BreedBase: A Centralized Database Management System

A hands-on training workshop was conducted to strengthen the skills of National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and CIP in high-quality data management and analytics for data-driven decision-making in potato and sweetpotato breeding within East and Southern Africa’s national programs. The training focused on the use of BreedBase, a centralized database management system, and the CGIAR Breeding Analytics Pipeline known as ‘bioflow’, for performing advanced breeding analytics, including state-of-the-art genetic evaluations. Key topics included the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the use of digital tools like the Fieldbook App for efficient data recording in the field.

Theoretical and Practical Sessions

The training featured both theoretical and practical sessions, allowing participants to directly engage with these tools and concepts. A full day was dedicated to ‘bioflow’, which facilitates automated breeding analytics, enhancing the precision and efficiency of decision-making in plant breeding. The lectures and sessions, conducted in English, provided participants with hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of modern plant breeding data management and analysis practices.

The training was funded by RTB Breeding and co-funded by the Breeding Resources Initiative.