Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Maize Data Management

The role of data management cannot be underestimated in the modernization efforts of breeding operations in accelerating improvement in genetic gains. Current breeding programs generate chunks of data which they rely on for decision making at all stages of the breeding cycle. Lack of standard procedures in data collection and management is likely to introduce errors into the data unknowingly. These errors can negatively impact genetic gain and the uptake of improved maize varieties by smallholder farmers. This document describes standard operating procedures (SOPs) for implementing breeding data workflows to ensure that all necessary breeding data for maize is recorded appropriately and made readily accessible. This is a living document subject to update to accommodate current learning and workflows in the breeding cycle.