The adoption of integrated Pest Management technologies and strategies, which are being extensively researched and developed in the cotton industry, has been very limited. The development of effective extension programs is totally dependent on an understanding of the attitudes of growers and consultants to PM. The Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Cotton Production supported a Special initiatives project in 1997 to investigate the Attitudes to Integrated Pest Management in the Cotton industry.

Microplitis demolitor (Wilkinson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a critical component of IPM in Australian cotton. High rates of parasitism (up to 65%) occur naturally in the field at a crucial stage in the development of the crop. Parasitised larvae cause negligible damage to the crop. M demolitor adults were demonstrated to tolerate certain insecticides (chlorfluazuron methoxy fenozide and pirimicarb) but were very susceptible to many others (endosulfan<dimethoate< cyhalothrin< profenofos< deltametlirin< bifenttirin< spinosad). M. demolitor is extremely tolerant of most insecticides during the pupal stage. Larval M. demolitor were not directly affected by insecticides but survival was reduced due to host mortality. Susceptibility of the host to stomach insecticides was reduced about 5 days after parasitisation, while insecticides with a contact action caused host mortality throughout the parasitoid's larval stage.

This topic goes to the heart of the current crisis in the Australian cotton marketing system. The cotton industry is currently in a state of shock. This shock stems from the collapse in both the Australian dollar and the Us cotton futures market. A number of growers have not survived. Many more are looking at massive losses due to buying the Australian dollar forward and not selling cotton futures forward. Big swings in markets highlight bad marketing practices. Hopefully the industry can learn from this difficult time. More importantly, we can only hope that the litigation currently underway will not destroy the Australian cotton marketing system as we know it and enjoy it today. The Australian cotton marketing system is arguably the most advanced agricultural marketing systems in the world. The current crisis centres on the collapse of the Australian dollar, the collapse of the cotton price and the selling (hedging) practices of scores of cotton growers. These growers had bought (hedged) the Australian dollar in the 60-65 Us cent area, some out for five years, They saw that as good income protection. But they did not sell (hedge) the US dollar cotton price. Over the past 18 months it slipped to a 30 year low. A number of cotton growers are now bankrupt. So far industry-wide bad debts could top $A30 million. Now, a number of cotton growers are refusing to honour contracts with cotton merchants. The cotton merchants, like Namoi Cotton, Queensland Cotton, Dunavaant and Colly are left holding the can. So this is a difficult time, but an important time, to talk about how to survive in a volatile environment

In cotton, phosphorus (P) is important for early seedling vigour, plant establishment and root development. Deficient plants are usually stunted, dark green in appearance and exhibit a delay in flowering, bon set and maturity (Hodges, 1992). The main role of P in plant metabolism is to allow energy transfer to occur(Mengel and Kirkby, 1987). Research by Macleod et al. (1997) has shown that P may also be involved in the onset of premature senescence. When cotton plants are subjected to environmental stresses such as waterlogging late in the season, the rates of translocation of P and K from leaves and other organs to the filling boils, is greater than the rate of uptake from the soil solution, which in turn leads to a reduction in the efficiency of these supply organs and causes the plants to senescence prematurely

Most crop plants suffer a decline in growth when exposed to saline conditions although cotton is classified as a salt-tolerant crop. Although there has been extensive study of the effect of salinity on cotton at germination and during seedling growth there is less information on the effects of salt on the overall growth of the cotton plant. The effect of salinity on yield has been considered but there is limited information on the effect on fibre quality. Several cultivars are being studied to examine the effects of different salts on various stages of development of the cotton plant.

Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt, vascular diseases caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogens Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporumf.sp vasinfectum, respectively, are among the most important diseases of cotton (Gossypium spp. ), with the potential to cost the cotton industry millions of dollars in lost production. These fungi colonise the plant roots and penetrate the vascular tissues, where they proliferate in the vascular system and are eventually distributed throughout the plant. Plants infected with either Verticillium Fusarium display similar symptoms of chlorosis and necrosis of leaves, defoliation, stunting or plant death. Cross-sections of the stern reveal a brown or black centre which is due to the formation of meIanised products in the infected vascular system. However, chlorosis in Fusarium wilt tends to be in patches and vascular browning is more pronounced than in Verticillium wilt. In general, the symptoms of Fusarium wilt are much more severe and result in greater crop losses (Bell, 1992a and 1992b).

The Australian cotton industry has been practising curative conventional insecticide resistance management and preventative Bt transgenic cotton resistance management for fifteen and two years now, respectively. The actual strategies are reviewed and reformulated at the end of each season at a series of industry meetings which include representatives of growers, consultants, researchers, resellers, agrochemical industry and aerial operators. The ACGRA (Australian Cotton Growers' Research Association) TIMS (Transgenic and insecticide Management Strategy) committee is responsible for coordinating this annual process for both strategies. The strategies outlined below are the result of the input of a large number of talented people, both within the TIMS committee but also throughout the wider cotton industry in general and their assistance and dedication is gratefully acknowledged.

Degree days are commonly used by industry and researchers to estimate expected crop development. This assumes that cotton's potential development is largely a function of temperature. Controlled environment studies show that the function currently used to calculate Degree Days does not accurately reflect the effect of high temperatures on development. Preliminary analysis of the data shows that the inclusion of an optimum temperature in the degree day function in addition to the base temperature of 12'C can make more consistent predictions of cotton development. Improving this function will enable better predictions of cotton development in a greater range of environments and seasons.

Soil organisms (biota) carry out a wide range processes that are important for soil fertility and health in both natural and managed agricultural soils. There is a two way relationship between the soil biota and agricultural production. As soil biota play a key role in a number of key nutrient transformation processes, crop residues form the essential supply of carbon (energy source) and nutrients for microbial activity

Interest amongst cotton growers in incorporating beneficial insects into pest management is at an important stage in its development. Growers need reliable and cost effective tools to incorporate beneficials into ERM systems used on their own farms. However, while it is clear that beneficials are important in managing insect pests, we have little understanding of their quantitative contribution to the suppression of pest species. Research is still needed to quantify the effectiveness of beneficials, predict their impact on key insect pests, and where appropriate, investigate the impact of current management tactics