Horticultural trials

Niab's BASIS-qualified team specialises in the bespoke design, implementation, and analysis of horticultural crop protection trials for commercial partners. With decades of experience, we provide reliable, regulatory approved data to support product development, approvals, and market success.

Our dedicated horticulture trials team, based at East Malling in Kent, offers a complete package of crop protection testing services, including:

• full trial programmes for novel actives— from open field and orchard trials to post-harvest storage studies;
• efficacy trials designed to meet regulatory and commercial requirements;
• testing of unapproved or experimental actives, including trials requiring crop destruction.

We understand the long-term investment in perennial crops like fruit and woody ornamentals, with trial services available on established plantings, in designated crop destruction orchards helping to avoid unnecessary costs.

Facilities

Available at Niab's East Malling site:

• a fully integrated meteorological station for environmental monitoring;
• isolation capabilities to prevent cross-contamination during sensitive trials;
• a wide range of perennial and annual horticultural crops including over 90 ha of plantings of:
  • extensive orchards of apple, pear, cherry and plum
  • facilities for bespoke plantings of annual crops
  • blackcurrants
  • vines
• State of the art winery and small batch fermentation facilities.

Facilities available for benchmarking new technology, helping in the development of robotics, automation and AI.

Accreditation

Niab (East Malling) is an officially recognised efficacy testing organisation, (ORETO) Certificate No. 454, by the UK Chemical Regulations Directorate (CRD). This ensures the highest standards in trial design and delivery and allows the carrying out of efficacy testing in the following categories:

• agriculture and horticulture;
• biologicals and semiochemicals;
• stored crops.