Take home message:

The National Variety Trials are coming. These will allow a wide evaluation of new and potential new varieties across all cropping regions targeted. The ACAS database will capture and store all information and be accessible according to user status, e.g. grower, advisor, trials manager, breeder, etc.

The aim of National Variety Trials (NVT) is to generate information on new varieties for growers. This is a change in focus from the previous Crop Variety Trials (CVT) that were mostly run by the Agricultural Departments in each state. These CVT trials were used by the public breeders to release new varieties and to test some of the newly released varieties from interstate.

The commercial focus of the breeding programs and the introduction of non-government supported breeding programs have led GRDC to the development of the NVT concept. It was also recognised by GRDC that ACAS was the best vehicle to capture and make available the information to growers and advisors.

As its name suggests, ACAS (Australian Crops Accreditation System) was initially established to develop protocols for the collection of information supporting the release of new varieties. If the protocols associated were met, then that data would be accredited. These protocols were developed for each crop by 1999-2000.

In 2000, ACAS became a limited company with an established board of management. It was given the task to collect all of the available information from the CVT trials from across the country. This was then to be packaged and made available to all growers and advisors.

Progress was made with the release of the Variety Selector, a CD based version that was released at the GRDC Advisor Updates in 2003. However, information was hard to get from each of the states and the available information was in quite different formats.

GRDC has now initiated a new NVT trialing system so ACAS has used the opportunity to develop a computer package that will facilitate the trial management process (creating trials, producing field books and labels) and well as being a data storage and retrieval program. As all NVT trial managers will be using the one database, the data will be centralized, in the same format and be made more easily available and reportable to growers and advisors.

With both the trial manager and the grower or advisor being on line to a central computer, the information collected will become more timely available for inspection once collected.

ACAS has appointed a General Manager to oversee the implementation and continued development of the NVT system. Alan Bedggood's role is to be the conduit of information between the breeders and the trial providers as well as ensuring independence and quality assurance of the information collected. Contact with Alan is best by email on alan@acaslimited.com.au

Disclaimer
Any recommendations, suggestions or opinions contained in this publications do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Grains Research and Development Corporation. No person should act on the basis of the contents of this publication without first obtaining specific, independent professional advice. The Grains Research and Development Corporation will not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of any person using or relying on the information in this publication.