The PPI basic research services involve processing orders received from outside customers for the scope of studies, which are the specialty of the Department of Pesticide Efficacy Testing. Most of them are pesticide efficacy studies done as plot experiments with the purpose of updating or developing new crop protection programs; others involve expert opinions, technical expertise and training.

The services are provided by a team at the Department of Pesticide Efficacy Testing working by the defined quality system. The team consists of researchers, engineers, technicians and support personnel assisting with plot experiments. All of them represent high professional standards and long-term experience. The scientific and research employees, thanks to their own research studies and participation in many conferences, seminars and hands-on meetings and training held both locally and abroad, have an up-to-date, comprehensive and detailed professional expertise. It includes detailed knowledge of pathogen biology, pests, weeds and other agrophages, as well as the know-how of pesticide efficacy testing techniques.
The basic procedures are based on EPPO Guidelines, foreign and national standards and scientific studies from recognized and reviewed periodicals. Some special techniques were developed by the Sośnicowice scientific personnel themselves.
The Department has at its disposal a fully equipped laboratory, greenhouse, plots and an appropriately located experimental field. It can also carry out experiments on a commercial field.

The Institute’s Branch in Sośnicowice has conducted pesticide efficacy studies since 1974 for foreign companies, such as: BASF, Bayer, Crompton, Dow AgroSciences, Du Pont, Makhteshim-Agan, Monsanto, Sharda, Prophyta, Sumi-Agro (Sumitomo, Nippon Soda), Syngenta Crop Protection, and Polish customers, including: Agropak, Best-Pest, Ekoplon, Rokita-Agro S.A., Chemical Plant Organika-Azot and Chemical Plant Organika-Sarzyna.

• Pesticide efficacy testing for the purpose of their registration. All groups of pesticides can be tested including: fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, biological agents, adiuvants and growth regulators. It is also possible to run tests on mixtures of pesticides in various combinations with other agrochemicals.
• Development studies aiming at introduction of new plant protection programs or specific outcome-directed programs for basic cultivars. Such studies take into account the type of crop, different agrotechnical conditions, environmental factors, weather, variety sensitivity under increasing impact from pathogens and pests.
• Studies on combined agrochemicals applications.
• Implementation or demonstration studies using the latest crop protection technologies in production field conditions on large acreage.
• Pesticide biological quality evaluation.
• Laboratory, greenhouse and field phytotoxicity tests.
• Expert opinions regarding potential threats to crops and crop losses caused by pathogens, pests, weeds and other environmental factors.
• Consulting regarding identification of pathogens and pests, diagnostics.
• Other expert opinions as ordered by outside customers.