Towards Responsible Plant Data Linkage: Data Challenges for Agricultural Research and Development

✍ Scribed by Hugh F. Williamson (editor), Sabina Leonelli (editor)

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2022
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 327
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This open access book provides the first systematic overview of existing challenges and opportunities for responsible data linkage, and a cutting-edge assessment of which steps need to be taken to ensure that plant data are ethically shared and used for the benefit of ensuring global food security – one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The volume focuses on the contemporary contours of such challenges through sustained engagement with current and historical initiatives and discussion of best practices and prospective future directions for ensuring responsible plant data linkage.

The volume is divided into four sections that include case studies of plant data use and linkage in the context of particular research projects, breeding programs, and historical research. It address technical challenges of data linkage in developing key tools, standards and infrastructures, and examines governance challenges of data linkage in relation to socioeconomic andenvironmental research and data collection. Finally, the last section addresses issues raised by new data production and linkage methods for the inclusion of agriculture’s diverse stakeholders.

This book brings together leading experts in data curation, data governance and data studies from a variety of fields, including data science, plant science, agricultural research, science policy, data ethics and the philosophy, history and social studies of plant science.

✦ Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
References
Contents
Abbreviations
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction: Towards Responsible Plant Data Linkage
1 Introduction: Why Care About Plant Data Linkage
2 Dimensions of Responsible Plant Data Governance
2.1 The Field: Documenting Variability in Plants and Their Environments
2.2 The Data: Developing Scalable and Interoperable Infrastructures
2.3 The Institutions: Overseeing the Dissemination and Use of Plant Data and Materials
2.4 The Communities: Perspectives from and Accountability to Farmers and Consumers
3 Steps Towards Responsible Plant Data Linkage
3.1 Focusing on Critical Data Reuse
3.2 Encouraging Multiple Forms of Transnational Data Governance
3.3 Developing Guidance in Tandem with Incentives and Monitoring Systems
3.4 Considering Alternatives
4 Conclusion: Training for the Future
References
Part I: Challenges from/for the Field: Data Linkage Across Crops, Seeds and Field Experiments
Preface
Theory-Ladenness as a Problem for Plant Data Linkage
1 Introduction
2 The Pessimistic Parable
3 The Optimistic Parable
4 Conclusion
References
Managing Data in Breeding, Selection and in Practice: A Hundred Year Problem That Requires a Rapid Solution
1 Our Modern Food System
2 A Short Historic Perspective on the Current Breeding, Protection and Registration Systems in the UK and Their Reliance on Da...
3 Who Owns What Data?
4 Data Linkage with Statutory Information: Examples
4.1 The Use of Historic Data
4.2 Data Linkage Between Public and Private Sources and Use Within Breeding Programmes
5 Linkage of Variety Performance Data - Making Better Use of RL Data in the Light of Genomics
6 Unintended Consequences of the Current System - Do Data Standards Help or Hinder?
7 Linking Breeding to Wider Farming Systems and On-Farm Practice
8 Potential Systems-Level Solutions That Could Be Achieved Through Improved Data Linkage
9 What Structures Are Required for Future System Change and Who Benefits?
10 Overall Conclusions
Appendix
References
Baladi Seeds in the oPt: Populations as Objects of Preservation and Units of Analysis
1 Introduction
2 Population´´ as Unit of Analysis and a Target of Preservation 3 Baladi Seeds in Occupied Territory 4 International Agricultural Research 5 Heritage Narratives 6 Agroecosystems 7 Conclusions References Data Management in Multi-disciplinary African RTB Crop Breeding Programs 1 Introduction 2 Structure of BREEDBASE 2.1 Implementation of the Cassavabase Mirror Site for Data Sustainability 2.2 BREEDBASE-Centered Data Management Workflow 3 Application of the Cassava Trait Ontology 4 Product Profiles and Customer Profiles 4.1 The Need to Harmonize Datasets Generated Within the Breeding Program to Fully Optimize Adoption of Product Design and Deve... 5 Application of BREEDBASE for Quality Control 6 Integrating Feedback from Social Data for Enhancing Decision-Making in the Breeding Pipeline 7 Promoting BREEDBASE Functionality for Increased Usage 8 Fostering Continuous Improvement References Part II: Challenges from/for the Data: Data Linkage Across Standards, Infrastructures and Scales Preface From Farm to FAIR: The Trials of Linking and Sharing Wheat Research Data 1 Background to Designing Future Wheat 2 Challenges and Approaches for Data Management 2.1 Characterising the Origins of Genetic Material 2.2 Describing the Variety of Field Trial Experimental Data 2.3 Harmonising Environmental and Management Data 2.4 Ontology Richness and Standardisation of Trait Names 2.5 Data Curation Tools and Techniques 3 Challenges for Data Linkage 4 How to Do It - Data Stewardship Strategy and Infrastructure 4.1 FAIR Data Sharing within DFW 4.2 Compute, Storage, People, Skills 4.3 Benefiting from Open Source Tools 4.4 FAIR Publication Strategies 4.5 Meeting Community Obligations 5 Conclusions References Linking Legacies: Realising the Potential of the Rothamsted Long-Term Agricultural Experiments 1 Introduction 2 Long-Term Experiments at Rothamsted 2.1 Data and Samples: Lawes and Gilbert´s Enduring Legacy 2.2 The Long-Term Experiments National Capability 2.2.1 e-RA Data Curators 2.2.2 The Electronic Rothamsted Archive and Data Provision 2013-2020 2.2.3 Data Reuse and Impact 2.2.4 The Rothamsted Sample Archive 2.3 Sources of Long-Term Experiment Data 2.3.1 Routine Data 2.3.2 Non-routine Data 2.3.3 Legacy Data 2.4 Complementary Data: Environmental Monitoring Activities 3 Challenges for Long-Term Experiment Data Stewardship 3.1 Navigating Experiment Narratives 3.2 Sources of Variability 3.3 Adopting FAIR 3.3.1 Standard Long-Term Experiment Datasets Data Exclusion Fair Data Adoption Dataset Formats and Packaging Semantic Annotation Publishing with DataCite DOIs Reducing Barriers to Access 3.4 Measuring Impact 3.5 Preventing New Data Loss/Supporting Best Practices for Externally Generated Data 3.6 Addressing Legacy Data 4 Conclusion References Plant Science Data Integration, from Building Community Standards to Defining a Consistent Data Lifecycle 1 Introduction 2 The Plant Data Life Cycle 3 Plant Data Management Challenges 4 Plant Data Standards 5 Plant Data Standards History, Use and Adoption 6 The First Mile Challenge 7 The Findability Challenge for Dispersed Community Data 8 Conclusion References Part III: Challenges from/for Institutions: Data Linkage, Governance and Regulation Across Borders Preface Data, Duplication, and Decentralisation: Gene Bank Management in the 1980s and 1990s 1 Introduction 2 Seed Surfeits, Data Shortfalls and the Call for Rationalisation 3 The Techno-political Project of Collection Decentralization 4 Databases and De-duplication 5 Conclusions. Out of Many, One? References Digital Sequence Information and Plant Genetic Resources: Global Policy Meets Interoperability 1 Introduction 2 Global Policy on Access and Benefit-Sharing and the Nexus with Interoperability 3 Interoperability in the Global Information System of the International Treaty: Possible Applications to Exchanges of DSI 4 Introducing Digital Genetic Objects for Precision of Definition and Interoperability of DSI 5 Benefits and Possible Roadblocks 6 Conclusion: A Common Pathway Between Global Policy on Genetic Resources and Information Technology and Data Science References Governing Agricultural Data: Challenges and Recommendations 1 Background 2 Challenges and Solutions 2.1 Research Culture and How Researchers Understand Scientific Inquiry 2.2 Governance Issues and Repercussions Around Data and Data Standards 3 Conclusions References Creating a Digital Marketplace for Agrobiodiversity and Plant Genetic Sequence Data: Legal and Ethical Considerations of an AI... 1 Introduction 1.1 Agrobiodiversity and Its Rapid Depletion 1.2 Agrobiodiversity andMissing Markets´´
1.2.1 Agrobiodiversity: What and Why
1.2.2 The Supply Side´´ Story of Agrobiodiversity 1.2.3 TheDemand Side´´ Story of Agrobiodiversity
2 Identifying Regulatory Inequities to Diversify Directions of Data, Knowledge and Value Flows
2.1 Agricultural Regulations Creating Inequities and Uni-directional Flow of Knowledge and Materials
2.2 Hurdles Preventing the Emergence of a Marketplace for Agrobiodiversity
2.3 Identifying Monetizable Components of Agrobiodiversity
3 Diversifying Directions of Knowledge, Data and Value Flows: Can Blockchain and AI-Based Solutions Help?
3.1 Blockchain/DLT for In Situ Innovations with Agrobiodiversity: Creating Incentives
3.2 Incentivizing `Work´ on and with Agrobiodiversity and Associated Know-How
3.3 AI and ML-Based Searching of Data Managed and Governed Under a Blockchain/DLT Based System
4 Implementing the AI/Blockchain Solution: Legal and Ethical Considerations
4.1 Blockchain and AI for Agrobiodiversity: Necessary Regulatory Amendments
4.2 Blockchain and AI for Agrobiodiversity: Flagging Ethical Concerns
5 Conclusion
References
Part IV: Challenges from/for Communities: Data Linkage Across the Food System
Preface
Ethical and Legal Considerations in Smart Farming: A Farmer´s Perspective
1 Introduction: The Challenges Posed by Digital Technologies for Farmers
2 The GODAN Approach
3 Relevant Ethical Questions
4 Practical Solutions: Codes of Conduct
5 The GODAN/CTA/CFAR Guidelines
6 Conclusion
References
Communities of Practice in Crop Diversity Management: From Data to Collaborative Governance
1 Introduction
2 The CoEx Project
3 Community of Practice in the Context of CoEx
4 Socio-Cognitive Challenges in Crop Diversity Management Characterisation
5 Political Challenges in Crop Diversity Management Characterisation
5.1 The Political Challenges from a Normative Point of View
5.2 The Political Challenges from a Procedural Point of View
6 Conclusion
References
The Research Data Alliance Interest Group on Agricultural Data: Supporting a Global Community of Practice
1 Introduction
1.1 A Brief Introduction to the Research Data Alliance (RDA) and the Interest Group on Agricultural Data (IGAD)
2 Examples of Global Coordination in Previous IGAD Activities
3 Transitioning to a Global RDA Community of Practice
3.1 Farmer Research Data Framework
3.2 CARE Indigenous Data Governance Principles
3.3 Taxonomic Plant Data Linkage
3.4 IGAD´s Regional Outreach Efforts: The Brazilian Experience
4 Concluding Remarks
References
Cultivating Responsible Plant Breeding Strategies: Conceptual and Normative Commitments in Data-Intensive Agriculture
1 Introduction: Data-Intensive Breeding for Accelerated Genetic Gain
2 Product Profiling and Gender-Responsive Breeding
3 Participatory Breeding for Dynamic Socio-Economic Data Flows
4 Conclusion: Essential Components of Responsible Breeding Strategies
References