"KRiShI": a manually curated knowledgebase on rice sheath blight disease

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Bioinformatics
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Rice sheath blight (SB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is a major threat to global rice production.
• Information regarding SB is fragmented across diverse scientific literature, hindering efficient data retrieval and utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present KRiShI, a comprehensive, user-friendly knowledgebase for rice sheath blight.
• To integrate and organize scattered SB-related data for researchers and farmers.

Main Methods:

• Manual curation of scientific literature to collect SB-related information.
• Development of an interactive web interface for data mining, visualization, and searching.
• Integration of data including best management practices, host resistance, gene expression, and OMICS data.

Main Results:

• KRiShI provides a centralized platform for accessing and managing SB information.
• The knowledgebase includes data on host resistance, differentially expressed genes, proteins, metabolites, and pathways.
• A search function allows users to identify R. solani responsive and resistant rice genes.

Conclusions:

• KRiShI serves as a valuable resource for researchers and farmers, facilitating quick access to critical SB data.
• The platform supports data-driven decision-making for SB management and resistance breeding.
• Community curation is encouraged through a submission facility to ensure continuous knowledgebase expansion.