The aim of this project was to capitalise on work completed during tenure of a CRDC/ APRA PhD Scholarship1 * Five gene products (messenger [m]RNAs) were isolated which are expressed at high levels in Si okra 1-2 cotton fibres and low levels in other parts of the cotton plant. The promoter region from one of these genes, FSltpl, was isolated and sequenced, and it was proposed to assess the ability of this and other promoters to control tissue-specific expression of a GUS reporter gene in transgenic cotton plants. The majority of this work focussed on the preparation of gene constructs using a GUS expression vector. A plasmid DNA vector was obtained from Dr Danny Llewellyn (CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, Canberra) which contains a GUS reporter gene, upstream of which is a "polycloning site" into which promoter DNA fragments could be inserted. Work in this area was hampered by the deficiency of suitable restriction sites for cloning into the GUS vector.

ks in southern Europe provide a unique opportunity for Australian researchers to learn of the latest developments in entomology, Bacillus thuringiensis and other insect pathogens, and technology transfer in biological control (including biopesticides

The major aims of this trip were to attend three international conferences in areas of entomology, insect pathology and virology relevant to the long-term biological control of major cotton pests like Helicoverpa armigera

The Analysis of cotton production in the Bourke district project will fonn part of a co-funded project to develop a land and water management plan for the Bourke irrigation district. The CRDC-funded portion will provide detailed information on the process of cotton growing and the most effective practices in cotton crop management. Efficient resource use is the goal of the cofunded project to avoid the potential for the development of irrigation salinity in the Bourke district. Analysis of cotton production in the Bourke district will provide a link between the Bourke Cotton Growers' Association and the wider cotton growing industry. It will allow research to take account of factors unique to the Bourke as well as ensure that industry development programs are implemented in the Bourke district. Issues such as Integrated Pest Management, resistance management, food sprays, soil management and transgenic cotton are likely areas which the grower group will want to pursue further in light of the interest shown in workshops conducted in project DAN 86C. A field comparison database will be extended to allow monitoring of progress and identification of apparent relationships between factors and crop growth. This has been proven to be of use during the course of DAN 86C and will be worth continuing. Cotton industry promotion and extension of information will also be an important function of the project and will support programs implemented by CRDC, CRC and NSW Agriculture over the past 5 years

The Bourke Sustainable Irrigated Cropping Systems project (B.S.I.C.S.P) was implemented in 1993-94 as an initiative of the Bourke Cotton Growers association and the Bourke Cotton Growers Landcare group. The project received half of its .fimds from the National Landcare programme. The need for the project was ~onceived tbrol!gh the desire of growers t? see. research and extension carried out locally. This was to alleviate the problems of percerved melevance of research carried out in Narrabri where grow:ing conditions are markedly different. Because the position was to be only a part time, many of the outcomes relied on strong grower cooperation and much of the research was to be an analysis of current grower records rather than 'in .field' research. Tue aim of the project was to develop and promote best practice in the sustainable production of cotton in the Bourke Jni.gation area. Tue areas of focus highlighted were: * insect pest management * optimum sowing w:indow * cultivation practice * nitrogen management * soil conditioners * chemical application * crop rotations

This project aims to support numerous cotton research projects by enabling the production of experimental crop at ACRI. Experiments cover the disciplines of breeding, agronomy and entomology conducted by staff of CSIRO Cotton Research Unit at the Australian Cotton Research Institute. The grant provides supplementary funds to cover costs of growing and harvesting experimental crops with almost all operations conducted by Staff of NSW Agriculture. Costs are charged according to NSW Agriculture estimates 'of growing costs and are balanced by revenue from the sale of cotton lint. CRDC provides only the additional expenses. Over the three years of CSP59C (117/95 - 30/6/97) a series of agronomic, breeding and pest management studies were completed. An indication of the scale of research is detailed below with that for 1996/97.

Transportable weigh scales are currently located at Narrabri (NSW Ag.) and Dalby (QDPI). These units are very useful for measuring yields from trials located on cotton farms. This season the Narrabri set of scales was borrowed by Wendy O' May to measure yields in her trials at Emerald. Unfortunately, this arrangement proved unsatisfactory because the scales could not be returned in time for harvesting some of the early research and extension trials in the Namoi.

This report presents the results of a six month investigation into the need for and feasibility of developing an automatic moisture measuring system for cotton. The report was commissioned by the CRDC in response to a proposal from the NCEA to develop a module-scale moisture scanner using different technology to that in existing equipment.

This project aims to provide fibre quality assessments for the Australian cotton breeding program and related projects by the operation and maintenance of a fibre testing laboratory at ACRI. The project supports the maintenance and operation of the Spinlab HVI (length/strength/micronaire) and the Shirley FMT 3 (maturity/fineness) equipment

This report is a summation of the background, objectives, and acltievements of the research project funded by CRDC grant CSP4 7C. We would like to emphasize four particularly notable Q achievements. * We assessed the risk of trans gene escape from commercial cotton cul ti vars into wild Australian cotton species * We synthesizing 18 new fertile intergenomic Gossypium polyploids * We documented the production of umeduced gametes in hybrids between cultivated cottons and wild species indigenous to the Kimberley Plateau. * We synthesized self. fertile cotton germplasm lines that incorporate genetic material from wild cotton species.