This book is the product of a project jointly funded by the RIRDC/LWRRDC/FWPRDC Joint Venture Agroforestry Program and the Cotton R&D Corporation. The book has been specifically designed to provide key information to cotton farmers about how to maximise the benefits of integrating trees into cotton farming systems

The objects of the seminar were: * To bring together research and extension staff from within the grains and cotton Industries to exchange information about their respective research, development and extension programs * To identify potential for synergy between respective programs To build better links between research and extension staff within the two industries At the seminar, key research and extension staff were asked to present an overview of their programs, emphasising how synergy between the two industries could be generated. Additionally, producers covering both industries as well as irrigation and dryland farming spoke In several of the sessions. Each session was concluded with a period for questions and discussion. Broad areas covered included insects, weeds, diseases, soil management, modelling, water relations, crop rotations, best management practices and extension. At the conclusion of the seminar a 'steering committee', representing CRDC, GRDC and growers, met to consider findings from the seminar and identify key areas where the two corporations would benefit by coordinating their respective investments. Arising from this, the steering committee decided on an action plan, which you will find on the opposite page

The Kimberley region of Western Australia is one of the most prospective for a significant expansion of the Australian cotton industry into northern Australia. When developed, northern Australian production is estimated to be worth $750 million annually from a production base exceeding 200,000 ha. However, past failures with agricultural developments in northern Australia have demonstrated the need for in-depth research to identify sustainable cropping and pest management systems to suit the challenge of cotton growing in tropical Australia. The clear lesson from the past is that inadequate understanding of cropping systems and reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides is doomed to failure. To a large extent, successful industry growth will depend on environmentally acceptable pest management systems based on transgenic varieties. Sustainable cotton production in northern Australia will benefit the existing industry by expanding the production base to make the nation a more reliable and year-round producer of quality lint. The industry will also benefit directly from the IPM developments in northern Australia, which are likely to Q have applicability to current cotton producers

To investigate the SAR response in cotton and to evaluate a range of biotic and abiotic stimuli under both glasshouse and field conditions against Verticillium and Fusarium wilts and Altemaria leaf spot. Glasshouse trials will be used to determine effectiveness, application rates and duration of protection. A series of field trials based on the glasshouse results will be conducted for all three diseases. These are likely to be the Verticillium field trial in the Verticillium wilt nursery at the Cotton Research Institute, Myall Vale, NSW, Alternaria at Bourke, NSW, and Fusarium trial sites to be chose in consultation with the industry.

In response to requests by local grower organisations in CQ, the Cotton Research & Development Corporation (CRDC) commissioned research project DAQ81C to address GMAC and NRA concerns regarding the effectiveness of the national INGARD resistance management strategy in CQ. The challenges facing the CQ cotton industry for securing INGARD registration were manifold. First, the field parameters of the product had to be quantified for the local environment. The second and more difficult challenge was to develop a novel mechanism for end-of-season resistance management specific to CQ. Before such a mechanism could be developed, the ecology and population dynamics of heliothis spp. as related to INGARD cotton needed to be studied and quantified. The trials were designed to address the following main issues: I. The effectiveness of INGARD cotton, i.e., changes in insecticidal efficacy over the season. 1 For traditional reasons, the more familiar generic name Heliothis is retained here in preference over the correct name Helicoverpa. Confidential - DAQ81C Final report 3 2. Identification of suitable 'refuge' crops (crops that produce substantial numbers of heliothis pupae or moths) that could be planted with INGARD cotton as part of strategic resistance management. 3. The 'refuge value' of conventional cotton and non-cotton crops grown commercially within the irrigation area in terms of pupae or moths per hectare. 4. The extent of diapause in populations of heliothis across CQ. In addition to addressing the above four issues, the research protocols and plan of work were designed to provide some information on the distribution of native Gossypium species in the region and the impact of INGARD cotton on local invertebrate fauna relative to conventional cotton.

Objectives: 1) develop methods and techniques to assess soil salinity and identify irrigation inefficiencies at the field scale 2) develop inexpensive methods and techniques to estimate groundwater recharge rate on a sub-catchment scale 3) use a salt and leaching fraction model to determine effect of increasing saline water on soil condition at a regional level 4) highlight strategies for the future.

Objectives 1) Monitor the distribution of Fusarium wilt in cotton growing areas. 2} Characterise and type any Fusarium oxysporum isolated from wilted cotton in new areas (including samples from an cotton growing areas in Australia). 3) Investigate the role of weeds and other crops in the development and maintenance of the causal fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (Fov) in the soil. 4) Screen, both in glasshouse and field trials, a range of cotton germplasm for reaction to Fov.Glasshouse trials 5) Assist plant breeders with development of disease tolerant cultivars. 6) Assist with the development of molecular markers for Fusarium wilt tolerance/resistance (Dr Lyon University of Sydney and Plant Breeders)

This report examines available deposition data and assesses the performance of two mathematical models in predicting the relative drift profile of UL V and EC formulations of endosulfan as used in the Australian cotton industry.

The key elements of the research were l) to determine the distribution and diversity of parasitoids of Bemisia tabaci already in Australia 2) to determine whether these parasitoids have the potential to control SL W. 3) to produce user friendly keys with which to enable field researchers to identify SL W. 4) determine the biology of SL Wand whether it can interbreed with the indigenous biotype of B.tabaci

This project aimed to continue the steady improvements in developing improved cotton varieties adapted to Australian growing conditions and markets