Overview and Progress on Developing the Integrated Breeding Platform

The Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP) of the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme (GCP) provides information, analytical tools and related services to plant breeders to design and conduct modern breeding programs. It is intended to boost crop productivity for smallholders in drought-prone environments. The IBP is accessed through the Integrated Breeding Portalwhich has been developed in collaboration with several breeding projects for eight crops in 32 developing countries. This ensures IBP development is driven by breeder needs.

IBP informatics tools are packaged into the Breeding Management System (BMS). The third integrated version of the BMS was released in September 2014 and this facilitates information management in integrated breeding programs. Pedigree, phenotype and genotype data are stored in a modular database and data management and analytical tools access data via a middleware layer. Nursery and Trial management modules have been completely redesigned after user feedback on earlier versions and are now completely integrated into the browser-based workbench.

A statistical analysis pipeline can use either the Genstat statistical engine or R scripts and is imbedded in the workflow A series of breeders’ cross-study queries are being developed to facilitate choice of germplasm for inclusion in a breeding program and for promotion to cultivars. The Molecular Breeding Design Tool facilitates marker aided selection and marker assisted backcrossing and OptiMAS optimizes crossing programs to accumulate favorable alleles in a recurrent selection population.