Managing crop disease data on a global scale Jens G. Hansen1, Poul Lassen1, Mogens Hovmøller1 & David Hodson2

1Aarhus University, ST, Agroecology, 2CIMMYT, Ethiopia, GIS & DSS

Global Rust Reference Center RustTracker Wheat Rust Toolbox

Research Centre Foulum, AU

Research Centre Flakkebjerg, AU

Outline

• What is the problem? • Integrated information resources • Web & GIS Tools • Achievements • Some technical challenges

Stem rust Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici

What are the problems ?

Farmers saved worldwide over US$1 billion annually for more than four decades.

Global Cereal Rust Monitoring System

• Surveillance: Where, what, how much, change in time and space • Monitoring : Pathotyping, genotyping and phenotyping • Stability of resistance: What cultivars are attacked/not attacked • Population biology: Mechanisms and Evolution of (meta)

Populations of Puccinia

• Farming community: Avoid severe epidemics (operational decisions) • Breeding community: Strategies for breeding of resistant cultivars • Scientific community: What’s new, system analysis • Political: Food security, Strategic and tactical decisions

Food security in developing countries

Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat

Durable Rust Resistance In Wheat Led by Cornell University $40.000.000 Phase II: 2011-2015

Host Pathogen Dbase (survey, virulence, pathotypes, Trap Nursery,

Barberry, DNA diagnostics)

User Management

Quality control/ management/publish

Data Export / Exchange

On-line Data Entry

External Applications e.g., RustMapper

Outputs: Maps, tables and graphics e.g. Survey mapper and Virulence mapper

NB: Generic - Applicable to all rusts & other diseases

Smartphone / tablet survey tool

Data Management: Wheat Rust Toolbox

SQL Databases: Host-Pathogen etc.

Models and applications layer [.NET]

”Showversions” Embed in iFrame

<iframe src="http://130.226.173.136/ProjectNET/WheatRustToolbox/Show/SurveyMap.aspx" width="1100" height = "785" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Tools public in RustTracker / GRRC

BGRI Integrated Information Resources

CIMMYT Cultivars Dbase

Molecular Dbase

Rust on Barberry Dbase Survey Dbase

Pathotype Dbase

Trap Nursery Dbase Wheatpedigree.net

Cultivars Dbase

Contacts Dbase

Screening Nursery Dbase

Rust Tracker Wheat Atlas WheatRust.org GlobalRust.org

35 Countries 2007 -2013 Cover 45.000.000 ha in Central and west Asia and East Africa

Surveillance (Where, what and how much of the disease)

Surveillance (Where and how much of the Disease)

Surveillance (Where and how much of the Disease)

Surveillance (Where and how much of the Disease)

Export own country data

”My Rust” available by country only after login

My Rust tools – Only for data providers

“My rust” – Raw data for the owners

• Landscape-scale models for disease spread • Stochastic models: allow for uncertainty and

variability • Coupling meteorological with epidemiological

models to predict: – Risk – where might the pathogen arrive? – Hazard – likely rates of spread if the pathogen arrives? – Control – ‘what if’ scenarios

Epidemiological toolbox

Wheat stem rust: risk maps

Slide Courtesy of Prof. C.A. Gilligan, Uni. Cambridge

Achievements Integrated Information Resources - and ICT framework well established

Global data collected in dedicated structured databases, use of standard

methods, network of expert labs, quality control, “on-the-fly” dissemination on several information platforms.

Consequently, more robust conclusions, stimulate data contribution and collaboration between partners and users

35 Countries participate in surveillance - 25% of global wheat area

8 members of the Ug99 race group identified – we know what they are, where they are and where they (most likely) are heading!

BGRI: Introduction of Stem Rust resistant cultivars in risk areas on the track

Europe: New exotic rusts are spread by the wind from Asia to Europe. The Global Rust Reference Center and its network of partners are prepared to analyse it in a global context

Some technical challenges Info group (databases and web tools) joined with the GIS group Web based & dynamic GIS applications. Enable the analysis and integration of diverse and “big” data

Wheat Rust Toolbox Google maps / KML files has limitations . Search for AU GIS

server solution Exchange of data and integration between ICT platforms /

SmartPhone & Tablets Integration with Apache server at AU IT for the operation of

R-statistical components (e.g. Statistics and Phylogenetics) Keep up with new technologies Do not develop huge, nonflexible IT systems

Thank you for your attention!

Global Rust Reference Center RustTracker Wheat Rust Toolbox