NVT 20 years timeline

Explore the milestones and highlights of the NVT program over the last 20 years.

2005
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GRDC established the National Variety Trials (NVT), managed by the Australian Crop Accreditation System (ACAS).

  • Launched the NVT website allowing registered users to access trial results online. Initial crops were wheat, barley, triticale, oats, canola, lupins, lentils, field peas, faba beans and chickpeas.
  • Introduced the NVT Research Seed Multiplication Program to produce single-origin wheat and barley seed for NVT.
2007
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Added temperature sensors to every NVT trial site for frost detection.

2008
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Introduced Roundup Ready ® canola trials.

  • Added a Google Maps interface to the website.
2009
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Established 11 NVT Advisory Committees (NACs to seek grower perspectives on trial site selection, management protocols and included varieties.

2011
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Started stripe rust and blackleg management in NVTs.

2012
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Tasmania enters the NVT trials with wheat and barley trials.

  • Introduced a national approach to the disease ratings program for cereals incorporating the former state-based programs.
2014
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NVT Research Seed Multiplication Program expanded to produce wheat and barley seed for grains industry research requiring consistent, high-quality, single-origin seed.

2017
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GRDC brought NVT management in-house with a focus on enabling new opportunities.

2018
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Added NVT Disease Rating tool to the website.

2020
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Published the inaugural NVT Harvest Report.

  • NVT Research Seed Multiplication Program expanded to include all NVT pulse crops.
2022
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Implemented the future NVT initiative. This included removing limits on the number of un-released varieties breeders could enter in NVT. Breeders pay the subsidised cost of trialling, which is refunded when a variety and its NVT data is made available to growers.

  • Launched the trial notification subscription service to alert users when new results and MET data become available.
2024
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Incorporated the first IMI lentil trials into NVT.

  • Expanded the number of NACs in WA to 5, representing the 5 port zones to improve the NVT program’s regional representation.

What did we miss? NVT has been running for 20 years now, and in that time there have been many amazing achievements that should be recognised. Help us document the comprehensive history of our great program by emailing nvt@grdc.com.au with your stories about NVT.

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Celebrating 20 Years

Since 2005, the National Variety Trials (NVT) has delivered essential data, helping Australian farmers achieve sustainable outcomes.

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Honour Roll

Our Honour Roll celebrates the exceptional contribution of NVT trial hosts whose support make the NVT Program a success.

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