GRIN-Global: an International Project to Develop a Global Plant Genebank Information Management System

The mission of the GRIN-Global Project is to create a new, scalable version of the Germplasm Resource Information System (GRIN) to provide the world's crop genebanks with a powerful, flexible, easy-to-use plant genetic resource (PGR) information management system. The system will help safeguard PGR and information vital to global food security, and encourage PGR use. Developed jointly by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bioversity International and the Global Crop Diversity Trust, GRIN-Global will be deployed in selected plant genebanks worldwide in 2010. The .NET Framework and Visual Studio development environment were chosen for the project. A core set of web services, enterprise services or other technologies will update data stored locally or on networks, distribute centralized data to off-site systems, and enable third party data sharing. The database and interface(s) will accommodate commercial and open-source programming tools, be database-flexible (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MS SQL Server, Oracle) and require no licensing fees. The database will be deployable on stand-alone computers or networked systems. Iterative programming strategies will support continuous product evaluation and refinement; advanced prototypes will be extensively beta-tested. GRIN-Global supports uploading and downloading passport, phenotype and molecular marker data in a spreadsheet format. Bioversity International will deploy GRIN-Global internationally, working cooperatively to document the new system in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish, translate its interface, and implement it in developing countries. Implementation will be monitored and barriers to adoption identified. Users will evaluate GRIN-Global's impact and suggest improvements following implementation.