Deficit (VPD)) and reduced water availability as a consequence of climate change is likely to

affect cotton production. However, there had previously been little research to assess the realworld

interaction of rising CO2, temperature, VPD and reduced water availability. To enhance

the current understanding of cotton system adaptation to climate variability and plan for

projected climate change, as a part of the National Facility for Climate Change Research

project four chambers were constructed at the Australian Cotton Research Institute (ACRI) in

Narrabri, NSW. These chambers have enabled higher atmospheric CO2 and warmer air

temperatures for field-grown cotton, throughout an entire season. The chambers have

successfully been used over three consecutive cotton seasons (2014-15 to 2016-17) in field

based research to further current understanding of the interactive effects of rising CO2 and

warmer temperatures on the physiology, growth, water use and soil microbial communities of

cotton production systems in Australia. Therefore, the development of the National Facility for

Cotton Climate Change Research has been, and will continue to be, a crucial aspect of

investigating the response of field-grown cotton in Australian production systems to projected

climate change.