Managing evaluation trials
Trials are evaluation experiments managed through the Study Manager. They are generally multi-location, replicated and randomized.
Objectives
At the end of this tutorial, the user should be able to:
Create a trial for germplasm evaluation
Prepare seed and print labels for a trial
Use sub-observation units to collect sub-sample data
Export a fieldbook and import collected data
Validate collected data and compute calculated variables.
Create a multi-location trial
First, you need to prepare a germplasm list with test and check entries to be planted in the trial. We are going to use the list of imported germplasm we created in the Import Germplasm Tutorial. Probably called <your initials>GI21– CGMGI21 for me. Use LISTS>Germplasm Lists>Browse to view it.
Open the Manage Studies application from the STUDIES menu and click on Start a new study. Name the trial <your initials>21PVT, CGM21PVT for me, fill in the basic details of the description and objective, and select the study type Trial.
You can add variables to the new study directly from the Ontology pick lists as we did for the crossing block, or you can pick up all the variables from any previously used study. To use this option check the Use a previously created study as a template check box. Then choose the previous study that is similar to your current study. We don't have a previous trial yet so we will use a nursery:
The variables from the template study are imported into the new study.
Change the settings if needed and Save the study in a new folder <your initials> 2021 Trials (CGM 2021 Trials for me).
On the Germplasm and Checks tab, Browse for the list of planting materials. The imported germplasm list you made in the Import Germplasm Tutorial. CGM21GI in my case.
You can set the Check entries on the Germplasm Tab. Select the lines to be made checks, (we will make IR 55423-01 (NSIC RC 9), the last entry, a check entry), click on the Actions button choose the Set Entry Type option, then from the list select Check entry and click accept.
On the Environments tab set the number of environments to 3 and click OK.
Mbe has been inherited from the template for the first environment, and this location is still correct, select IITA-Ibadan and Africa Rice CENTER as the other two locations. You will have to uncheck Show Favorite Locations since we have not specified favorite locations.
Click Add next to the Environmental Details variable, search for Seeding date and Plot size, and add them to the Environment Details section.
Enter 5.2 m squared for the plot size at each location. You may not know the Seeding date at this time.
On the Experimental Design tab select Resolvable Incomplete Block Design (Alpha lattice), enter 2 for number of replications and 4 for block size then click Generate Design.
Generate the design for all locations:
You will get a success message and now the Observation tab will contain a fieldbook.
At the moment the only trait there is the date of 50% flowering inherited from our nursery so we will add some more traits. Click Add next to the traits box.
Search for "Time to flowering" and select the one with "from sowing". Will we use the trait variable that calculates the number of days to 50% flowering which is the TFlwS_CM_d trait variable.
We can also assign an alias to this variable to make it customized.
By clicking on the pencil icon beside the variable name, in this case, the TFlwS_CM_d variable.
Type FLW50 and then click on the check icon
The variable with alias FLW50 is added to the fieldbook
Notice that trait TFlwS_CM-d has Alias FLW50 and has a computation formula associated so that it can be calculated within BMS.
Add GrYld_wgh_gplot, then GRMOIST, and finally GYTHA which is also a variable that can be calculated in BMS.
The traits box now looks like this:
Prepare seed and planting labels
To prepare seed for a study you must select the plots for which you wish to prepare the seed.
To select all plots, from the Observation sheet you must set the Select Environment box to All environments and check the Select all pages checkbox:
We have 96 plots – 16 entries by 3 locations by 2 replications.
Next, select Actions>Design and planning options>Prepare planting inventory:
The Prepare inventory form shows a box for specifying the amount of seed to pack per plot (packet) and a table showing the number of packets for each entry and the total seed amount specified for packing.
You can add a note at the bottom of the form and if you are the one to do the packing you can Commit the withdrawal on saving. (If a store manager will do the packing you should not check the Commit withdrawal on saving checkbox because the store manager will commit the transaction when the packing is complete). Click Confirm.