The Australian cotton growers for the past 5 years have come to realise the important role beneficial insects play in managing pests in their cotton farms. With a strong push by the cotton industry to adopt a true integrated pest management (IPM) programs, beneficial insects are increasingly assuming a major role in the cotton system. As a result, techniques required to maximise both the abundance and activity of this beneficial insects will continue to be a priority in the cotton industry. The use of beneficial insect refuges and most importantly the use of food supplements (food sprays) will become major tools in the Australian cotton industry as growers acquire more knowledge about a true IPM and the role of beneficial insects. The development of food sprays and the advent of the predator to pest ratio in particular has already educated growers about the need to conserve beneficial insects in the cotton system, and how to utilise them in cotton pest management programs.

Beneficial insects play a vital role in the cotton ecosystem and are a realistic management tool in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Protecting and enhancing natural predators and parasitoids can greatly reduce pest levels. Secondary pest outbreaks can also be reduced when selective insecticides are used in conjunction with natural enemies in cotton. Additionally, time between spraying can be extended therefore reducing insecticide resistance. Numerous laboratory and field studies have shown that adult Trichogramma wasps are highly susceptible to most broad-spectrum insecticides, in particular synthetic pyrethroids. Trials assessing the influence of insecticides on immature stages of Trichogramma spp developing within the host egg have shown that the egg protects the parasitoid from toxic compounds. However Suh et al. (2000) noted that the first wasp to emerge from an egg has an increased chance of being killed by the insecticide residue on the egg surface as it chews through the chorion. Therefore wasps that emerge from the egg once the exit hole has been made, may avoid insecticide ingestion, thereby increasing their survival rate. The aim of this study is to evaluate the toxicity of insecticides on adult and developing Trichogramma pretiosum.

Cotton production in Australia is a high-tech industry. Genetically engineered cotton varieties, precision agriculture with self-steer tractors and variable rate applicators, and satellite generated yield predictions are all indicators of technologies being adopted by the cotton industry. In contrast, debate over the usefulness and useability of computer-based decision support systems (DSSs) and simulation models continues even after 25 years of their development for and promotion to the Australian cotton industry (Hearn and Bange, 2002).

Cotton planted into cereal stubble has numerous benefits over conventional planting methods, such as reducing soil erosion, reducing pesticide and nutrient movement, and improving soil condition (Waters and Sequeira 2000). The main focus of the current research is to identify the potential benefits of stubble in insect pest management and determine if different types of cereal stubble have an impact on pests and natural enemy numbers.

In the past three years two biological control agents, new to Australia, have been discovered attacking cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii. The agents are the parasitic wasp (parasitoid), Lysiphlebus testaceipes and the spotted amber ladybird, Hippodamia variegata. The parasitoid was first found attacking cotton aphids on the Darting Downs in the 2000/01 season and the ladybird in 2001/02. Both insects are now spread throughout the cotton growing areas of eastern Australia.

Due to ongoing drought there has been a decline in both investment dollars and human resources in this cotton growing area. Also a number of the extension officer's positions had been vacant throughout many of the cotton valleys for a period of time. This had impacted on the Cotton CRC's ability to extend new research from the scientific community to the industry's growers.To overcome this issue, an alternative approach to ensuring growers were being informed of the latest research and best management practices was developed; the extension model. As such, project 5.01.23con was initiated, employing the services of an independent consultant in the Lower Balonne region (St George, Dirranbandi & Thallon) on a part time basis to extend new research and outcomes to growers in this area. In project 5.01.23con, this independent consultant, Dallas King (via Balonne Agricultural Consultancy) was contracted for two years to provide this service to the Lower Balonne region.The CRC traditionally used an alternative model of extension officers for this role this new model (part time and in based in the local area) has proved to have better retention which has enhanced sustainability of the position for the CRC (as detailed in previous project reports).

This report outlines the results of the Cotton Consultants Australia Grower Feedback Survey. The survey was sent to cotton growers across the industry with a response rate of approximately 17 per cent or slightly less than 19 percent of the area of cotton planted in the 2005-2006 season. The 2006 survey included a series of questions specifically for collecting information from growers on water monitoring and Water Use Efficiency (WUE), soil monitoring and management, grower interaction with Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) and equivalent bodies, fertiliser use, management of native vegetation and riparian zones, and monitoring of native and feral animal species&quote;

The Australian Cotton Industry has always been held in high regard by the Australian and World Agricultural sectors due to its innate ability to focus on and overcome the challenges it faces. This has continually been achieved due to the industry's commitment to researchers and the ability to effectively and efficiently disseminate this information to growers and their consultants via the current extension method. This has been demonstrated in the Lower Balonne with the CRC implementation of this project.The information contained in this project provides many positive examples of the need for such a method to deliver and extend research outcomes and best farming practices to the industry. Most importantly feedback from growers 21 of 21indicates that the project has the support of the greater majority of the farmers in the St George, Dirranbandi and Thallon region. Their continual support, participation and attendance at the activities such as workshops, field walks, meetings and grower tours only further substantiates this.These 3 projects have shown that there is an opportunity to exploit the existing network of private consultants so as to deliver tangible outcomes for the whole of industry. Reductions in both insecticide usage for whitefly and mirids and a dramatic decrease in the incidence of 2,4-D damage is further justification of the successful nature of this partnership between the Cotton CRC and cotton consultants.I believe the Extension Team provides an invaluable service to the whole of industry and have seen first hand the exchange of ideas and knowledge that occurs when growers, consultants, researchers and industry staff are bought together, thus ensuring that we as an industry are progressing towards a sustainable future.

CRDC's Annual Operational Plan for 2016-17 (AOP): the fourth annual operational plan under the CRDC's Strategic R&D Plan 2013-18.

Thesis Nutrient loss in cotton production: A preliminary investigation of major nutrients being transported in the irrigation tail waters