Trialling first for everyone’s benefit

By Elliott Akintola, Garden City Plastics’ agronomist

In recent years, the nursery and ornamental industry has seen a surge in new product introductions and innovations. These products may originate from overseas or be developed domestically in Australia. To gain approval for marketing from the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA), substantial data is typically required. However, certain products, such as biological control agents, specific low-risk pesticides, or well-established fertilisers that don't target pests, diseases, or weeds, are exempt from APVMA approval. Consequently, these exempted products often come with various claims and touted benefits, and their usage may extend beyond label or minor use permit (MUP) approvals.

For this reason, when a supplier or manufacturer approaches a distributor like Garden City Plastics, it is essential to perform due diligence. This involves understanding the product, evaluating its safety, assessing its utility based on stated claims, comparing it with existing alternatives to ensure optimal choices for our customers, and confirming its value for money Achieving this understanding necessitates the implementation of comprehensive field trials in collaboration with the supplier or manufacturer and growers.

A similar trial approach is implemented for products manufactured by Garden City Plastics. Take, for instance, the development of a new or enhanced design for a pot or container. Upon conceptualisation and sketching, a 3D model is meticulously crafted. This step is crucial for identifying potential issues, effecting improvements, and generating a limited production run for testing before the full-scale product launch to the broader market.

This meticulous process is instrumental in ensuring that consumers receive top-quality products that align with their requisites and expectations. Additionally, it serves the purpose of equipping our staff with comprehensive knowledge about the products, including their features and benefits. This, in turn, instils confidence in our customers to integrate these products into their business operations.

Our consistent approach to achieving trial success

The achievement of trial success is underpinned by our professional and experienced team, coupled with our recognised standing in the industry on a national scale. This substantial expertise enables us to maintain a successful track record in our trial initiatives. Here are the systematic steps we follow to ensure our trials yield favourable outcomes:

1. Identifying the Research Question: The initial and pivotal step in any trial is to clearly define the research question. This question essentially addresses what specific knowledge we aim to gain from the field trial. It is imperative to validate product claims and ascertain how the product performs outside a controlled laboratory setting. The research question adheres to the SMART criteria, being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

For New Chemicals:

» Is there a genuine need for this chemical?

» How does it compare to existing industry alternatives?

» Which types of growers will benefit most from its use?

For New Pot Designs:

» Do the design attributes align with industry requirements, including compatibility with potting machines and pot forks?

» How does it integrate with various production models?

» Does it cater to the specific market they are selling into?

For New Fertilisers:

» Comparative trials are conducted against the current product in use. This could involve a single crop or various species to assess growth, flowering, and plant colour variations.

» Does it provide tangible benefits to the plant, resulting in increased stock turnover, reduced growing time, improved foliage colour, or enhanced flowering?

2. Experiment Design: This phase involves the meticulous structuring of the experiment. It encompasses the definition of treatments, controls, and replication scheme. Treatments denote the various factors to be tested, such as distinct fertiliser rates or diverse crop varieties. Controls serve as the benchmark against which treatments are assessed. The replication scheme specifies the number of times each treatment is to be repeated. A standard practice in trials is to include a minimum of three replications.

3. Field Site Selection: The choice of the field site is of paramount importance. It should be a representative reflection of the area where the field trial's results will be applicable. Additionally, it should exhibit uniformity in terms of media type, growing conditions, and common nursery or agricultural practices.

4. Field Site Preparation and Trial Planting: This step may involve demarcating the trial area, making site preparations, or implementing exclusion measures to safeguard against contamination and maintain consistent variables. The treatments and controls are planted in a randomised manner to ensure unbiased outcomes. This prevents potential skewing due to variations in factors like media quality or microclimate.

5. Trial Management: Management encompasses activities such as watering, weeding, and fertilisation as needed. Additionally, vigilant monitoring for pests and diseases is essential. It is considered best practice to clearly define and share responsibilities among participants in the trial.

6. Data Collection: The nature of data collected depends on the research question. Common data points in field trials include yield, plant height, flower size, tuber weight, growth duration, plant vigour, weed density, and incidence of pests and diseases. Both qualitative data (visual or sensory observations) and quantitative data (numerical measurements) are invaluable at this stage.

7. Data Analysis and Result Interpretation: Rigorous statistical methods are employed to analyse the data, aiming to identify any significant differences between the treatments and controls. The interpretation of field trial results is conducted with reference to the research question and within the broader context of related research or findings pertinent to the research area.

8. Results Dissemination: The results of the field trial are disseminated to relevant stakeholders, the scientific community, and the wider industry. This can be accomplished through various means, including publications, newsletters, presentations, and workshops. Notably, at GCP, grower workshop events serve as a key channel for sharing the insights gained from our trial endeavours, facilitated by our field managers.

Moving forward

Our commitment to conducting product trials underscores the significant value of obtaining feedback from consumers and other stakeholders. This feedback serves as a catalyst for manufacturers to pinpoint areas of improvement and adapt products to better meet market demands.

It's imperative to underscore that the evaluation of trial results is a critical phase where growers can actively contribute. This evaluation comprises both scientific and anecdotal components. In the realm of plants, it involves scrutinising aspects like plant appearance, foliage coloration, flower volume, and plant robustness. These factors can be quantified through metrics like weight and root development, or by observing shorter growing times that lead to increased stock turnover. Growers’ experiences, insights, and feedback are pivotal in this assessment, and with accumulating trial experience, patterns of product benefits become increasingly discernible.

In the context of chemical products, the assessment process is more empirically driven. For instance, when evaluating pre-emergent herbicides, trial areas encompass untreated sections, areas treated with the previous market-standard chemical, or the one currently used by the grower. Additionally, vacant sections are left untreated to assess the consequences of lacking protection. Weed species and their historical pressure are also instrumental factors.

As for pot designs, the assessment may revolve around enhanced handling in the business, accelerated stock turnover, or even the conservation of soil resources.

In conclusion

Product trials stand as an integral component of introducing new products into the market. Their significance is underscored by the consumers' expectation that products perform as advertised. By conducting trials, manufacturers can proactively detect performance issues and implement necessary refinements before the product's market release.

Therefore, when a supplier, field manager, or GCP agronomist extends an invitation to conduct a trial at your premises, it is an opportunity to be at the forefront of evaluating and assessing a new product poised for the market. Embracing this opportunity ensures you play an instrumental role in shaping the quality and effectiveness of products that reach the market.