Cotton production in Central Queensland will continue to impose a unique set of challenges due to climate and it’s remoteness from other production areas. These challenges have been met successfully at an industry level in the duration of this project through strong collaboration between growers and local extension network.

Through the duration of the 5 year project, the cotton industry in Central Queensland has met and addressed some of it’s greatest ever challenges. The highlights of this include the successful development and utilisation of a management strategy for silverleaf whitefly, and the successful development and deployment of a strategy to prevent weed and disease movement into the region, and the establishment and nurturing of successful Area Wide Management Groups.

The project has been instrumental in developing a management program for one of the biggest insect threats, silverleaf whitefly. Without proper management, the destruction of fibre quality could permanently affect the marketability of Australia’s multi-million dollar cotton crop. The management strategy has been developed and adopted through strong collaboration between national and international research and development agencies and farmers and consultants. The template for management of this pest has been able to be transferred to other cotton growing areas in Australia.

The Central Highlands is one of the only cotton producing regions in Australia that has no confirmed cases of Fusarium wilt. The local industry took the proactive step of trying to maintain this status by developing a strategy to prevent the introduction of weeds and diseases into the region. This three-part plan involved 1) the compilation of a protocols document to be used by growers in implementing ‘on farm’ strategies, 2) establishing a facility for independent inspection of machinery entering the area, and 3) a wider community/ industry education program promoting the strategy including the installation of large road signs at the entrances to the district promoting the ‘Come Clean- Go Clean’ message. This program has had great success with excellent adoption and a continued ‘fusarium free’ status.

Central Queensland has been one of the pioneering regions for area wide management following the broad adoption of trap cropping in the late 1990s. Since that time, the momentum of area wide management has continued to grow to an extent where the groups operating in this region are amongst the most dynamic and successful in the industry. The involvement of the extension officer in this project has been paramount to maintaining the momentum of these groups. Outcomes of these groups have included the successful deployment of the management strategy for silverleaf whitefly, the ongoing high adoption of the IRMS and reduced incidences of odour complaints into town.

Whilst the successes of the Central Queensland cotton industry over the past 5 years have been principally been due to the fact that it has industry- wide involvement in all issues, the role of the extension officer in this process has been paramount.