Research & Development

We are committed to finding solutions to agronomic problems.

We believe that our breadth and depth of research is what sets us apart – whether we’re trialling new seed varieties, researching integrated pest management, or developing new bio-stimulants.

Under our Green Horizons programme, we’re putting more focus on sustainable technologies and approaches, across arable, fruit, vegetable and potatoes – something that our new iFarms and Digital Technology Farms will help us to research in a real farm setting.

Just some of the topics we’re researching

Every year we have a new programme of research based on what you, our customers, tell us you most need. Here are some examples of what we’re currently working on:

• Field trials comparing untreated, standard fungicide programmes, reduced rate fungicides, and reduced rate fungicides bolstered with biosolutions

• Research on regenerative farming techniques with a focus on ensuring profitability 

• 40,000 trials of seed varieties, plus trials of crops novel to the UK market, while also developing our Variety Sustainability Ratings

• Seed treatment trials looking at ‘traditional’ and new, including micronutritional, biological (including endophytes) and biostimulant options

• Trialling our Agrii-Start range of fertilisers, designed for enhancing nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and reducing your carbon footprint

• Crop protection products trials focused on understanding new products or those being registered within 2-3 years

• Wide ranging work on biosolutions, exploring benefits to crop health and pest and disease tolerance and control 

Throws Farm Technology Centre is a LEAF Innovation Centre

The in-depth research carried out at our iFarms and Technology Centres, alongside our Green Horizons initiative, has led to the accreditation of Throws Farm as a LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Innovation Centre. The official launch took place on Wednesday 13th October 2021.

About LEAF

LEAF are the leading organisation delivering more sustainable food and farming. Their mis­sion is to inspire and enable more cir­cu­lar approach­es to farm­ing and food sys­tems through inte­grat­ed, regen­er­a­tive and vibrant nature-based solu­tions. LEAF work closely with farmers, the food industry, scientists and consumers to promote and enable sustainable farming.

Our Throws Farm Technology Centre joins twelve other LEAF Innovation Centres, which, together with LEAF Demonstration Farms, form the LEAF Network – a UK wide group of research organisations whose work supports the research, evidence, development and promotion of more sustainable farming delivered through Integrated Farm Management.