Division Test conditions

Normally a trial consists of three components: test product, reference product and untreated control.

The performance of the plant protection product must be investigated in relation to suitable reference products, where they exist. A suitable reference product is defined as an authorised plant protection product which has proved a sufficient performance in practice under the agricultural, plant health and environmental (including climatic) conditions in the area of proposed use. In general, formulation type, effects on the harmful organisms, working spectrum and method of application shall be close to those of the tested plant protection product.

Plant protection products must be tested in circumstances where the target harmful organism has been shown to have been present at a level causing or known to cause adverse effects (yield, quality, operational benefit) on an unprotected crop or area or on plants or plant products which have not been treated or where the harmful organism is present at such a level that an evaluation of the plant protection product can be made.

Trials to provide data on plant protection products for control of harmful organisms must show the level of control of the species of harmful organisms concerned or of species representative of groups for which claims are made. Trials must include the different stages of growth of life cycle of the harmful species, where this is relevant and the different strains or races, where these are likely to show different degrees of susceptibility.

Similarly, trials to provide data on plant protection products which are plant growth regulators, must show the level of effects on the species to be treated, and include investigation of differences in the response of a representative sample of the range of cultivars on which its use is proposed.

In order to clarify the dose response, dose rates lower than the recommended one must be included in some trials in order to enable to assess whether the recommended rate is the minimum necessary to achieve the desired effect.

The duration of the effects of treatment must be investigated in relation to the control of the target organism or effect on the treated plants or plant products, as appropriate. When more than one application is recommended, trials must be reported which establish the duration of the effects of an application, the number of applications necessary and the desired intervals between them.

Evidence must be submitted to show that the dose, timing and method of application recommended give adequate control, protection or have the intended effect in the range of circumstances likely to be encountered in practical use.

Unless there are clear indications that the performance of the plant protection product is unlikely to be affected to a significant degree by environmental factors, such as temperature or rain, an investigation of the effects of such factors on performance must be carried out and reported, particularly where it is known that the performance of chemically related products is so affected.

Where proposed label claims include recommendations for the use of the plant protection product with other plant protection product(s) or adjuvant(s) information on the performance of the mixture must be provided.