Crop physiology research trials
Investigating how to improve crop performance
The ADAS crop physiology team comprises international experts in crop physiology, performance and management. The team focuses on improving performance and sustainability of cropping systems for food, feed and biofuel production.
Our research seeks to understand
- the physiological processes by which crops capture the resources needed to grow (light, CO2, water, nutrients)
- how crops use these resources to produce saleable products (crop yield and quality)
- what environmental factors (e.g., climate, weather and soil) plant breeding and crop management factors (e.g., species and variety choice, establishment, nutrition, crop protection products, biostimulants) affect crop performance
- how crop management affects the environment (e.g., through nitrate leaching, greenhouse gas emissions)
We distil the scientific evidence we collect into sound practical guidelines for growers.
- Understanding yield formation of arable and forage crops
- Optimising nutrition for arable and forage crops
- Evaluating fertiliser, biostimulant, and PGR products
- How to control lodging
- Understanding how precision farming technologies can optimise inputs
- Measuring root growth and understanding methods of enhancement
- Designing more efficient farming systems
- Conducting sound scientific experiments, analysis and reviews for international peer-reviewed journals
- Distilling science into practical guidance for the farm industry and academia
- Testing ideas on farms through small plot trials, tramline trials and more
Crop experiments
Field and tramline trial services
Our applied research is scientifically rigorous, hypothesis-driven and challenge-led. We conduct over 15,000 plot field experiments annually, testing the effects of all aspects of arable and forage crop management.
We carry out experiments at a range of scales, including
- small plot field experiments
- controlled environment experiments, including glasshouse, polytunnel and seedling rooting screens, to evaluate effects of varieties and seed treatments on rooting
- tramline trials and split-field trials using our Agronomics technology
- analysis and report raw yield map data from earlier client-run split-field or tramline trials to determine statistical confidence in treatment differences.
To complement our trial work, we also offer desk studies, such as literature reviews, feasibility reports and scoping studies, on a variety of topics for a range of clients, including Defra and agrochemical companies.
Get in touchOur crop physiology services
Research and work examples
- Evidence and expertise to update industry fertiliser guidelines (AHDB Nutrient Management Guide RB209)
- Field trials to evaluate crop varieties for AHDB Recommended Lists
- Evidence to enable Defra to develop policy on regulation of fertilisers and biostimulants
- Developed the Wheat Growth Guide with AHDB
- Created new pest threshold guides for pollen beetle and wheat bulb fly
- Developed AHDB guidelines to reduce the risk of lodging
- Development of Agronomics software for precise measurement
ADAS is a project partner for the Horizon Europe Root-2-Res project, which enables new varieties with better root systems to be bred. We also participant in the NUTRI-CHECK NET network, a Europe-wide network to optimise crop nutrition decision making.