Overview

BIMS (Breeding Information Management System) is a Tripal module being developed by Mainlab Bioinformatics which allows users to explore the publicly available breeding data in the host community databases (GDR, CottonGEN, CGD, GDV and PCD) while also providing a data management solution for private breeding programs.  BIMS is now open for breeders to create an account and start using it with current functionality. It is being continuously developed and once complete it will provide individual breeders with a secure and comprehensive online breeding management system that allows them to store, manage and analyze their private data, fully integrated with publicly available genomic, genetic and breeding data within Tripal databases.

The BIMS tool now supports the use of Field Book, an Android app developed by the Poland Lab at Kansas State University for collecting phenotype data in the field.  Field Book is a free app that is available through the Google Play Store.  It provides easy and customizable interfaces for entering all types of biological data.  For more details about Field Book, please visit the developer's website to view the current manual and for more information. In the following sections we provide information on how to use the current version of BIMS, which will be updated as more functionality becomes available. If you would like to be kept informed on progress please sign up for the mailing list (BIMS mailing list). The links below provide information on how to access BIMS, View Data, Search Data, Create a Breeding Program, Import Data, Manage Data using Field Book and Archive Data. If you have any questions please contact using the contact form. We will be holding regular "how to webinars" and are happy to provide individual program training and guidance and solicit input on further development. 

We will use one of the databases that host BIMS in this manual but BIMS interface in all databases will look very similar. To access BIMS, simply click on the "Tools" menu (Fig. 1A) and then select "BIMS" (Fig. 1B).  The BIMS interface will then open.  Public data is available for all users without requiring an account.  Users can download public data from BIMS without an account, but will need their user account in the community database to save the results. Access to private breeding data requires users to login with their user account.  To create a breeding program, users need to create an account in the community database and contact using the contact form of the community database for breeder privilege.

Figure 1.  How to access BIMS.