AgriTrialHub supports agricultural innovation testing at different levels of methodological complexity – from practical product usability assessment to formal studies conducted according to a detailed protocol. The scope, number of farms, duration and data requirements are adapted to the client’s objective.
Key terms explained
Criterion
A
Product usability test
B
On-farm demonstration
C
Field experiment
Core AgriTrialHub service
D
Scientific or regulatory study
Primary objective
Assessment of handling, application, practicality and user experience.
Verification that the solution can be practically and correctly implemented under real farm conditions.
Quantitative assessment of the solution through comparison of control and treatment conditions.
Generation of data according to a formal scientific, quality-assurance or regulatory protocol.
Best suited for
Early validation of the product, packaging, instructions, application process or compatibility with farm practice.
Demonstrating feasibility, practical adoption and farmer acceptance.
Assessment of agronomic, biological, environmental or production performance.
Research projects, formal technology validation or studies requiring full traceability.
Trial structure
Simple product-use scenario. A control is normally not required.
Agreed demonstration scenario. A simple comparison with existing farm practice may be included.
Planned control and treatment conditions with defined interventions, measurements and dates.
Design defined in a formal protocol, including quality-control, traceability and documentation requirements.
Control condition
Not required.
Optional; usually the farm’s existing practice.
Required unless another approach is justified by the experimental design.
According to the approved protocol.
Replication and randomisation
Not required.
Usually not required; may be used to a limited extent.
Used where feasible and necessary for quantitative or statistical analysis.
Defined by the study protocol and requirements applicable to the intended use.
Typical scale
The indicated scales are illustrative. The final number of farms depends on the objective, variability of conditions and required strength of inference.
One or several farms, depending on user diversity and application conditions.
One or several farms representing real implementation conditions.
Several farms or an appropriate number of field replications, determined by the experimental design.
Determined individually based on the protocol, required study power and formal requirements.
Typical duration
From a single operation to several weeks.
From one production stage to a full season.
The full period relevant to the assessed effect, usually one production season.
According to the protocol; multi-season or multi-location studies may be required.
Data collected from the farmer
ease of use
time required
application problems
compatibility with machinery and farm practice
implementation process
completed operations
product use
organisational feasibility
baseline data
control and treatment information
intervention dates and parameters
weather and field conditions
complete source-data set defined in the protocol
traceability of activities and samples
equipment records
laboratory results
Tools and measurements
Digital forms, checklists, questionnaires, photographs and short activity logs.
Implementation forms, activity logs, photographic documentation and basic field measurements.
Standardised forms, measurement instructions, field measurements, weather data, yield measurement and, where required, sample collection.
Tools, equipment, laboratories and quality-control system specified in the formal protocol.
Laboratory analyses
Usually not required.
Optional where they support implementation assessment.
May be included where required to assess the effect, such as soil, plant, product or feed analyses.
According to the protocol, using appropriately selected laboratories and methods.
AgriTrialHub service scope
clarification of the test objective
farm recruitment and matching
preparation of forms
delivery of instructions
preparation of the demonstration scenario
farm recruitment
implementation coordination
communication with farmers
support in experimental design
preparation or adaptation of the protocol
farm selection and recruitment
criteria-based matching
farm recruitment and qualification
operational management
implementation of the approved protocol
documentation control
The scope does not automatically include study-sponsor responsibilities, GEP or GLP certification, accredited testing, obtaining authorisations or regulatory submission.
Data analysis
Descriptive summary of responses, problems and user experience.
Descriptive analysis of implementation and indicative results.
Comparative analysis and, where supported by the design and number of observations, statistical analysis.
Analysis defined in the data-analysis plan or protocol.
Client deliverables
raw responses
summary of identified problems
user feedback
usability report
farm data
implementation documentation
photographs
feasibility assessment
structured dataset
completeness information
deviation log
analysis results
documentation and data specified in the protocol and contract
study-conduct report
agreed summaries and appendices
Strength of evidence
Evidence of practical usability. No basis for confirming biological or agronomic efficacy.
Evidence of feasibility and implementation, with indicative information about outcomes.
Comparative quantitative data. Statistical inference depends on the design, number of replications and data quality.
The strength of evidence depends on the formal protocol, quality system and compliance with applicable scientific or regulatory requirements.
Main limitation
Not intended to assess product efficacy.
Limited ability to attribute the observed effect solely to the tested solution.
Reliability of conclusions depends on the experimental design, number of observations and protocol compliance.
Requires individual definition of responsibilities, quality requirements and regulatory status.
Service intensity
Basic
Standard
Advanced
Bespoke
Select a trial type
C · Experiment
Quantitative assessment of the solution through comparison of control and treatment conditions.
C · Experiment
Reliability of conclusions depends on the experimental design, number of observations and protocol compliance.
Principles applicable to all trial types
1
The farmer is compensated for time, work, machinery use, data collection and risk, independently of the trial outcome.
2
AgriTrialHub protects farmers’ personal data and provides the client only with information necessary to assess farm suitability.
3
Negative, neutral and inconclusive findings are reported under the same rules as positive findings.
4
The final service scope is defined in the protocol and client contract.
Not sure which trial type to choose?
Describe your solution, its development stage and the evidence you need. We will help you select the appropriate trial model, data scope and farm profile.