The weed spectrum of many areas in the Australian cotton industry is not well documented. in addition, there is very little information known about the weed species present in the Hillston area and which of these weeds will present a problem to the expansion of cotton growing in the area. To address some of these issues, a weed survey was undertaken on three farms in the Hillston area on November 21 and 22 - 2001, just prior to first cultivation of many of the fields. The fields surveyed covered a range of production systems including conventional cotton, Roundup Ready cotton on two metre beds, twin row conventional cotton planted on two metre beds, and Roundup Ready' cotton planted on UNR beds. Assessments were conducted along transects from the tail ditch to the head ditch and weeds assessed in both rows and furrows on a number of transects (the actual number was dependent on the field size).

When breeders cross two cotton varieties together there are millions of potential new combinations of genes that are generated in the progeny from the two parent plants. The breeders must then select from amongst these those few combinations that give an improvement in varietal performance (eg. yield, fibre quality, disease tolerance). In many cases this requires the assessment of many thousands of lines in small evaluation plots over multiple seasons to come up with those elite performers that are then evaluated in large scale variety trials and a selection of which will become a new variety. Any new tool that will help the breeder follow useful agronomic characteristics through a breeding population and reduce the number of lines that need to be evaluated in the field will increase the efficiency and speed with which new varieties can be developed. DNA or molecular markers are one such tool that is now being used widely for fundamental genetic studies in plant biology, but increasingly in commercial and institutional breeding programs for crops, such as maize and wheat (where incremental advances in yield have become difficult to achieve by conventional strategies). DNA markers have yet to have any major impact on cotton breeding.

The aim of the project was to test the feasibility of using DNA probes to enumerate microorganisms involved in the degradation .of herbicides in soil. The ultimate goal of this approach was to use such data to predict the herbicide degradation potential of agricultural soils which could form p art of an overall herbicide application strategy for a wide variety of cropping systems.

Glyphosate is the single most commonly used herbicide applied through shielded sprayers for controlling Post emergent weeds. A number of weeds are becoming tolerant to Glyphosate, forcing farmers to increase rates in order to achieve acceptable commercial control. Using higher rates of Glyphosate increases the risk of crop damage and subsequent yield loss when drift occurs. A number of alternative herbicides were evaluated to determine the potential for their use through shielded sprayers. We evaluated weed efficacy and crop safety for cotton

This project derived from a previous Australian Cotton CRC project, &quote;Plant-based attractants for Helicoverpa moths and sucking pests of cotton&quote; (Project 2.2.9). It investigated ways in which the behaviour of Helicoverpa spp. and the sucking pests, the green mirids, can be manipulated in a cotton landscape which includes transgenic and conventional cotton, refuges for resistance management, beneficial nurseries and non-crop vegetation. The project generally aimed to develop plant-based attractants or repellents for cotton pests, including further refining and commercialising our current product, Magnet®. Specific objectives were: (1) to develop field bioassay methods for mirids, (2) identify plant volatiles attractive to mirids, (3) investigate potential for mating disruption and attract-an-kill using mirid pheromones, (4) identify plant volatiles which attract or repel key beneficial insects, (5) develop formulations with slow-release and rain fastness, (6) to investigate the potential of using Magnet® to enhance refuges for transgenic cotton.This work showed that mirids are nocturnal in their host-finding (response to plant volatiles) and mate-finding (response to pheromone traps) behaviours. Field olfactometer bioassays using fresh lucerne bouquets, hexane washings and synthetic equivalents of volatiles collected from lucerne were done to evaluate potential plant volatiles as attractants or repellents for mirids. Lucerne bouquets were significantly attractive to female mirids but only two chemicals appeared to be attractive and two were repellents to mirids. Combining volatiles into blends did not increase attractiveness to mirids. A technique to improve longevity of mirid pheromone in the field was developed which involved coating the rubber septa with araldite glue but leaving the tip of the septa uncoated. In collaboration with CRC extension officers and researchers, pheromone trapping trials were conducted at 8 locations in NSW and Qld to evaluate the usefulness of pheromone traps for monitoring mirid populations. Results suggested that population dynamics of mirids were different between locations. Pheromone catches were significantly correlated with field mirids at some sites, whilst such correlation was poor at other sites. In some cases, pheromone traps appeared to catch male mirids only when female mirids in the field were mostly mated, suggesting that the effectiveness of pheromone traps might be influenced by the &quote;female competition&quote; effect in the field. Results from this work suggest that pheromone traps on their own may not be reliable monitoring tools, but may be valuable in providing a better understanding of the population dynamics and mirid ecology in general. Mating disruption using mirid pheromones might be feasible provided a method for slow release of pheromone is developed. A regulatory difficulty was encountered with one of the volatile components of the Magnet® formulation and we decided to replace this component with two others, to avoid the need for expensive toxicological research. Many trials of potential alternatives were conducted, and these resulted in the development of a new Magnet® formulation which was at least as attractive as the old one to Helicoverpa spp., and less attractive to beneficial insects. Registration of this new formulation is imminent, and we have conducted trials on its attractiveness on a range of other species in the USA, New Zealand and south east Asia, as well as on applications for improving resistance management for transgenic cotton in Australia.

Abstract of Speech to be presented by Richard Haire, CEO Queensland Cotton. In considering my paper 'Implications and Opportunities for Australia Cotton', I have deliberately chosen not to dwell on the aspect of fibre quality in any detail. I have no doubt that having regard to calibre of speakers who will participate at this conference in subsequent sessions this issue will be covered in greater depth and eloquence than I could cover. What I do propose to discuss are several key issues which in my mind have the potential to shape the international trade landscape going forward. As a country that will continue to be heavily dependent upon export markets, I believe these issues have the potential to influence not just trade patterns but also the very competitiveness of our industry over the next decade. My primary purpose will be to stimulate your thinking about some of the issues and opportunities for trade in Australian cotton going forward. But more specifically, I would hope that this information will help you better assess some of the potential risks associated with competing in the international cotton market into the future.

This research project is a documentation of a historical geography of the adaptations to changes over time, amongst cotton communities across Australia. It has focused on the major challenges faced by the modern Australian cotton industry (1960s onwards), and strategies deployed to meet the challenges. Adaptation and adoption were the keys themes of this research project - the Australian cotton industry has a fast-paced history of development in Australia, and needed to be capable of rapid change. Cotton growers, associated research and development agencies, and cotton communities more broadly, have built an industry based on a capacity to adapt to local conditions, and test and adopt new technologies, as appropriate. Although not always a smooth journey, the adaptive capacity of the Australian cotton industry is notable, particularly from the early days of the modern industry. Although relatively new, Australia's cotton industry is now a world leader.The main challenges faced by cotton farming communities, that have driven and enhanced adaptation and adoption capacities include: a range from extreme natural events, major changes in water policy, pest and weed issues, environmental concerns, rapid changes in technology (including genetically modified cotton) (Cotton CRC, 2007) and socio-cultural challenges (Merrill and Pigram, 1984). Sociocultural challenges nclude adapting and integrating farming cultures, overcoming inefficiencies in harvest transport, maintaining community connections, forging researcher relationships with growers. A raft of foreseeable challenges include the vagaries of mining, particularly Coal Seam Gas mining, ongoing concerns about water and pests/weeds, and the uptake of new technologies, and the increasing corporatisation of cotton growing.The research used social science data generation techniques and a mixed methods format, including survey data generation, in-depth interviews and the inclusion of historical memorabilia, such as newspaper clippings and photos. The recollections of many of the industry's key players provided the bulk of the data, and provided material (video-recorded) for the production of a documentary DVD, which premiered at Narrabri, in New South Wales, in March 2012. This research is a starting point for future social research on the cotton industry in Australia.

BMP Border Rivers was a collaboration between the projects High Yielding Wheat in Cotton Farming Systems, and PhD Brendan Griffiths, and the private consultancy Griffiths Agriculture to extend research pertaining to the development of a system of achieving high yielding wheat in cotton farming systems in the Border Rivers region of Northern NSW, and Southern Queensland.Originally designed to implement practices from Southern irrigated farming systems, the project team very early in the project realised that these practices would not be directly applicable to a northern farming system, principally as a result of the interaction between crop physiology, and the obvious climatic differences, being a milder start to the season, and a hotter, shorter finish to the growing season. As such the project team set about developing a system that would be directly applicable to the northern irrigated cropping system, and environment, with very good success.Yields achieved at the start of the project, using methods developed in the southern high yielding grains projects, were rarely in excess of 6 t/ha. There were also associated issues with respects to crop physiology and grain quality. By the end of the project, experimental yields in excess of 9t/ha were able to be achieved, using improved methods of managing crop canopy, and other agronomic methods to manipulate various components of crop physiology, with the view of maximising yields, and minimising lodging and the associated grain quality problems.Throughout the course of the project a field demonstration site, displaying the research and methods discovered in the High Yielding Grains in Cotton Farming Systems and in PhD Brendan Griffiths projects, was set up in each year of the project. There were two field walks conducted at this site in each year of the project attracting relevant interested industry personnel interested in the development of best practice guidelines for the consistent achievement of high yielding wheats in a cotton farming system.A publication titled ''Irrigated Wheat- Best Practice Guidelines in Cotton Farming Systems'' was generated as part of the project outlining a system that will moreconsistently allow producers in the northern growing region of NSW, and Southern Queensland, the ability to achieve high yielding, high quality wheats in an irrigated cotton farming system.

Australian cotton is highly regarded amongst the world's cotton spinners for its high quality fibre characteristics, reliability of supply and lack of contamination. As an industry we enjoy access to regular, reliable buyers who are prepared not only to buy Australian cotton, but to buy it forward as much as two years in advance to ensure they secure their supplies early. However, in this competitive world, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. There are large competitive threats looming and following the last two years of drought reduced supply, we need to rebuild Australian market share. This paper addresses the need and the opportunities to pursue an industry-wide campaign beyond the farm gate in order to maintain Australian cotton's global &quote;preferred supplier&quote; ranking, secure our market share, and increase grower profitability

Final Report - Variety development and tillage systems for cotton production in the Ord Stage 2 development