SorghumBase: a knowledgebase for sorghum genomics, phenomics, and stakeholder engagement

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• Effective agricultural science relies on centralized, accessible data repositories.
• Adherence to Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles is crucial for modern databases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce SorghumBase Release 9, a comprehensive knowledgebase for the sorghum research community.
• To enhance data accessibility and promote community engagement in sorghum research.

Main Methods:

• Curating and aggregating genomic, transcriptomic, variation, and phenotypic data.
• Developing a modular framework using open-access software for a sustainable data infrastructure.
• Implementing community-driven content management and engagement initiatives.

Main Results:

• SorghumBase Release 9 includes 88 sorghum reference genomes, over 100 million mapped variants, and 41 million rsIDs.
• Features updated visualizations for gene expression, homology, and germplasm, alongside standardized phenotypic data from GWAS and QTL Atlas.
• Enhanced content management system and outreach materials support community interaction and training.

Conclusions:

• SorghumBase serves as a vital hub for sorghum data and stakeholder engagement.
• The knowledgebase promotes community standards to advance sorghum research and multi-omics breeding.
• Release 9 significantly expands data resources and community interaction features.