The project focused on aspects of farm hygiene as it relates to crop protection within cotton farming systems, while also providing regional extension support in Central Queensland. Specifically this project addressed volunteer cotton management, farm hygiene practices and disease management.

Key outcomes of project include:

• A farm practices and volunteer cotton survey that confirmed the most successful strategy for controlling volunteer cotton within cotton fields was to utilise 2 or more tactics in unison.

• Data developed during the project from herbicide trials was used to support label changes for 3 herbicides that will enable growers to control large volunteer cotton plants using the weed seeker boom technology.

The products being registered for use on large volunteer cotton are:

1. Comet® (fluroxypyr) applied at 1L/ha twice with a treatment interval of 7 or more days.

2. Comet® applied at 1L/ha and then followed with Nuquat (paraquat) at 3.2L/ha approximately 7 or more days after first application.

3. Comet® at 1L/ha mixed with Amicide 700 (2,4D) at 1L/ha as a single application.

• A variety of communication products that raised awareness of volunteer cotton as a significant threat to biosecurity and crop protection.

The improved understanding of volunteer and ratoon cotton management issues and ability to control volunteer and ratoon cotton in the field will assist in preventing exotic disease incursions, lower the risk of existing disease outbreaks and reduce the opportunity for outbreaks of silverleaf whitefly, aphids and Solenopsis mealybug.

Furthermore technical and extension assistance was provided to Central Queensland projects including Paul Grundy’s (DAQ1401 Strengthening the Central Highlands Cotton Production System) and Richard Sequeira’s (DAQ1204 Management of mirids, stinkbugs and Solenopsis Mealybug) project work as well as other CRDC funded projects which were of regional or industry interest.