In the realm of agricultural research, particularly in the sorghum breeding community, the adoption of principles for FAIR data management has emerged as a crucial paradigm shift. FAIR, which stands for Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable, represents a set of guidelines designed to enhance the usability and impact of data and resources within the scientific community.
The FAIR data principles were developed and endorsed by researchers, publishers, funding agencies and industry partners in 2016, and are described in an article by Mark Wilkinson and colleagues. Funding agencies supporting agricultural research that endorse the FAIR principles include the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and the Wellcome Trust. Importantly, these data management principles are also endorsed by the G20 and global industry leaders.
Why are the FAIR principles important for sorghum breeders and researchers?
The FAIR principles seek to facilitate and maximize the accessibility and reuse of data, with its ultimate goal being to optimize data reuse.
With sorghum serving as a vital model for tropical grass species for functional genetics and genomic studies, reusability is crucial.
The FAIR Guiding Principles
Findable
One of the primary challenges in agricultural research is the sheer volume of data generated and collected. Without proper organization and metadata standards, valuable data related to sorghum genetics, traits, and breeding outcomes can become buried and inaccessible. By adhering to FAIR principles, researchers ensure that their data is easily discoverable through standardized metadata and identifiers, making it simpler for others in the community to find and utilize relevant information.
To be Findable:
F1. (meta)data are assigned a globally unique and persistent identifier
F2. data are described with rich metadata (defined by R1 below)
F3. metadata clearly and explicitly include the identifier of the data it describes
F4. (meta)data are registered or indexed in a searchable resource
Accessible
Accessibility is a cornerstone of effective research collaboration and knowledge dissemination. Sorghum breeders and researchers can leverage FAIR principles to make their data and resources accessible to a wider audience. This inclusivity not only fosters collaboration but also accelerates scientific progress by enabling researchers from diverse backgrounds to access and build upon existing knowledge and datasets.
To be Accessible:
A1. (meta)data are retrievable by their identifier using a standardized communications protocol
A1.1 the protocol is open, free, and universally implementable
A1.2 the protocol allows for an authentication and authorization procedure, where necessary
A2. metadata are accessible, even when the data are no longer available
Interoperable
Interoperability is critical for integrating data from different sources and platforms seamlessly. In the context of sorghum breeding, where data originates from various experiments, field trials, and genomic analyses, ensuring interoperability is paramount. FAIR principles advocate for using standardized formats and vocabularies, enabling data integration and analysis across different research projects and databases.
To be Interoperable:
I1. (meta)data use a formal, accessible, shared, and broadly applicable language for knowledge representation.
I2. (meta)data use vocabularies that follow FAIR principles
I3. (meta)data include qualified references to other (meta)data
Reusable
The ability to reuse data and resources efficiently can significantly enhance research productivity and innovation. FAIR principles promote the creation of reusable data and digital assets by emphasizing clear data provenance, licensing, and documentation. Sorghum breeders and researchers benefit from this approach by reducing duplication of efforts, facilitating reproducibility, and fostering the development of robust scientific conclusions and recommendations.
In conclusion, embracing FAIR principles offers numerous benefits for the sorghum breeding and research community. From enhancing data discoverability and accessibility to promoting interoperability and encouraging data reuse, FAIR principles empower researchers to collaborate effectively, accelerate scientific discoveries, and address complex challenges in sorghum agriculture more efficiently. By prioritizing FAIR practices, sorghum breeders and researchers can contribute significantly to advancing sustainable agricultural practices and ensuring food security in a rapidly changing world.
To be Reusable:
R1. meta(data) are richly described with a plurality of accurate and relevant attributes
R1.1. (meta)data are released with a clear and accessible data usage license
R1.2. (meta)data are associated with detailed provenance
R1.3. (meta)data meet domain-relevant community standards
A comprehensive, open and online resource with hands-on recipes for the FAIRification of life sciences data is the FAIR Cookbook (Rocca-Serra et al, 2023) available at https://faircookbook.elixir-europe.org/. The FAIR Cookbook was created by researchers and data managers professionals to cover the key steps in the FAIRification journey, including the levels and indicators of FAIRness, as well as the technologies, tools and standards available to achieve and improve data FAIRness. The European GO FAIR Initiative advises individuals and organizations on all stages of FAIR implementation and on the choices that fit their purpose.
FAIR resource registries include:
- Global Core Biodata Resources (GBC). The GBC convenes global research funders to exchange knowledge and share strategies for supporting biodata resources, and provides a discussion forum for the managers of data resources, with the aim of developing principles and models for the coordinated funding of global core biodata resources.
- FAIRsharing is a curated, informative and educational resource on data and metadata standards, that is inter-related to databases and data policies.
- BioRegistry.IO is an open source, community-curated registry, meta-registry, and compact identifier (CURIE) resolver. It contains metadata about ontologies, controlled vocabularies, and resources including their preferred prefix, name, description, homepage, and mappings to other registries.
SorghumBase aims to be part of the GBC in the near future.