Agricultural technology evaluation:

Trial metadatabase and file repository

http://agtrials.org/

http://agtrials.org

Importance & Potential • Collating input climate and agricultural data• Design of experiments• Calibration, validation and crop model runs• Exploration of adaptation options– Genetic improvement– On-farm management practices

• Test them via modelling• Build “adaptation packages”• Assess technology transfer options

(c) Neil Palmer (CIAT)

Historical impacts on food security

% Yield impact for wheat

Observed changes in growing season temperature for crop growing regions,1980-2008.

Lobell et al (2011)

20,000+ maize trials in 123 research sites

Effect of +1ºC warming on yield Sites with >23ºC

would suffer even if optimally managed

More than 20% loss in sites with >20ºC, under drought

Lobell et al. 2011

>> Multi-site agricultural trial database (agtrials.org)

• Over 3,000 trials• 16 crops• 20 countries• > 15 international and national institutions

New data in 2011

>> Multi-site agricultural trial database (agtrials.org)

Trial sites and trials

Bean trial data

Rice trial data

Internet

ClientsServer

Web Application Framework

Data BasePostgreSQL 8.3

Web ServerPHP 5.2.4

Symfony 2.4Repository filesTrial File

Results FileEnvironmental File

Database design

Authentication : • All users must register• User profiles and permissions

restrict functionality and capacity to edit or download information

• Facility to change password

Database page4 main entry points.

1. Trial group: the group of trials across growing seasons or across sites (for example, international maize drought trial)

2. Trial: individual trial during one growing season at one site

3. Bibliography: any publication or report related to trials, including peer-reviewed articles, annual reports, gray literature, field books, etc. etc.

4. Other: All related tables

• Utilizes auto complete where possible

• Users choose options already found in tables as opposed to putting in new data – to avoid duplication and error

Fields that are required are indicated as such.

The positive sign icon is clicked to add a new entry to a table

After clicking icon, a new form appears to enter tabular information

This form accepts code from Creative Commons to establish IPR: click on the hyperlink.

Step 1: A window appears that explains how to establish IPR. Click on Creative Commons logo

Step 2: Answer questions

Step 3: Generate code

Data sharing and intellectual property rights protocol

Accepts coordinate input in both degrees, minutes and seconds and decimal degrees; converts automatically from one to the other

Users can add varieties here. Our current list includes over 700 varieties that we took from DSSAT

Users can enter the traits or variables measured in the trial here. We have acquired these variable names from GCP’s www.cropontology.org

Trial results upload: in whatever format researcher manages their data in

Weather conditions during trial, upload: in whatever format researcher manages their data in

Researchers designate whether environmental data can be downloaded or not.

Soil conditions file: in whatever format researcher uses

Supplemental information upload: methods used in the trial, management, etc. etc.

Uploading trial data

If users have given permission for others to download their files, they will have that capacity…….otherwise, any data or information about trials entered into the site will only be available as metadata (data about the trials, but not the raw data).

Batch Upload

Bibliography: any document related to agricultural technology evaluation at a site - such as field notes, gray literature and peer-reviewed publications

CCAFS 'value addition• Matching with the CCAFS Analogue tool & Farms of

the future project

Karnal (India)• Rainy season from June to September

Exploring bean trials in Central America and East Africa

• Search for similar sites• Search bean trials for high yields for particular

varieties• Map and graph the results

In map below – green areas are most climatologically similar to Kampala, Uganda.

In graphic to the right, the Analogue dissimilarity index is plotted against average yields for the Jamapa variety of common bean. Trial results from sites with low dissimilarity and high yields may be of interest to Kampala bean researchers.

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Kampala (jamapa)

Dissimilarity Index (Kampala)

Yield

In map below – green areas are most climatologically similar to Masaya, Nicaragua.

In graphic to the right, the Analogue dissimilarity index is plotted against average yields for the Porrillo Sintetico variety of common bean at 128 sites. Trials results from sites with low dissimilarity and high yields may be of interest to Masaya bean researchers.

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Masaya (porrillo sintetico)

Dissimilarity Index (Masaya)

Yield

Related ongoing activities • Development of a generic methodology for G x E analysis

to understand varietal response through genotype by environment. Method fully coded, documented and integrated into R-package

• Application of the method to one case study, using the data at www.agtrials.org

• Collaboration with crop modeling initiatives AgMIPS and Global Futures, including modeled trials.

• Development of a community of data analysts looking at varietal response for a whole range of crops (blog in Agtrials.org)

• Exploring collaboration with selected group of on-going programs and initiatives

>> The Adaptation & Mitigation Knowledge Network

It links farmers’ realities on the ground with promising scientific research outputs, to inspire new ideas and highlight current challenge.

Thank you for your attentionQ&A