The EURISCO-EVA Information System, an innovative approach to the data management of multi-site crop evaluation data

Abstract

This paper introduces EURISCO-EVA, an extension of the European Search Catalogue for Plant Genetic Resources (EURISCO), facilitating standardized data collection, sharing, and analysis for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) characterization and evaluation. In the framework of the European Evaluation Network (EVA), a private-public partnership aiming at the evaluation of crop accessions conserved in European genebanks, this information system addresses the need for a standardized data repository for multi-site evaluations of different crops. Through centralizing metadata maintenance, EURISCO-EVA ensures uniformity in trait definitions, experimental designs, and passport data, promoting efficient exchange of observed phenotypic data. EURISCO-EVA currently stores more than half a million phenotypic data points for 4,845 PGRFA accessions from six genera and 17 species, collected through 382 phenotypic experiments conducted at 115 experimental locations across 33 countries, involving 89 project partners. This platform offers a user-friendly web interface, empowering its users with features such as map-based filtering of trial locations, statistical overviews, and customizable reports. EURISCO-EVA’s robust administrative functionalities, coupled with standardization efforts, enhance data quality and harmonization, providing a robust tool for storage of and access to crop evaluation data that could be further enhanced by adding analysis modules. EURISCO-EVA also formed the basis for the data management of two research projects (AGENT and INCREASE) under the Horizon 2020 funding program, providing the background organization of complex datasets used to address future challenges in European agriculture.