GRINGRIN-Global:Global:An International Project to Develop a Global Plant An International Project to Develop a Global Plant GenebankGenebank and Information Management Systemand Information Management SystemPeter D. Cyr1, Brock E. Weaver2, Mark J. Millard1, Candice A. Gardner1, Mark A. Bohning3, Gorm Emberland3, Quinn P. Sinnott3 , Gary R. Kinard3, Tito Franco4, Michael Mackay5, Luigi Guarino6, Joseph D. Postman7, Kim E. Hummer7, Tomás Ayala-Silva8, Peter K. Bretting9

1USDA-ARS-PIRU G212 Agronomy Hall Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011-1170; 2Bioversity Int'l. G212 Agronomy Hall Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011-1170; 3USDA-ARS-NGRL Room 400 10300 Baltimore Avenue BLDG 003 BARC-WEST Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350; 4Bioversity Int'l. Calí, Colombia, 5Bioversity Int'l. Rome, Italy; 6Global Crop Diversity Trust c/o FAO Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00153 Rome, Italy; 7USDA-ARS-NGRL 33447 Peoria Road Corvalis, OR 97333-2521; 8USDA-ARS-STHRS 13601 Old Cutter Road Miami, FL 33158; 9USDA-ARS-NPS Room 4-2212 5601 Sunnyside Avenue GWCC-BLTSVL Beltsville, MD, 20705-5139

Abstract Abstract The mission of the GRINThe mission of the GRIN-Global Project is to create a new, scalable version of Global Project is to create a new, scalable version of the the GermplasmGermplasm Resource Information System (GRIN) to provide the worldResource Information System (GRIN) to provide the world’s crop s crop genebanksgenebanks with a powerful, flexible, easywith a powerful, flexible, easy-toto-use plant genetic resource (PGR) use plant genetic resource (PGR) information management system. The system will help safeguard PGinformation management system. The system will help safeguard PGR and R and information vital to global food security, and encourage PGR useinformation vital to global food security, and encourage PGR use. Developed . Developed jointly by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, jointly by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, BioversityBioversity International and International and the Global Crop Diversity Trust, GRINthe Global Crop Diversity Trust, GRIN-Global will be deployed in selected plant Global will be deployed in selected plant genebanksgenebanks worldwide for 2010. The .NET Framework and Visual Studio worldwide for 2010. The .NET Framework and Visual Studio development environment were chosen for the project. A core set development environment were chosen for the project. A core set of web of web services, enterprise services or other technologies will update services, enterprise services or other technologies will update data stored data stored locally or on networks, distribute centralized data to offlocally or on networks, distribute centralized data to off-site systems, and site systems, and enable third party data sharing. The database and interfaces wilenable third party data sharing. The database and interfaces will accommodate l accommodate commercial and opencommercial and open-source programming tools, be databasesource programming tools, be database-flexible (flexible (MySQLMySQL, , MS SQL Server, Oracle), and require no licensing fees. The databMS SQL Server, Oracle), and require no licensing fees. The database will be ase will be deployable on standdeployable on stand-alone computers or networked systems. Iterative alone computers or networked systems. Iterative programming strategies will support continuous product evaluatioprogramming strategies will support continuous product evaluation and n and refinement; advanced prototypes will be extensively betarefinement; advanced prototypes will be extensively beta-tested. tested. BioversityBioversityInternational will deploy GRINInternational will deploy GRIN-Global internationally, working cooperatively to Global internationally, working cooperatively to document the new system in Arabic, English, French, Russian and document the new system in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish, Spanish, translate its interface, and implement it in developing countrietranslate its interface, and implement it in developing countries. Implementation s. Implementation will be monitored and barriers to adoption identified. The impacwill be monitored and barriers to adoption identified. The impact of system use t of system use will be evaluated by users during and following database implemewill be evaluated by users during and following database implementation.ntation.

BackgroundBackgroundGRIN and the Need for GRIN and the Need for GRINGRIN-GlobalGlobalMany of the world’s national genebanks, responsible for the safeguarding and availability of their country’s PGR collections, have lacked access to high quality IT needed to document and manage their collections electronically. The Trust recognized the common needs of the world’s genebanks and the resources being expended by many genebanks or consortia independently (see http://www.croptrust.org/main/) and, consequently initiated the G-G project.

GRIN, developed by the USDA-ARS NPGS, is widely recognized as a superior genebank management system, largely because it has been continuously developed and enhanced during the past 22 years. As its system complexity has grown, so has the importance of its information content and delivery systems to researchers and genebank personnel. But, international genebanksinterested in adopting GRIN have been challenged by technology licensing fees and GRIN’s inherent complexity.

New ‘best of breed’ tools such as Microsoft .Net technology make it possible to construct a system architecture so that the database, and the business and presentation tiers can be developed and then continuously maintained or modified independently. Interoperability with other databases is facilitated by the design of the business tier; essentially, calls from the presentation tier(s) are for data only. By supporting use of MySQL, MS SQL Server or Oracle, and by providing all source code for system components, G-G enables a genebank to tailor information management decisions to their specific circumstances.

Acronyms Used:Acronyms Used:APIAPI Application Program InterfaceCGIARCGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural ResearchG-G GRIN-GlobalGRINGRIN Germplasm Resources Information NetworkIMIM Information ManagementITIT Information TechnologyMODMOD Model Organism DatabaseMSMS MicrosoftNPGSNPGS National Plant Germplasm SystemPGRPGR Plant Genetic ResourcesSGRPSGRP System-wide Genetic Resources ProgrammeTrustTrust Global Crop Diversity TrustUSDAUSDA-ARSARS United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service

Objectives for the GRINObjectives for the GRIN-Global Global ProjectProjectCreate a scalable version of GRIN that provides the world’s crop genebankswith a powerful, flexible, easy-to-use plant genetic resource (PGR) information management system that:

• Safeguards PGR and information vital to global food security • Encourages PGR use• Provides database features and functionality for effective IM• Will be free of recurring licensing costs, database flexible, and with open,

free source code to system components

GRINGRIN-Global Global – A $2.3 M Project PartnershipA $2.3 M Project Partnership

USDAUSDA-ARS PIRU,ARS PIRU,Ames, IA

USDAUSDA-ARS NGRL,ARS NGRL,Beltsville, MD

USDAUSDA-ARS NCGR,ARS NCGR,Corvallis, OR

BioversityBioversityInternational,International,

Ames, IA

C. Gardner, AdministrationC. Gardner, AdministrationResearch LeaderResearch Leader

P. Cyr, GRINP. Cyr, GRIN-Global Project Global Project Project LeaderProject Leader

M. Millard,M. Millard,AnalystAnalyst

L. Burke,L. Burke,TestingTesting

G. G. KinardKinard, Administration, AdministrationResearch LeaderResearch Leader

Q. Q. SinnottSinnott,Database AdministratorDatabase Administrator

G. G. EmberlandEmberland,Software DeveloperSoftware Developer

M. M. BohningBohning,Data SpecialistData Specialist

S. Stern,S. Stern,DocumentationDocumentation

Vacant,Vacant,DocumentationDocumentation

K. Hummer, AdministrationK. Hummer, AdministrationResearch LeaderResearch Leader

J. Postman,J. Postman,AnalystAnalyst

B. Weaver,B. Weaver,Software DeveloperSoftware Developer

R. Little,R. Little,Web DeveloperWeb Developer

M. Mackay, M. Mackay, GIGA Project PIGIGA Project PI

Bioversity InternationalRome, Italy

Latin America:Latin America:T. FrancoT. Franco

Spanish translation and Spanish translation and trainingtraining

Europe:Europe:S. DiasS. Dias

SubSub-Saharan Africa:Saharan Africa:F. F. AtienoAtieno

To Be Determined,To Be Determined,AsiaAsia

Central & West Asia & North Central & West Asia & North Africa:Africa:

MacKay & Franco in MacKay & Franco in cooperation with ICARDAcooperation with ICARDA

P. P. BrettingBretting,NP 301 Leader and NP 301 Leader and

GRINGRIN-Global Global Development Project PIDevelopment Project PIUSDA-ARS, Beltsvillle,

MD

GRINGRIN-Global ProjectGlobal ProjectDevelopment: Development:

USDAUSDA-ARS & ARS & BioversityBioversity

Core DevelopmentCore DevelopmentTeam MembersTeam Members

GRINGRIN-Global Project Global Project InternationalInternationalDeploymentDeployment

L. L. GuarinoGuarino,Global Crop Diversity Global Crop Diversity

Trust,Trust,Rome, Italy

USDAUSDA-ARS PIRU,ARS PIRU,Ames, IA

USDAUSDA-ARS NGRL,ARS NGRL,Beltsville, MD

USDAUSDA-ARS NCGR,ARS NCGR,Corvallis, OR

BioversityBioversityInternational,International,

Ames, IA

C. Gardner, AdministrationC. Gardner, AdministrationResearch LeaderResearch Leader

P. Cyr, GRINP. Cyr, GRIN-Global Project Global Project Project LeaderProject Leader

M. Millard,M. Millard,AnalystAnalyst

L. Burke,L. Burke,TestingTesting

G. G. KinardKinard, Administration, AdministrationResearch LeaderResearch Leader

Q. Q. SinnottSinnott,Database AdministratorDatabase Administrator

G. G. EmberlandEmberland,Software DeveloperSoftware Developer

M. M. BohningBohning,Data SpecialistData Specialist

S. Stern,S. Stern,DocumentationDocumentation

Vacant,Vacant,DocumentationDocumentation

K. Hummer, AdministrationK. Hummer, AdministrationResearch LeaderResearch Leader

J. Postman,J. Postman,AnalystAnalyst

B. Weaver,B. Weaver,Software DeveloperSoftware Developer

R. Little,R. Little,Web DeveloperWeb Developer

M. Mackay, M. Mackay, GIGA Project PIGIGA Project PI

Bioversity InternationalRome, Italy

Latin America:Latin America:T. FrancoT. Franco

Spanish translation and Spanish translation and trainingtraining

Europe:Europe:S. DiasS. Dias

SubSub-Saharan Africa:Saharan Africa:F. F. AtienoAtieno

To Be Determined,To Be Determined,AsiaAsia

Central & West Asia & North Central & West Asia & North Africa:Africa:

MacKay & Franco in MacKay & Franco in cooperation with ICARDAcooperation with ICARDA

P. P. BrettingBretting,NP 301 Leader and NP 301 Leader and

GRINGRIN-Global Global Development Project PIDevelopment Project PIUSDA-ARS, Beltsvillle,

MD

GRINGRIN-Global ProjectGlobal ProjectDevelopment: Development:

USDAUSDA-ARS & ARS & BioversityBioversity

Core DevelopmentCore DevelopmentTeam MembersTeam Members

GRINGRIN-Global Project Global Project InternationalInternationalDeploymentDeployment

L. L. GuarinoGuarino,Global Crop Diversity Global Crop Diversity

Trust,Trust,Rome, Italy

First Technical

Meeting; Report of

Consultations and Assessments

First Technical

Meeting; Report of

Consultations and Assessments

Technical Steering

Technical Steering

Curator Tool Candidate

Deployed at a non

Genebank

Curator Tool Candidate

Deployed at a non

Genebank

Curator Tool

Version in Use at Two non English

Genebanks

Curator Tool

Version in Use at Two non English

Genebanks

GRIN-GLOBAL In Use by

International Curatorial and

User Communities

GRIN-GLOBAL In Use by

International Curatorial and

User Communities

Release of Public User Release of Public User

Implemented by

GermplasmUsers (English)

Implemented by

GermplasmUsers (English)

Functionalities, Use CasesFunctionalities, Use Cases

Development of Early Beta Versions

Development of Early Beta Versions

Multilingual Curatorial Interface

Multilingual Curatorial Interface

Refine Features, Functionalities of Public and Curatorial Tools

Refine Features, Functionalities of Public and Curatorial Tools

Development of Public Interface Tools, Translations to Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish

Development of Public Interface Tools, Translations to Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish

Release of Beta

Curator Tool to Testers

Release of Beta

Curator Tool to Testers

GRIN-Global Project TimelineUSDAUSDA-ARS NPGS Project RoleARS NPGS Project Rolehttp://www.ars.usda.gov/main/main.htm

Provide an enhanced GRIN database schema and to construct and provide a core set of web services, enterprise services or other technologies for updating data stored on a centralized information management system and for distributing centralized data to existing, off-site systems. This approach will enable GRIN-Global to serve either centralized or decentralized genebank networks and to share data with other third parties. Supports the G-G Project via almost $1 million of in-kind contributions.

BioversityBioversity International Project RoleInternational Project Rolehttp://www.bioversityinternational.org/bioversity_international_homepage/

Support deployment of G-G internationally, through regional PGR networks, its Regional Offices and the SGRP, working with project personnel to identify cooperators to document G-G in other languages, translate the new system into Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish, and implement it in developing countries. Implementation will be monitored and barriers to adoption identified. The impact of system use will be evaluated by users during and following implementation.

The Trust Project RoleThe Trust Project Rolehttp://www.croptrust.org/main/

Provides a $1.4 million grant for the development of G-G and its international deployment to support effective PGR conservation, and to ensure that GRIN-Global meets international genebank and information management needs .

The G-G system is built using the well established three-tier architecture design pattern consisting of a Presentation Tier, Business Tier and Data Tier.

The Data Tier is quite simply the database where all of the PGR data is permanently stored. Fundamental to the design of the G-G system is the principle of database flexibility – currently MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle database systems are supported. Future efforts (beyond scope of current project) could include adding support for other database systems.

The system’s Business Tier contains a full complement of web services (software modules that are accessible over the internet via standard messaging protocols) that enable the entire database repository to be made accessible to any other computer system connected to the internet. The web services currently implemented in the Business Tier will provide data in XML format using the SOAP protocol to any computer system capable of processing this type of transaction. Future efforts (beyond scope of current project) could include web services based on JSON and YAML.

Because the Business Tier is built using web services, the Presentation Tier can assume many different forms with no compromise in data accessibility. For example, the G-G website will retrieve all PGR data from the database using the web services of the Business Tier. In like fashion, the G-G Curator Tool (a desktop .NET Windows application) uses the same web services to retrieve data and enable the Curators to create, update, and delete data from the database. Finally, any third-party application or website (ex. MaizeGDB, SoyBase, etc.) wishing to retrieve data from the G-G system can do so by connecting to the Business Tier web services in exactly the same way as the G-G website or Curator Tool application.

First Technical

Meeting; Report of

Consultations andAssessments

Technical Steering

Curator Tool Candidate

Deployed at a non

Genebank

Curator Tool

Version in Use at Two non English

Genebanks

GRIN-GLOBAL In Use by

International Curatorial and

User Communities

Release of Public User

Implemented by

GermplasmUsers (English)

Functionalities, Use Cases

Development of Early Beta Versions

Multilingual Curatorial Interface

Refine Features, Functionalities of Public and Curatorial Tools

pDevelopment of Public Interface Tools, Translations to Arabic, French, Russian and

SpanishRelease of Beta

Curator Tool to Testers

GRIN-Global Project Timeline

Presentation Presentation TierTier

(Desktop Client) Presentation Presentation

TierTier(Third-party

Website)

Business Business TierTier(Web

Services)

Presentation Presentation TierTier

(Web Browser)

Data TierData Tier(MySQL,

Oracle, MS SQL Server)

Design of the GRINDesign of the GRIN-Global Global SystemSystem

Please Provide Input at:Please Provide Input at: http://www.grin-global.org/forums/

Information Wiki Site:Information Wiki Site: http://www.grin-global.org/index.php/Main_Page

•Provenance•Ecogeographic•Breeding & Development•History, Pedigree•IPR•Taxonomy

Plant Plant GenebankGenebank Collection Collection and Information Managementand Information Management

Accession UtilizationAccession Utilization

GR

IN-G

lobal

•Morphology•Phenology•Stress Resistance•Composition•Yield Components

•Markers•Population Analysis•Links to Genomic Databases

•Provenance•Ecogeographic•Breeding & Development•History, Pedigree•IPR•Taxonomy

•Provenance•Ecogeographic•Breeding & Development•History, Pedigree•IPR•Taxonomy

Plant Plant GenebankGenebank Collection Collection and Information Managementand Information Management

Accession UtilizationAccession Utilization

GR

IN-G

lobal

•Morphology•Phenology•Stress Resistance•Composition•Yield Components

•Morphology•Phenology•Stress Resistance•Composition•Yield Components

•Markers•Population Analysis•Links to Genomic Databases

•Markers•Population Analysis•Links to Genomic Databases

Advantages of GAdvantages of G-G for G for ResearchersResearchers• Provides ready access to information on PGR valuable for research and

development• Incorporates a user-friendly interface for extracting and manipulating

PGR information • Utilizes a ‘Google-like’ search engine• Facilitates ordering germplasm that meets specific research needs• Provides for interoperability requirements with other databases• Will incorporates extensive user feedback during program development

• User friendly PGR information system that can promote access to, and the efficient and effective management and use of PGR worldwide

• Built on the current GRIN, which for more than 20 years has efficiently and effectively managing PGR information

• The flexible system architecture enables customization of G-G to meet local requirements

• Local system administrator can implement G-G in different ways, ranging from a simple genebank inventory application, through managing all local genebank activities to a widely distributed information management system that also supports on-line user searching and germplasmordering.

• Can be implemented on a networked system or on a stand-alone personal computer

• Will support MySQL, MS SQL Server, or Oracle databases• Layered security design for maximum flexibility to delegate

user rights • Provide interfaces in Arabic, English, French, Russian and

Spanish• Will enable many genebanks in both developing and developed

countries to obtain an information management system that will be continually maintained and updated.

• Its scope and functionality result from input of genebankmanagers throughout the world

• Ability to drag and drop from G-G to spreadsheets or from spreadsheets directly to G-G database

• Ability to customize multiple screen views, forms and menus • Ability to create lists and drop them into different work areas• Includes a ‘Google-like’ internal search engine

Advantages of GAdvantages of G-G for G for GenebankGenebank UseUse