The Resistance Management Plan (RMP) for Australian Bt cotton aims to minimise the development of resistant Helicoverpa moths. This project aims to assess if the legislated distance between pigeon pea and Bt legislated in the plan is adequate for preventing the movement of larvae between crops on commercial farms. To do this the behaviour and movement of larvae was observed. An experiment was set up to test how the movement of larvae was affected by factors such as the distance between pigeon pea and cotton (25 - 100cm), crop attractiveness (cotton either had or did not have flowers) and the presence of water. The experiments showed that larvae will move up to one metre over bare soil to reach Bt cotton. Furthermore, the likelihood of larvae reaching the cotton is increased by the presence of cotton flowers. Larvae were also observed swimming on water suggesting that this is a way in which young Helicoverpa can move within the field. This information indicates that, to improve the efficiency of the current RMP refuges should not be adjacent to Bt cotton within the same field but future work is needed to validate these laboratory findings under field conditions.

Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa punctigera are destructive and adaptable pests that co-exist within the Australian cotton industry. There has been minimal research regarding how these two species interact within cotton crops to understand if one species dominants the other, or in which environment this dominance occurs. As part of the RMP, refuges are planted next to Bt cotton to produce high numbers of moths. If larval numbers are high in these refuges, then one Helicoverpa species could force out the other onto the neighbouring Bt cotton, where it would be exposed to Bt toxins. The aim of this work was to establish how H. armigera and H. punctigera competed for food, and whether in times of high density, one species was more likely to be pushed out of the pigeon pea into Bt cotton. Mixed and single species groups of 3rd to 5th instar H. armigera and H. punctigera larvae were set up on non-flowering pigeon pea or flowering non-Bt cotton refuges, and given the option of moving onto Bt cotton. H. armigera were likely to move off non- flowering pigeon pea irrespective of larval density. In mixed species groups, H. armigera and H. punctigera behaved as if they are one species complex and neither were more likely to move off the non-Bt flowering refuge. Both larvae species also seemed to be gregarious, but this needs further investigation. These results indicate that interspecific competition will not cause one species to be more exposed to Bt cotton than the other, but that there may be differences between the species in whether they will move onto Bt cotton.

The 2020 Australian Cotton Production Manual is a critical reference tool for cotton growers: a one-stop-shop of on-farm cotton production information.

This project funding supported a review of the research and development investments within its Responsible Landscape Management Theme bringing together a group of CRDC investment researchers, growers and industry.

A two day Natural Resource Management(NRM) Forum was held in May 2016.

Day one focused on Sustainability: Creating sustainable value to cotton businesses and identifying pathways to impact.

Day two: Science to impact: Future and innovation.

The forum discussed the cotton industry’s R&D needs. From input, the direction of future investments to meet future challenges to maximise impact. The outcomes from the forum were used to advise the Investment Strategy meetings and the Sustainability stakeholder Forum held in later 2016.

This travel scholarship funding enabled one researcher to attend and present at the International Tri- Conference for Precision Agriculture 2017. The primary aim of attending the Asian-Australasian Conference for Precision Agriculture (PA17) was to gain a solid foundation of the status of precision agriculture in Australia and across the globe (US, Europe, Asia). There were four particular areas of interest to the researcher, including:

1. How people are currently using spatial ‘big data’

2. Different approaches to creating ‘management zones’

3. Current approaches of predicting yield – both mechanistic (e.g. APSIM) and empirical (e.g. the approach we developed in the AgData challenge for cereal and oilseed crops)

4. The use of the various available remote sensing platforms to understand crop status and health, as well as using these data sources as an input into empirical approaches to predict yield

The conference was an opportunity to showcase the work that our Australian researchers have achieved using big data and machine learning to predict yield over large areas.

CSIRO is strategically committed to extension of research and to development of tools and techniques to support a more productive and profitable cotton farming system which also has an improved environmental performance. To ensure a high level of industry impact, CSIRO research outcomes need to be linked with campaigns that are implemented through the Cottoninfo team and supported by myBMP.

This project applied the industry knowledge and experience, research awareness, familiarity with development and delivery formats to lead numerous initiatives. Some of the key activities from this project included;

1. Leading extension campaigns to help the industry recognise the importance of IPM.

2. Ensuring that myBMP is linked and updated with the latest best practice messages from research results.

3. Validating best practice guidelines using field experiments. E.g. Pix experiments.

4. Supporting CottASSIST users.

5. Helping with the development of key industry publications. E.g. Australian Cotton Production Manual, Cotton Pest Management Guide.

6. Coordinating the Cotton Pest Management Short Course (2017/18) to train the next generation of crop consultants and farm managers in IPM practices and principles.

The CottonInfo team provides a mechanism to capture, develop, package and deliver research outcomes and foster their uptake by industry. This project made use of the strong links between the CottonInfo team and research community. It involved integrating new research appropriately to help develop a range of extension support such as publications, online decision support, extension activities and the resources behind myBMP.

The advent of Bt-cotton led to a dramatic decline in insecticide use against Helicoverpa spp. in the Australian cotton industry. Though this had significant benefits to the industry a downside was that some pest species formerly controlled by insecticides applied against Helicoverpa spp., and which were not affected by the Bt proteins, were no longer controlled. Several species have increased in significance in Bt-cotton, including the green mirid and green vegetable bug. In addition, silverleaf whitefly (SLW) has gradually achieved pest status in central and southern regions. It became a major problem in the Lower Namoi, Mungindi, and Gwydir regions in 2008-09, and has since reached pest status in cotton in other regions as well (Upper Namoi, Macquarie and Goondiwindi). In combination these emergent pests challenge the IPM systems developed for cotton because many of the control options used are detrimental to beneficial species.

This project built on a series of projects focusing on developing and enhancing integrated pest management (IPM) in cotton, especially in Bt-cotton systems. This was done by providing key information about the ecology and management of pests and beneficials and developing that information into a format suitable for use by industry. The project aimed to maintain capacity to respond to emerging pest problems (e.g. broad mites), to address key pest management challenges, such as management of mirids, GVB and SLW and maintain core entomology skills essential given the changing pest management environment (BGII and the advent of BGIII). The project also provided key support for (1) the project of Dr Grant Herron, NSW DPI (DAN197) investigating resistance to pesticides in mites and aphids (2) the project of Murray Sharman, QDAFF (DAQ1201) which had an objective to understand alternatives hosts for cotton bunchy top disease (CBT), and (3) also interacted with Dr Robert Mensah in evaluation of the efficacy and non-target effects of some novel biopesticides and semiochemicals.

This project supported the ongoing development of IPM in cotton by targeting emerging pest issues, and inappropriate management which may threaten IPM. Key outcomes were:

a. Populations of silverleaf whitefly (SLW) were maintained throughout the year on non-cultivated hosts. Key winter hosts for nymphs were sowthistle, bladder ketmia and blackberry nightshade. Sowthistle is an important indicator host of potential SLW abundance.

b. Life history studies with silverleaf whitefly showed that survival of eggs is generally between 50-80% while survival of nymphs declined from 50% in December to 10% in March. A range of SLW predators were identified.

c. System experiments for SLW management found (i) no evidence that SLW are worse on Bt-cotton than non-Bt-cotton (ii) okra leaf shape offers resistance to SLW (iii) broad-spectrum sprays led to much higher populations of SLW

d. Investigation of the fate of honeydew on bolls showed (i) breakdown by sunlight occurs slowly (ii) rainfall substantially reduces contamination (iii) a non-linear relationship was found between % honeydew removed and rainfall.

e. Green vegetable bug (GVB) abundance increased when the drought broke and there were abundant weed hosts. Parasitism by the tachinid, Trichopoda giacomellii, also increased probably reflecting higher, consistent availability of GVB as hosts

f. Sequential host use studies showed GVB prefer to feed and oviposit in legume crops such as mungbean, pigeon pea, soybean and lucerne. Some legumes may have potential to draw GVB away from cotton.

g. Results confirm that sorghum is a potential host for GVB but only during the flowering and early seed maturation period.

h. Twelve additional hosts were identified for cotton bunchy top disease (CBT) predominantly from Malvaceae, but also from the Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae and Aizoaceae.

i. Neonicotinoid seed treatments on cotton significantly reduced transmission of CBT by neonicotinoid-susceptible aphids. Foliar applications of an aphicide were only effective at reducing primary transmission if timed just before or just after aphids colonised the crop.

j. The IPM fit of nine new compounds was evaluated. Two recently registered compounds will be added to the „Impact of insecticides and miticides on beneficials‟ table for 2014/15.

k. Information was provided to industry to assist in management of spur-throated locusts and cluster caterpillars (2010-11) and broad mites (2011-12)

l. Simone Heimoana‟s Phd thesis „The effects of aphids (Aphis gossypii) Glover on photosynthesis in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)‟ was awarded.

m. Contributions were made to the TIMS Committee, TIMS Insecticide and Bt Technical Panels, to REFCOM and the Industry Bio-security Committee.

This project provides new information to improve management of emerging pests. Outcomes have been delivered to industry through presentations, published resources and the WWW.

This workshop will be taught by seven international Fusarium experts. Participants will be introduced to standard morphological, genetic and molecular biological techniques used to identify and characterize strains of Fusarium. Participants will learn to use morphological characters to identify the most common Fusarium species, how to make tests for vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) and cross-fertility, and how to extract, PCR amplify DNA, and to analyze DNA sequences. More than half of the time will be spent in the laboratory working with standard strains. Students may bring some of their own strains.

Topics include:

Laboratory Strain Identification

VCG Analysis

Mating Types and Crosses

Species Concepts

Molecular Identification

Mycotoxigenic species

Attendance will also broaden my Fusarium expertise as well as increase my international contacts with Fusarium experts.

The three major areas of learning will involve:

1.) Knowledge and technical expertise to correctly identify numerous Fusarium species using morphological techniques as well as molecular sequencing.

2). Learn traditional techniques including the preparation of single spore cultures, vegetative compatibility grouping, and extensive familiarisation with the morphological characteristic of a range of Fusaria grown on specialised media.

3). Learn molecular identification of Fusarium species including how to extract DNA from the isolate, amplification of DNA using PCR, DNA sequence, and running the DNA sequence through a sequence database.

The Cotton Australia Grower RD&E Advisory Panels provide a critical role within the cotton industry by providing practical advice on research, development and extension needs and priorities. This advice is important guidance to CRDC in its formation of five-year Strategic R&D Plans, Annual Operational Plans, Expressions of Interest for RD&E and resultant CRDC decisions as to project investments.

Cotton Australia facilitates 4 advisory panels that are aligned with the CRDC strategic plan priorities. The panels consist of up to 40 grower, consultant and ginners members from every cotton growing region.

The TIMS committee is facilitated by Cotton Australia and CRDC. It functions as a cotton industry stewardship group, with broad representation from growers, research organisations, crop consultants and members of the pulse and grains industries. The agricultural chemical, biotechnology and planting seed companies that provide crop protection tools to Australian cotton growers approach the TIMS Committee for advice on issues associated with developing or amending resistance management plans for new or existing technologies. Cotton Australia is represented by 6 grower representatives, the TIMS Committee Chair, the Chairs of the three technical panels and the Executive Officer.

The Cotton Australia-facilitated Industry Biosecurity Group (IBG) has traditionally met annually to ensure that the cotton industry’s responsibilities under the Emergency Plant Pest Response (EPPR) Deed are met. Development of an implementation plan through recent revision of the Industry Biosecurity Plan has led to a need to formalise this group to address key biosecurity needs of the industry. It is anticipated that the formalised IBG will constitute 1 staff and up to 3 grower representatives of Cotton Australia as well as representatives from CRDC, Crop Consultants Australia, CSIRO, NSW DPI, QDAF and Plant Health Australia.

The Green Vegetable Bug, Nezara viridula, has recently become a more significant pest of Australian cotton but it is not a problem every season. This project addressed aspects of the multiple host use and movement of N. viridula as they relate to cotton, as well as the genetic relationship between Australian N. viridula and the global populations of this pest.

Samples of N. viridula were collected from northern and eastern Australia and from a variety of weed and crop hosts, with an emphasis on cotton. The abundance of N. viridula was low for the duration of the project but about 800 adult insects were collected overall. Comprehensive phylogenetic and population genetics methods were used to address each of the questions. The methods developed during this study will be made available to other researchers through scientific publications.

The Australia populations of N. viridula come from two different evolutionary lineages, one European and one Asian. The former is distributed across eastern Australia and the other across northern Australia. At some point in the past some individuals of the Asian lineage have mated with individuals of the European lineage in northern Queensland but these events appear to have occurred only rarely. Across the different host plant species there are no genetic differences between N.viridula that would indicate separate host-specific gene pools.

The N. viridula in eastern Australia are more genetically distinct from one another the greater the geographic distance that separates the sampling localities from which they were collected. This slight genetic differentiation over geographic distance is present in insects collected across two years and this indicates that N. viridula populations remain relatively localised in the short term. This result indicates that the host plants available to N. viridula within each cotton growing region will be the most relevant for predicting the abundance of this insect in cotton. Pest pressure from N. viridula was low for the duration of the project and so this pattern may be different during seasons when N. viridula is present in high numbers. In years of high abundance host plants might be found between growing regions, and allow for the recruitment of N. viridula over a wider area.

Future research that addresses the host use of N. viridula should investigate populations from each cotton growing region independently, as local conditions, such as the crop and weed host plants used by N. viridula each season before cotton becomes attractive, will be the most relevant to late season numbers of this insect in cotton. A previous CRDC funded project has already addressed N. viridula host use in central New South Wales. If cotton is grown regularly in northern Australia then it would be prudent to treat the N. viridula population there as a separate entity, as there may be significant differences in their biology which could affect their host use and abundance in cotton. Any differences would therefore influence the development of management strategies.

Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) presents a major biosecurity threat to the Australian industry. The exotic Cotton blue disease (CBD) is also of concern. The industry has invested in preparedness for CLCuD and CBD through project research which commenced in 2008. These projects delivered surveillance of Australian cotton crops, a draft contingency plan for each exotic disease and a surveillance strategy for detection of CLCuD through trapping its whitefly vector.

The 2012 workshop on whitefly transmitted viruses highlighted a need for ongoing investment in this area and a need for improved testing of imported plant material. The detection of Bemisia tabaci Biotype B in northern Australia is a concern given the close proximity with Indonesia. Results indicated Indonesia has many different begomoviruses, although the full diversity is unknown. The diversity of these viruses and satellites in other areas north of Australia is also unknown. The detection of an exotic aphid-transmitted virus of vegetables in Kununurra and Darwin in 2011 demonstrates a potential pathway into northern Australia. A structured surveillance system for exotic cotton viruses both pre- and post-border was the major aim of this project.