Aims: (i) To evaluate the pest resistance of cotton cultivars bearing different combinations of morphological and allelochemical resistance factors in field experiments. (ii) To investigate the mechanisms of any pest resistance (principally to Helicoverpa or mites) identified in the field using biological and chemical assays to better focus future breeding efforts and identify mechanisms suitable for genetic engineering of cotton. (iii) To provide an experimental protocol for field testing of genetically engineered culti.vars being developed by Division of Plant Industry.

The potential of leading tines to produce a finer tilth and allow operations at moisture contents \ Q higher than previously possible without producing smearing could possibly be exploited in implements for the renovation of pennanent beds or retained hills and mechanical weed control. The leading tine concept could be adapted to the maintenance of permanent beds. Several operations, not necessarily including 'deep tillage', can possibly be performed in a single pass with similar power and fuel consumption to only one of the operations. One pass with such a machine could perhaps replace several mechanical operations and the growing of one or more rotation crops 'for the repair of soil damage

The main aim of this trip was to accept the invitation of the Organiser of the Symposium on "The Realities of Insecticide Resistance Management" (Dr George Georghiou) to present a paper on "Nine Years of organised pyretbroid resistance management in Heliothis armigera in Australia: what has been learned?" at the :xr~ International Congress of Entomology in Beijing. While in China the opportunity was taken to visit the cotton growing areas of central-eastern China and to review the extent and severity of the field resistance problem in cotton insects. Visits were also paid to research Institutes in Beijing, Liaoceng, Nanjing and Shanghai to discuss the latest findings in resistance management

Objectives of Travel. (i) to attend the XIX International Congress of Entomology, Beijing, China. (ii) to visit Chinese research centres in Beijing and Anyang where cotton-related research is conducted and to determine the potential for collaborative research programs involving Australian and Chinese researchers, particularly the use of IPM and plant breeding techniques in pest management (iii) to visit ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India to review pyrethroid resistance problems in H. armigera in coastal and inland cotton areas

The objective of the present research is to see whether altering the level of the enzyme ADH will affect the tolerance of cotton to anaerobic or waterlogged conditions.

Travel to cotton conference Karyl-Lee West, Lindsay Campbell

In surface irrigation systems we use beds rather than growing thee crop on the flat for several reasons. The two most important reasons are to assist in the control of water and to avoid water-logging of the cotton; a condition the crop does not enjoy and which can reduce yields drastically. Traditionally, cotton has been grown on one metre beds with furrows either side. In the last ten years "wide beds" or two metre beds, with two rows of cotton planted on a bed having irrigation furrows on 200 cm centres , have been tried in the industry. No surveys are available but the area of cotton planted to w1de beds could be as high as 20,000 ha. In more recent years 75 cm or 30 inch cotton has become topical and a small area of crop is grown commercially under this configuration. This paper restricts most of its discussion to the comparison between the use of one metre and two metrebeds identifying the advantages and disadvantages of both systems. Results of on farm trial work evaluating these two systems is included. A discussion on the role of wide beds with cm row spacings is also included

I have been asked to address three major points: I . Why is risk management important? 2. Does a grower nee-d to know all the details of a market before he can become involved with risk management? 3. What are the main considerations that a grower should assess in managing risk in the current negative market situation and the future?