A simple and accurate assessment of the health of riparian areas in the mid-north of Tasmania is now available, with the Rapid Appraisal of Riparian Condition (RARC) method adapted for local conditions.

Projects overview in Social and Institutional research Program (SIRP)

The period of operation of the CRDC Strategic Plan 2003–2008 ended in 2008 as it had begun in 2003: with the continuation of an unprecedented, lengthy drought, exacerbated by low cotton prices and increasing competition for available water from irrigated grains, which are enjoying a price boom. In addition, the industry faced uncertainty in its terms of trade with a volatile Australian dollar exchange rate. Despite this, Australian cotton growers continued to produce the highest yields per hectare of premium quality cotton in the world. The low water availability did however mean that the total crop area was the smallest in 30 years. The latest forecast for the 2008 harvest is a crop of 0.6 million bales, estimated to be worth $275 million in export value, compared with a historical average of near $1 billion. Looking further back, cotton production in Australia has been well below normal levels for the last six drought-affected years. In the final year of operation under the Strategic R&D Plan, the Corporation was able to maintain R&D investments at a level that underpinned the achievement of the Plan’s strategic outcomes. This report highlights the importance of those outcomes to the industry and Australia.

As we enter the 21st Century, the cotton industry and its research base are riding the “third wave” – a period of new challenges which must be tackled cooperatively. During the 1950s cotton production in Australia was practically non-existent, even though the crop had been grown since the time of the First Fleet. The modern industry began in 1961 when two Californian growers planted a commercial crop at Wee Waa on the Namoi River, sparking the “first wave”. Prior to 1980 Australian cotton producers were completely dependent on American varieties. The “second wave” came with the development of the CSIRO’s cotton breeding program, enabling the gradual introduction of new varieties tailored to Australian conditions. By the 1990s Australian varieties dominated the market and were delivering improved yields, fibre quality and agronomic characteristics. The Australian cultivars enabled the industry to expand significantly and rapidly. In the last 20 years the area planted to cotton has tripled while production has grown from 435,000 bales in 1980 to 3.4 million bales in 2001 – an increase of 700 per cent. This would not have happened without a strong and coordinated R&D effort.

Despite a continued grim production outlook, and the expected run down in the Corporation’s reserves as a consequence, the 2002–2003 season has seen some outstanding successes.The yield of lint has further improved, as measured on a per hectare basis as well as a per megalitre basis, and Australia continues to lead the world in this area. Even though some properties experienced lower yields than normal where falling levels of water storages meant water became a limiting factor, other properties achieved simply outstanding yields. These outcomes highlight the effects of improvements in plant breeding and the need for excellent crop management to keep Australia at the forefront of the international industry.

However, the industry cannot become complacent. With the introduction of Bollgard IITM and Roundup Ready® Cotton, together with developments in ultra narrow row production and the need to improve water use efficiency even further, the management of the crop on a field and landscape scale will continue to alter quite markedly. This has placed a heavy load on the research and extension community serving cotton and will continue to do so.

In terms of its quality, available data suggests that Australian cotton is continuing to compete favourably with other premium growths such as Californian SJV; however, further improvements in micronaire (fineness and maturity) and neps (short, tangled fibres) in particular could help to increase any quality premiums in the future. This is an area targeted for further research when funds permit.

During the year, the Corporation continued to maintain international ties. Joint funding by the Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre and the Corporation allowed 23 Australian participants to attend the International Cotton Research Conference in Cape Town in late 2002. The Corporation continued to fund overseas study tours and to work with industry on the issues of world trade liberalisation.

The Corporation, as at June 2003, has completed the five years covering its second five year Research and Development Strategic Plan. The Corporation plans to publish a detailed assessment of its performance under this plan. The five-year plan to the year 2008, released in August 2003, has been simplified and, in order to obtain a more integrated approach to research and development, the number of programs has been reduced to six. The strategic framework focuses on achieving economic, environmental and social outcomes for the industry. This reflects a “triple bottom line” approach to planning and implementation reporting. The Corporation has continued to refine its performance indicators to ensure their relevance to the Australian Government’s National Research Priorities and Rural Research and Development Priorities, as well as the Australian Cotton Growers Research Association industry objectives.

During the year the Corporation commissioned and accepted the second Environmental Audit of the industry. This assessed the industry’s performance on the recommendations of an audit made for the industry in 1991, and recommended future improvements. The Environmental Audit was presented to stakeholders and the industry at Parliament House on 14 August 2003. Whilst the Corporation is generally pleased with the outcome of the report, there remains much research and extension work to be carried out, particularly in the further development and use of the industry’s Best Management Practice program. The audit found that areas where environmental improvements could be achieved are water management, pest management and pesticide use and waste management. Through the Australian Cotton Industry Council (ACIC), cotton industry organisations are collaborating to develop a strategic plan and action list to address these challenges.

The appointment of the Corporation’s new Board was announced by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon. Judith Troeth, in September 2002. The Corporation owes much to the retiring Board members, Dr. Jim Peacock and Mrs Bobbie Brazil. Dr. Peacock has provided invaluable and untiring professional advice over the life of the Corporation, and Mrs. Brazil has assisted the Corporation to shift the emphasis of its thinking to the longer term and environmental outcomes. Other members of the previous Board were reappointed, together with Ms Kathryn Adams and Dr TJ Higgins, who were formally welcomed at a Board meeting in December 2002.The cotton industry works in a collaborative manner with the Corporation’s work integrated into the industry’s overall activities. Operations for the 2002–03 year are reported in this wider industry context wherever that gives a clearer picture of the role the Corporation is playing.

In 2001 a comprehensive review of centre pivot and lateral move (CPLM) irrigation systems in the Australian cotton industry was undertaken by Foley and Raine (2001). Interviews of 31 growers provided a detailed look at the design, management and performance of these systems, and where relevant, compared them to furrow irrigation. The review was specifically targeted towards cotton growers and included interviews across the entire cotton industry from Emerald in Queensland to Hillston in New South Wales. It is apparent that the number of CPLM systems used within the cotton and grains industry has significantly increased since 2001. The 2001 survey was repeated in 2011 in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin with funding from Healthy HeadWaters Water Use Efficiency project and in 2011-12 across the rest of the cotton and grains regions with funding from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation. The two data sets were combined to provide an Australian examination of changes in design, operation and management of CPLM systems over the preceding decade. In total, this analysis covered 173 systems irrigating an area of 13,969 ha. Of this area 42% was irrigated by centre pivots and 58% by lateral moves. Lateral move machines made up a larger proportion of the systems at 34% in the 2011-12 survey compared to 24% in 2001.

Early in the Land Water & Wool (LWW) Northern Tablelands Project (NSW), local woolgrowers developed a list of ten critical issues they wanted answered, about wool production and biodiversity. These ten issues are pivotal to profitable, biodiverse wool production in southern New England. After 4 years of research, this Fact Sheet provides answers to the ten issues posed by woolgrowers.

Aimed at Woolgrowers with an interest in the forage characteristics and qualities of native grasses. Factsheet that draws on Tasmanian research on the growth characteristics and forage qualities of some common native grass species.

Program and plenary