The National Variety Trials (NVT) program is managed and funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). The National Variety Trials program has grown into the largest coordinated variety trial network globally, providing vital information that empowers Australian broadacre farmers to make informed decisions about selecting crop varieties.

Standardised Variety Evaluation

Prior to the NVT, comparisons between varieties were challenging due to the varying methods used by different breeders in presenting their results. The NVT addressed this critical gap by providing a consistent and trusted approach to variety assessment. The GRDC retains ownership of all data generated, ensuring the independence of information and the freedom to disseminate it. Each year, the NVT program conducts over 650 trials across more than 300 locations nationwide, encompassing ten different crop species and contributing to a database that includes more than 1.5 million plot points. This extensive data collection supports a wide array of research endeavors, from investigating herbicide loss to understanding climatic changes, while also building industry capacity in biometrics.
 
The NVT program’s produces premium quality seed for over 242 commercially available varieties at a single location each year, grading it to ensure uniformity and conducting genetic testing to maintain varietal purity and avoid contamination. This attention to detail minimises the influence of variables such as seed size, origin, and nutrient content, ensuring that observed differences in yield are genetically driven.
 

Accelerating Variety Adoption

One of the most significant contributions of the NVT program has been its role in accelerating the adoption of superior crop varieties. By providing growers with reliable and independent data, the NVT has reduced the time it takes for a new variety to reach peak adoption rates by two to three years. This acceleration is crucial for maximising the profitability and sustainability of Australian grain production, as growers can quickly incorporate the latest genetic advancements into their farming systems.
 
The NVT program’s impact extends beyond individual growers, benefiting the entire Australian grains industry. By providing a platform for evaluating pre-commercial lines, the NVT helps breeders gauge the performance of their varieties against those of other companies, facilitating informed decisions on variety commercialisation. This process prevents the release of inferior varieties and ensures that only the best genetics are made available to growers. The NVT program also supports non-NVT grains industry research projects by providing resources such as datasets, grain samples, and plot access through the NVT Resource Sharing scheme. GRDC also offer subsidised variety testing across its extensive network of trials, providing valuable performance data that can be utilised by seed companies within their breeding programs.
 
The NVT program’s success can be attributed to the active involvement of growers and industry experts. NVT Advisory Committees (NACs), comprising growers and advisors from each NVT region, play a crucial role in guiding management practices. Trial service providers manage trial sites, planting, maintaining, assessing, and harvesting trial crops across the country. The data collected by trial service providers is then fed into the NVT portal for analysis by statisticians, who use it to generate reports on variety performance. The NVT program also implements rigorous auditing processes to ensure the quality and reliability of its data.
 
The National Variety Trials are an indispensable asset for Australian broadacre farmers, providing essential, independent data that drives informed decision-making.