Welcome to services
NIAB’s Plant Services are focussed on providing fit-for purpose results that meet customer requirements. They range from running variety evaluation programmes for levy boards through to individual seed tests for growers. We have laboratory, field trial and computational facilities and expertise to provide plant across over 120 agricultural and horticultural species. We offer services that range from the standard through to research-based solutions tailored to meet very specific customer needs.
Staff Contacts for Plant Services
Trials & Evaluation – we operate field trials from eight NIAB staffed centres across England & Wales. Facilities and specialist equipment at these centers allow us to carry out trials with a wide range of crops. There are extensive programs at each centre and trials can be grown under controlled conditions or located in commercial crops where appropriate. We are registered to GEP standards for agrochemical product evaluation.
Plant pathology activities at NIAB include a diverse range of themes covering most major arable and horticultural crops. All our work is aimed at maximising yield potential through the integrated management of pests and diseases through the evaluation and exploitation of disease resistance, disease epidemiology and disease forecasting, agrochemical evaluation and development and provision of diagnostic services.
Please click on the links below for more information on:
Integrated Crop Management Services
Disease resistance and pathogen characterisation services
Fungicide and Insecticide testing
Infected seed stocks and pathogen cultures links here and here
Our activities are funded by a diverse range of sources including government agencies, levy boards, research councils and other research funders, corporate organisations, consultants and farmers.
Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) - working on behalf of Defra we run test for Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability for variety characterization for UK Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR). We carry out similar tests for the Community Plant Variety Office for the issue of European Plant Breeders Rights. A range of Agricultural, Horticultural and Ornamental species can be tested.
Seed Certification – NIAB operates seed certification schemes for Defra as part of a new 10-year contract that commenced in 2006. This involves monitoring seed lot quality through check plots, inspection of high-grade material, monitoring Licensed Seed Testing Stations, training and certification of licensed inspectors.
Laboratory Services – our well-equipped and modern laboratories offer a range of services from seed quality testing, disease diagnostics, produce quality assessments and variety identification.
Other services -
The NIAB Association provides an opportunity to access NIAB publications and advice on varieties and seeds and also to keep in touch with and support the work NIAB does on behalf of UK agriculture.
NIAB offers a range of standard UK based training courses or can provide tailored training or consultancy in the UK or overseas across a wide range of plant science based topics.
Applied Research and Statistical Consultancy
NIAB can design and supply applied research programmes for customers across a range of plant science disciplines including plant characterisation using traditional approaches and contemporary tools such as image analysis, plant pathology, variety identification and germplasm characterisation.
We supply statistical and computation advice on the design and analysis of field trials or analysis and interpretation of results. Please contact us to discuss your needs.
Our extensive research activities focus on four programmes: diversity genomics, pre-competitive plant breeding, non-food crops and utilization of disease resistance.