Each year, Crop Consultants Australia - with support from CRDC - conduct a qualitative survey of cotton consultants regarding their practices and attitudes, as well as those of their cotton grower clients. The resulting report provides valuable information to the Australian cotton industry regarding on-farm practices , helping to benchmark the industry's performance in a range of key areas over time. This report, published in December 2015, looks at the 2013-14 cotton growing season.

CRDC's Annual Operational Plan for 2015-16 (AOP): the third annual operational plan under the CRDC's Strategic R&D Plan 2013-18. Note, in 2015-16, the AOP underwent a name change from Annual Operating Plan to Annual Operational Plan.

This report outlines the R&D outcomes achieved under CRDC's 2008-13 Strategic R&D Plan.

The relationship of Cotton leaf roll vitus (CLRV) from Thailand to Cotton leafroll dwarf virus(CLRDV) from Brazil or Cotton bunchy top virus (CBTV) from Australia is unclear as no sequence information is currently published for CLRV inThailand. However, based on the similarities of symptoms and aphid vector transmission, it appears likely that CLRV may also be polerovirus-like virus as is the case for CLRDV and CBTV. The purpose

of this travel was to gain a greater understanding of the field symptoms and diagnosis of

CLRV in Thailand and also to determine if the diagnostic assay being developed for

Brazilian CLRDV as part of the CRDC project (DAQ1201) may also detect Thailand CLRV.

A CRDC Small Capacity Building Project Grant was successfully applied for to conduct a feasibility study into utilising a biomass burner at the Tandou Gin to off-set the increasing costs of LPG used in the ginning process.

Mr John Allison, a consulting engineer was retained to conduct a site inspection of Tandou Gin to determine the current energy requirements and to determine how a biomass burner might be utilised to reduce LPG usage. Mr Allison had successfully installed and commissioned 2 biomass burners at olive oil processing sites in Northern Victoria effectively negating the use of LPG at these sites.

Potential on-farm fuels were identified and assessed. Cotton gin trash, upland cotton seed, pima cotton seed and cotton stalks were all assessed with gin trash being identified as the most suitable fuel based on costs, quantity, locality, calorific value and ash content.

It was determined that there was a surplus of gin trash created on site to supply the heating requirements of the gin up to 700 C. The design concept was that the biomass burner would supply base heating requirements up to this figure at which time the existing LPG burners would cut in if required.

An assessment of different types of heat generating equipment was conducted that included ow pressure boiler

The consultant determined that hot air generators would be the simplest most cost effective installation to meet the gins requirements. The consultant determined that the installation and commissioning of 2 x 500KW hot air generators would cost in the vicinity of $320K

This brief provides an update of an initial review (Cotton Industry Injury and Safety Profile), that was commissioned by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation in 2014. The purpose of the document is to provide contemporaneous data to gauge progress against key work health and safety benchmarks that the industry is seeking to attain.

The Women’s Industry Network, Cotton (Wincott) received a research grant from the Cotton

Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) in 2010 to develop a survey to canvass rural

women’s opinions on natural resource management (NRM) issues and, subsequently, their ideas on

the cotton industry’s new myBMP program. The first survey was initiated at the Wincott Annual

General Meeting (AGM) at the Australian Cotton Conference in August 2010.

The second survey, conducted in 2012, was initiated at the Wincott AGM at the 2012 Australian

Cotton Conference, with 54 attendees completing the survey using ‘Turning Point’, (an instant

PowerPoint survey). The survey was subsequently sent out to the women on the Wincott database,

with 78 hard copy and 19 on-line survey responses received, making a total of 151 responses. The

survey was followed up with four focus group meetings, with 54 attendees in total.

The drought had been over for two years at the time of the 2012 survey; however, quite a number of

cotton-growing regions had significant flood events in that time. There have also been issues of

labour availability since the drought broke and many farm staff have not been replaced. This has

resulted in either more family members taking up more farm-work and/or inexperienced backpackers

filling the gaps. It has also meant that initiatives on the farm considered to be ‘extras’, that

is, not core production issues, have not been implemented. The net result is that labour-saving

innovations have almost been forced upon some farms.

This report summarises the findings of the 2012 survey and associated focus groups. Its purpose is

to determine which, if any, NRM measures were implemented in the two years following the first

survey and whether NRM attitudes had changed. It is intended as a tool to help determine what

women are doing or can do for the industry and what the industry can do for them.

Focus group discussions were held in four different cotton-growing regions in winter of 2013, to

enrich the information obtained through the other survey methods. Many relevant NRM and related

issues were raised and explored at these meetings. (Refer to pages 7& 20-28 ). Three of the four

focus group meetings also had a Workplace Health and Safety speaker, courtesy of Cotton

Australia. Combining the two issues, rather than holding two separate meetings, suited many of the

women.

It is pleasing to note that as a result of the previous survey, and increasing awareness of the value

of an organisation like Wincott, more industry organisations are interested in the opinions of women

on farms and how they can benefit mutually. This is evidenced by more representatives from various

organisations attending Wincott functions and seeking the results of these surveys.

It was notable that all respondents to the second survey chose their answers selectively where they

believed they had something to say, which implies that a good deal of thought had been given to

their responses. This appears to have clear implications for the reliability of the survey.

The Cotton Research and Development Corporation approached the MacIntyre Valley Cotton Growers Association (MVCGA) to undertake a human capacity project to receive a $10,000 grant. As a result of the long drought in the late 2000’s and the mining boom the local cotton industry has found it hard to attract young people to select the industry as a career. A succession plan is needed for the cotton industry to replace those people who have left the industry because of the drought or who are at or near retirement age.

The MVCGA executive committee decided that the money would be best invested on expanding the pushing the boundaries program. The first pushing the boundaries program was developed in 2000 under SILO (Schools Industry Links Outreach) through the Goondiwindi Training and Technology (GTT) centre, the Goondiwindi State High School and the MVCGA. Funding first came from the Commonwealth Government via the Australian Student Training Foundation (ASTF, to become ECEF soon after) and the NFF.

After engaging the Goondiwindi High School the MVCGA discovered that there was a negative perception about the cotton industry as a career choice for students. Teachers and parents perception was that there were long hours and poor work conditions and poor salaries in the cotton industry. Students also had little understanding on the wide range of careers available in the cotton industry, from scientists, agronomists, sellers, bankers and farm managers.

The MVCGA engaged the students through a number of means which included the pushing the boundaries program, the high school agricultural immersion day, Queensland government gateway to agriculture project. Once engaged the teachers and students saw have diverse the cotton industry is and how many jobs are available as a career.

The pushing the boundaries program key outcome is to increase the number of young students selecting the cotton industry as a career, it has been hard to gauge the success of the program so far. Since engaging the school and building a strong relationship the MVCGA has seen an increase in the interest in the cotton industry. This has been helped by the two record crops the industry has seen and the record price for cotton.

The completion of this project has shown that the industry needs engage students in schools at a young age to allow them to make a correction to the cotton industry and discover the career opportunities. There is an opportunity for other CGA in other regions to introduce the program into their high school. There is also an opportunity to keep working with the students who have undertaken the project to keep mentoring and showing them other aspects of the cotton industry.

The 2011 season is the first season of commercial cotton production in the Ord region for 10+ years, making this year a suitable time for establishing baseline frequencies and severities of endemic diseases. Given the rotations with horticulture and the problems that have been encountered with aphids in cotton this season, it is also a good opportunity to further road-test the ‘proof of absence’ protocols for insect vectored diseases such as Cotton Bunchy Top and Cotton Leaf Curl Disease. Working together, Plant Pathologists Linda Smith and Cherie Gambley have knowledge of all endemic and key exotic diseases of cotton and methods for their surveillance. As well as conducting surveys, in a manner similar to that undertaken in the eastern states, Linda and Cherie will share their knowledge of surveying methods with local research agronomist, Penny Goldsmith, Ag WA. The aim of this travel is to begin building capacity in WA for the surveys to run each year in the region if cotton becomes a stable inclusion in the farming system.

The reintroduction of cotton to the Australian semi arid tropics (SAT) was prevented by insect pests

that are dominant during the wet (summer) season and a perception that the crop could only be

grown in the wet season. Growing cotton during the dry (winter) season could avoid these pests

provided an integrated pest management system was adopted. However the photothermal pattern of

the dry season is the reverse of the wet season and that of spring sown cotton in temperate

latitudes. Cold night temperatures are possible mid season and high temperatures are likely early

and late in the season. Solar radiation is 20% less than at temperate latitudes mid season and

could also limit crop growth. It was not known what yield or fibre quality was possible or whether

the crop could be reliably sown and picked within the confines of the dry season.

Over three seasons two Gossypium hirsutum (upland) Bt transgenic cultivars and one Gossypium

barbadense cultivar were sown from March to June in field experiments at the Ord River (15.5oS)

in Western Australia. A pot experiment was conducted at Katherine, Northern Territory (14.5oS)

where biotic stresses were removed and over two seasons: ambient and ambient plus 5 to 6 oC night

thermal conditions were imposed from 1 wk prior to first flower to 2 wk after last effective flower.

Day temperatures were the same. Average ambient minimum temperature for the treatment period

was 2 to 4 oC less than the Ord River at the same growth stage. The OZCOT cotton simulation

model was validated then applied to simulate gross margin, yield and quality, with enhancements to

predict fibre length and colour grade developed in this thesis, at the Ord River using 53 years of

historic climatic records for sowing dates from March 1st to May 25th.

Experimental results at the Ord found for the upland cultivars, the highest lint yields of 1900 to

2300 kg/ha were for March and April sowings and were at the high end of Australian and

international benchmarks. The lint yield of the Gossypium barbadense cultivar was highest at a

March sowing, at least 87% of the upland cultivars, which is comparable with temperate climates.

For the March and April sowings both the lower temperatures and radiation during early boll

growth reduced the crop growth rate during this phase compared with cotton grown at temperate

latitudes. However, assimilate supply was adequate because boll demand was also lower due to

early flowers having slower boll development, lower retention and smaller bolls. Increasing late

season temperature and radiation permitted yield compensation via an extended flowering period

and a greater contribution to yield from later pollinated flowers on the top and outside of the plant.

The number of temperatures >35oC and or <11oC affected time to squaring, requiring modification

of development models derived in temperate climates. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) was similar to

Gossypium hirsutum grown at temperate latitudes. The RUE measured for the Gossypium barbadense cultivar was the first reported for this species. The linear decline of RUE with average

temperature up to first flower has not been reported previously in cotton and explains some of

variation in RUE measured here and elsewhere. Due to cool temperatures during fibre development

fibre length and strength at March and April sowings were low to marginal compared with market

preference values. The cultivar differences observed here suggest wider screening may identify

upland cultivars with suitable fibre length and strength in these conditions. The commercial

prospects for Gossypium barbadense are doubtful unless longer and stronger fibre types are identified.

The pot experiment confirmed that flowers were damaged by low ambient minimum temperatures

near anthesis which led to shedding or reduced boll size due to lower seed number. The latter could

be due to poor pollination and competition for assimilates. Importantly this experiment

demonstrated that full yield recovery from minimums <11oC during flowering and boll growth is

possible provided they are episodic.

The OZCOT cotton simulation model was validated for lint yield and average time-to-maturity in

response to sowing date and N fertiliser rate. Further research was required to reduce the

variability of maturity predictions. There was only a 14 day sowing period from March 19th where

the simulated gross margin (GM) was maximised at $2378/ha. Poor trafficability combined with the

Bt resistance sowing window, reduced the number of sowing days in the optimum period. Hence to

reliably sow a commercial area it was likely sowing would extend beyond April 3 and reduce

median GM by 9-15% due to lower fibre quality. Future research should apply this type of analysis

throughout the Australian SAT.

Cotton management in the dry season should aim to increase the flowering period, to ensure yield

compensation from later flowers and to adopt practices that can improve trafficability within the

optimum window e.g. minimum tillage.