The Australian cotton industry has used values of Gross Production Water Use Index (GPWUIfarm) to benchmark water use efficiency since 1988/89. GPWUIfarm for 2006- 07 and 2008-09 were 1.17 and 1.14 bales/ML, and both seasons had reduced plantings, low water availability and cotton prices. In contrast, for 2012-13, which saw record planting and full production, the GPWUIfarm was 1.12 bales/ML. There was no significant difference in GPWUIfarm between the three seasons indicating the cotton industry is performing as water efficient in years of full production. Variation in GPWUIfarm between farms indicates the scope for further efficiency gains

Australian cotton is now dominated by transgenic (Bt) varieties, which provides a strong platform for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of key pests such as Helicoverpa spp. This now means though that new selective IPM products are required to manage the development of resistance in Helicoverpa spp. to transgenic cotton and the control of emerging and secondary pests, especially sucking insects. A 10 year study looking at organ surfaces of plants identified Clitoria ternatea plants as having compounds that deter feeding, oviposition which are toxic and do not support the development of Helicoverpa spp. and other sucking pests on cotton plants. In collaboration with Innovate Agriculture Pty Ltd, these compounds have been developed into a product (Sero X) that is effective on Helicoverpa spp., Bemisia tabaci (silverleaf whiteflies) and Creontiades dilutus (green mirids) with minimal impact on beneficial insects, and is in the advanced stages of commercialisation for use in the cotton industry.

The project will investigate the impact of land management practices (tillage, stubble management, crop rotation) on carbon losses through terrestrial pathways such as runoff, erosion, and leaching. Knowledge on carbon loss by soil erosion will assist in determining accurate carbon budget for cotton farming system

Cotton gin trash (CGT) collected from Australian cotton gins was evaluated for bioethanol production. A detailed compositional profiling of CGT reveals variation between ginning samples and a unique profile consisting of elevated extractive fractions (26-28%), lignins (17- 22%) and holocellulose (41-51%). Process conditions for converting CGT to fermentable sugars were experimentally optimised using multifactorial experimental designs. Process optimisation revealed CGT fibre required pretreatment at 180 degrees C in 0.8% H2SO4 for 12 min to maximise glucose recoveries by enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis. The highest ethanol productivity by yeast fermentations yielded 147 L ethanol/ metric tonne

Research suggests that farmers' economic behaviour and productivity is predicted by their personality traits (Austin, Deary, & Willock, 2001; Willock et al., 1999). Given cotton is a "highrisk" crop, the implications of this research are significant; yet, there is no body of research that discerns the key motivational factors of a cotton growers and farm employees. Knowledge of the motivational factors is needed to inform the development of a workforce strategy for cotton and to develop interventions that support growers. Toward that end, this paper provides an outline of a social cognitive model of cotton grower and employee motivations

We have shown that target site insensitivity in Australian Aphis gossypii via the R81T mutation is not the causal mechanism of neonicotinoid resistance despite overseas studies implicating such. Instead we propose metabolic detoxification as the likely causal mechanism for resistance in Australian A. gossypii and we are currently trying to validate that hypothesis via transcriptome analysis. It is not clear why the R81T mutation is absent but the difference may relate to limited imidacloprid use in Australian cotton and the progressive nature of the cotton industry itself.

Several recent experiments at ACRI, Narrabri have illustrated the fate of N fertiliser in irrigated cotton cropping. During the cotton growing season of 2011-2012, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions totalled 0.51, 0.95, 0.78 and 10.62 kg N2O /ha, for the four N fertiliser rates (0, 120, 200, or 320 kg N/ ha). Further measurements have indicated that about 12 kg N/ ha was lost to deep drainage and 10-15 kg N/ha was lost in the tail water following irrigation. Shallow fertiliser placement resulted in N moving out of the hills and lost via denitrification in the irrigation network

To provide the cotton industry with an update of the rates of work related serious injury and fatality to ensure that the most current and complete data possible is made available so that any priorities for and/or actions to improve cotton farm health and safety, can be based on up to date, comprehensive evidence.

Cotton continues to be a tricky plant to get a consistent understanding on its responses to phosphorus and potassium fertilisers. Methodologies used successfully in broadacre annual cereal and pulse crop research haven't necessarily translated to similar benefits in the cotton crop. Biomass and tissue concentration differences are being measured with phosphorus and potassium application in early growth stages, but not necessarily at maturity or in yield. Some observations on what is happening, why and where research is heading are offered and explored.

Solenopsis mealybug establishment onto cotton and the damage they inflicted at different plant development stages was studied in a glasshouse trial and through field observations. The plant growth stages that were studied included; 4-5 leaf, squaring, early boll, late boll and mature. Results from these studies indicate that the earlier mealybug establish on cotton, the more damage they cause. Solenopsis mealybug establishment at 4-5 leaf stage caused 100% yield loss while infestation at squaring and early boll stage caused 90 and 65% yield loss respectively when compared to the control plants with no mealybug. Establishment of solenopsis mealybug on mature plants caused little or no yield loss.