SOYBEAN Deltasoy—An Internet-Based Soybean Database for Official Variety Trials

In the last 10 yr, computer technology and information systems, and especially the World Wide Web system Official variety trial (OVT) information in soybean [Glycine max and the Internet, have affected many aspects of people’s (L.) Merr.]-producing states is critical to soybean growers in decisionlives. Because of the advantages of the web and database making processes. Most soybean-producing states in the USA have their own soybean research web sites with information relating to systems, it could be very useful to combine these two the soybean variety trials. A web-based database system has been technologies into one and build up a web-based datadeveloped that can help soybean growers and researchers access the base for OVT data. The web-based database system can most recent OVT information quickly and in response to their specific provide a facility for storing data more safely, accessing interests. This new system also summarizes past research results sysdata more readily, and sharing data more promptly. tematically and has the potential to link ongoing research in related Deltasoy, an Internet-accessible database system for the areas of soybean production, modeling, and other research efforts. state soybean OVT data, was designed and built based Microsoft Access, along with other computer languages [C , comon this philosophy. The objective was to provide soymon gateway interface, Standard Query Language (SQL)], were used bean growers and researchers with quick and easy access in building this database. The database uses Mississippi OVT data, to OVT information. Deltasoy can also record and sumincluding yield, location, and disease information. This database has the potential to extend its capability by adding more information from marize OVT results in a systematic way so that data variety trials of other states and other crops. Therefore, it should be can be traced back when historical information is a helpful tool for soybean producers and researchers in Mississippi needed. With this database, research scientists may use as well as other interested parties. the OVT data dynamically to identify potential new problems or research directions. Furthermore, because of its database format, the OVT results may also be S official variety trials (OVTs) have been conlinked with other ongoing crop research areas, such as ducted in Mississippi for more than 20 yr. As in diseases, phenology, modeling, and Global Positioning most other soybean-producing states in the USA, OVTs System (GPS) or Geographic Information System (GIS) are one of the most important information resources work. If this database can be used successfully with for soybean producers, seed suppliers, and researchers soybean variety trial data, it could also serve as a model in their decision-making processes. for providing OVT information for other crops. Most soybean-producing states have published OVT results on the Internet. However, information from most DESIGN AND PROCEDURES OVTs presented on the Internet is either presented flat OF DELTASOY (documents and tables) or in some other noninteractive Deltasoy, a web-based database system, was develformat. While those formats may be clear to read with a oped to help soybean growers and researchers access general purpose, they do not have the needed flexibility the most recent information on soybean production and when more specific information is needed. Sometimes state variety trials. The main function of this database the documents and tables become so large that it is is to search certain parameters (or factors) based on the difficult to find the specific information sought. user’s specific queries. Specific parameters (or query A database system provides universal control of its items) can be submitted to the database, and the dataoperational data (Date, 1982). Compared with nondatabase system will provide feedback to the user’s request. base systems, database systems have several advantages, The contents of the system include two major compoincluding simplicity, specificity, flexibility, and speed. nents: agronomic (independent and dependent variThey provide the users with the targeted information ables) and computer and information systems (web inthrough numerous sets of data in a large database. They terface, computer programming, data communication, have been applied in almost every area, including agrietc.). culture (Van Evert et al., 1999a, 1999b). Determination of Agronomic Parameters L. Zhang, Delta Res. and Ext. Cent. and Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., and Their Relationship Mississippi State Univ., Stoneville, MS 38776; and W. Qi, Dep. of Comput. Sci., and L. Su, Delta Res. and Ext. Cent., and F. Whisler, The primary data sources for this database are from Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Mississippi State Univ., Stoneville, MS the Mississippi OVT reports (Askew et al., 1997a, 1997b; 38776. Received 19 June 2001. *Corresponding author (lzhang@drec. msstate.edu). Abbreviations: DBMS, database management system; MG, maturity group; OVT, official variety trial; RR, Roundup Ready. Published in Agron. J. 94:1163–1171 (2002).