Field trials

Providing expert plant-based field trials to prove variety and product performance

[email protected]

Information flyer

Niab conducts trials and evaluations on a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops. We have over 100 years’ experience across a wide range of crop and plant species and have the equipment and facilities to grow and record as well as collate, analyse and report the results to your specification.

The delivery of successful field trials is one of the most crucial elements of Niab’s operations. It is achieved by dedicated teams located at field trial centres across the major agricultural areas of England and Wales, combining experience with local knowledge to manage a wide range of crops. This enables us to offer services across a range of environments, soil types and as part of commercial crop rotations.

Our field trials programme is large and complex, incorporating a wide range of applications. Industry-funded trials include early plant breeding screens and disease assessment trials, evaluation of agrochemicals, including registration of new products and formulations, and field scale plots for commercial demonstration to farmers and other end-users.

  • All work is strictly confidential and results focused
  • Over 100 years’ experience in perfecting trialling from science
  • Working in all agricultural and horticultural crops
  • Modern equipment delivering high accuracy
  • Over 100,000 plots across 100 sites and 10 regional centres
  • ORETO, GEP and ISO 9001 accreditation

Niab field trials services include:

  • efficacy trials of plant protection products for registration and marketing
  • biostimulant and biopesticide product evaluation
  • variety screens across all crop species 
  • protocol development and design
  • soil, foliar and grain sample analysis
  • additional laboratory analytical services available
  • AI-based phenotyping platform
  • highly trained crop assessors and trial managers
  • standardised procedures to ensure data conformity
  • seed and product sourcing
  • GPS field mapping and precision drilling
  • data interpretation and reporting by impartial Niab experts
  • locations providing a range of soil types and disease pressures.

Find out more information on our variety evaluation and management research