPGR carries out all activities of PGR management and hence has to manage multiple types of data (Passport, Genebank, Characterization, Exchange, Quarantine, DNA fingerprints, etc.); (iii) Connecting more people requires development of multi-lingual applications.
Acknowledgements
PGR Informatics products and services at NBPGR are a culmination of efforts and support of several individuals of the Bureau over a long period of time. PGR Databases were designed and developed with support of ICAR through institutional funding. Development of web- based and mobile applications was supported by ICAR-National Fellow Project principally
Page | 136 on the basis of recommendations of the erstwhile National Board for the Management of Genetic Resources.
References
Agrawal RC, Sunil Archak and RK Tyagi (2012) An overview of biodiversity informatics with special reference to plantgenetic resources. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 84: 92- 99.
Visit pgrinformatics.nbpgr.ernet.in to learn more about PGR Informatics applications
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