Developed by CSIRO, IrriSat is a weather based irrigation scheduling service. It uses satellite imagery to better determine site specific crop coefficients (Kc) that are needed to calculate crop water use.

Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) causes serious losses to cotton production in many countries, such as India and Pakistan. For example, CLCuD cost the Pakistan industry about US$5 billion (1992-1997) and during the 2009-1010 season losses of 100% were seen in India. CLCuD is also present in Sudan, Egypt, Tanzania, Malawi, Nigeria and China. CLCuD is not present in Australia and represents a serious biosecurity risk.

Cotton seed and boll rots are caused by a number of organisms including fungi and bacteria. Recently we isolated the bacterium, Pantoea agglomerans, from rotten bolls. A survey on boll rots across cotton growing areas this past season revealed that up to 90% bolls carried this bacterium. The same bacterium was identified in the USA as a causal agent of boll rot.

Adaptive irrigation control (1) Adaptive control strategies have been developed for real-time management of irrigation. A closedloop or timing (2) actuator hardware to adjust irrigation application

CBT is the most serious viral disease of cotton in Australia and is transmit-ted by cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii). CBT symptoms include reduced, plant height, leaf size, petiole length, inter-node length and boll size. Stunted, bunchy plants are common. Usually a period of 3-8 weeks lapses between when the infection occurs and when symptoms first appear. Affected plants often occur in patches or on crop edges and are associated with areas of highest aphid activity. The extent to which yield is affected depends on the proportion of plants infected and how early infection occurs.

The success of the Australian cotton industry can largely be attributed to science, technology, capacity and innovation. The Australian cotton industry benefits from collabrorative networks between peak bodies, government agencies, organisations and institutes working together to provide the most up to date information to growers. The long term investment partnership between the Australian cotton industry and the Australian Government in research, has delivered significant benefits to the growers, rural communities and to Australia (Cotton Australia, no date).

Long-term studies of soil organic carbon dynamics in irrigated cotton -based cropping systems under varying stubble management practices in cracking clays are relatively few. Our objective was to quantify soil organic carbon dynamics during a 9-year period in four irrigated cottonbased cropping systems sown on permanent beds in a cracking clay with subsoil sodicity near Narrabri in northwestern NSW. The experimental treatments were: cottoncotton (CC), cotton-vetch (CV), cotton-wheat where wheat stubble was incorporated (CW), and cotton-wheat-vetch where wheat stubble was retained as standing stubble (CVW). Vetch was terminated during or just prior to flowering by a combination of mowing and contact herbicides, and the residues retained as mulch. Average carbon storage in the 0- 0.3 m and 0-1.2 m depths was higher when vetch was part of the crop rotation with similar values occurring in CWV and CV. On average, cropping systems that included vetch stored 2.3 t C/ha more in the 0-0.3 m depth and 5.3 t C/ha more in the 0-1.2 m depth than those that did not. These differences correspond to inputs of nutrient-rich biomass. Net carbon sequestration rates did not differ among cropping systems and did not change significantly with time in the 0-0.3 m depth but net losses occurred in the 0-1.2 m depth.

salinity, and low exchangeable K concentrations are common constraints in many cracking clays. Recommendations for ameliorating sodicity include applying gypsum alone or in combination with deep tillage. Potassium deficiencies are usually managed by applying mineral fertilisers, although many farmers are interested in using animal manures as substitutes. The objective of this study was to quantify changes to sodicityrelated soil properties and exchangeable K concentration due to applying gypsum, K fertiliser and cattle manure in a region with an erratic rainfall distribution. Soil was sampled from a rainfed trial in southern Queensland. Cattle manure improved potassium availability by 0.16 t/ha and decreased ESP. Gypsum and K fertiliser application also decreased ESP, and the latter increased exchangeable K, albeit to a lesser extent than manure. Decrease in ESP was not, however, sufficient to reduce dispersion and improve drainage. Gypsum application did not overcome the effects of sodicity. Crop yields were unaffected by gypsum, manure or mineral fertiliser application, suggesting that their application may not be economically rational in an environment where rainfall is erratic.

The frequency of neonicotinoid resistant Aphis gossypii Glover populations has markedly decreased from a high of 94% to a moderate 22% in a single season. * The decrease in the frequency of neonicotinoid aphids likely relates to a subtle change in the way foliar neonicotinoids are being used against pests other than aphids and where aphids are accidently being selected by that use rather than a reduction in neonicotinoid seed dressing consumption or an increase in seed dressing efficacy (it was shown not to completely control resistant A. gossypii). * Pirimicarb resistant A. gossypii remain infrequent and the chemical continues to be a relaible IPM compatible method of aphid control. * A new quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) method under development to estimate pirimicarb resistance in A. gossypii will potentially increase assay accuracy and decrease test cost.

No changes to the current Insecticide Resistance Management Strategy for SLW. * Resistance to Admiral has been recorded in the horticultural production areas of Ayr and Bowen highlighting the need to comply with the IRMS. * No resistance has been detected for Movento or Pegasus which make them important options for managing resistance. * Low levels of resistance to bifenthrin is an additional reason to avoid the use of this broad spectrum, disruptive insecticide