The rise of ground water and salinity persist as potential challenging issues across irrigated agricultural landscapes. Additional water from irrigation may cause mobilisation of stored salts with subsequent local and off-site salinisation problems. Shallow root systems (<2 m) of irrigated annual crops such as cotton result in less extraction from deeper soil layers (than the original native vegetation). Also, unlike perennial native vegetation, annual crops generally do not utilize rainfall ex-growing season (Williamson 1973). Deep drainage (DD) - water that passes beyond the root zone - can be an important contributor in terms of recharging ground water as well as leaching salts from the root zone. However, DD may also contribute to rising ground water tables with increased solute concentrations. Although cotton is generally regarded as a salt tolerant plant, yield decline commences with electrical conductivity values above 7.7 dS/m with a 50% reduction in yield at 17.0 dS/m (Lin et al., 1997; Ahmad et al. 2002). In the past, water balance studies have focused mainly on infiltration, run-off and soil conservation (Freebairn et al. 1996). However, agricultural industries such as the Australian cotton industry have become increasingly aware of water losses due to DD in the furrow irrigated, heavy textured soils (Vertosols) where furrow lengths often exceed 800 m (Silburn et al. 2004). While the prime aim of the project was to directly quantify DD, a secondary aim was to monitor irrigation application efficiencies in terms of current irrigation methods. To this end, the study has been investigating the comparative efficiency of a lateral move irrigator vs furrow irrigation, in terms of lessened water applied and DD. Lateral moves (LM) are considered by many in the cotton industry as having great potential for positive impacts on water savings. More generally, Wiggington (2008) discusses the different influences on irrigation performance that will also impact quantities and temporal changes in DD, including infiltration characteristics, inflow rate, field length, soil water deficit and field slope.

What do consumers want from Textiles & how does this relate to cotton? Textiles contribute to almost every part of our daily lives, from the most obvious clothing and interior decorations (drape and carpet) and not so obvious medical, marine and the aerospace industry. I will be covering the following today *What consumers want from textiles & some current textile advancements *What consumers are wanting from cotton * And then finish off with where BMP cotton fits into this market.

It is increasingly recognised that the future of the Australian Cotton Industry is inextricably linked to parameters of 'permissible practice' as defined by the broader community. The Australian Cotton Industry's Best Management Practices (BMP) Program is a proactive initiative designed to help maintain this 'social licence' to farm

Presentation powerpoint - Introduction & Agenda:* *ICE Futures US *Cotton #2 Futures & Options *Volatility *Price Discovery & Risk Management *Conclusions and Observations

Many cotton growers are concerned that relying too heavily on Roundup (glyphosate) will lead to future problems with weeds becoming resistant to this herbicide. The potential for resistance is very real, as shown by the increasing resistance problems with Roundup Ready crops in the US, and emerging problems with glyphosate resistant ryegrass and awnless barnyard grass in the Australian cotton growing area. This paper discusses these issues and explains the value of the approach used in the Crop Management Plans of Roundup Ready and Liberty Link cotton for managing the development of resistance

Nitrogen losses can be high from irrigated cropping soils, but these losses can be minimised with careful attention to N fertiliser management. N is lost principally where nitrate is converted to N gases (denitrification), but also with nitrate leaching. These losses account for 30% of the N fertiliser applied to irrigated cotton on average; these losses can be doubled in extreme cases where poorly-structured soils become waterlogged. Because some fertiliser N is lost as nitrous oxide (N2O), an extremely potent greenhouse gas, inefficient N fertiliser use has become an environmental issue that the cotton industry is addressing with research and improved N fertiliser management practices.

The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first section highlights Biosecurity issues for the Australian Cotton industry while the second section examines the potential impact climate change will have on Biosecurity and our ability to manage endemic and exotic pests and diseases under changing climatic conditions

Our people resource in Australia's Agricultural industries is continuing to decline. We need to recognise that we are going to have to do more with less. Whether we are talking about farmers, agronomists, researchers, teachers or marketers for example; we need to attract and retain the best people and allow for them to fulfil their potential on the land and in rural industries. We cannot de-motivate people from Australian Agriculture. We need to be proactive by creating an industry that is attractive and can provide endless career opportunities.

Poster- Fleabane is an increasing problem in summer fallows and crops in minimal tillage farming systems., * Fleabane produces up to 375,000 seeds per plant., * Fallow weed control costs have doubled due to fleabane in some cropping areas., * Fleabane is relatively tolerant to Roundup (glyphosate) with some populations being resistant to common field rates

A more recent survey by CSD (Cotton Seed Distributors Ltd.) in 2007 targeted growers that were achieving 12 bales /ha cotton yields. They found that 87% of crops that achieved at least 12 bales /ha were planted into fallow fields, the majority of which had grown a cereal since the previous cotton crop. New varieties and improvements in irrigation management are recognised as key drivers of high cotton yields in recent seasons, however yield stagnation or decline in back-to-back cotton fields has also become more apparent. Crop rotation is critical in order for irrigators to achieve the productivity improvements on offer in cotton. The impact cereal rotations have on the soil provides an insight into how crop rotations build an inherently more productive cropping system