To optimize catches of Heliothis punctigera and H. armigera pheromone blends, dispenser and trap design have been evaluated and modified over a.7 year period. A laminated plastic lure loaded with appropriate pheromone blends was.found to give a high and prolonged attraction of males of both species. A.hollow cone (Texas) trap has given higher catches than the standard dry.funnel trap, but the latter was more robust and less expensive..A tendency has been shown for pheromone traps to over estimate the.proportion of .H. armigera in comparison to that found in light trap.catches and egg identification of the two species. GLC. analysis of.weathered lures indicated a more rapid release of aldehyde than acetate.components of pheromone blends . Departure of blends from the optimum ratio.is more likely to affect the efficiency of H. punctigera lures which.contain both components, than those of H. armigera lures which contain.only aldehydes

A contribution was made to the last ACGRA conference on "The duration.of insecticidal activity against Heliothis larvae on cotton". This paper.is primarily an update of the previous contribution and the more detailed.results published in Pesticide Science (Wilson et al 1983). In addition.tests have been conducted over the past two years on other insecticides.including those now coming into general use.

The term 'genetics' encompasses a group of disciplines which study aspects of evolution. the first of these, molecular genetics, examines DNA, the raw material of evolution, and its organisation into genes. Genes code for information which, when. expressed, gives rise to the characteristics of the organism. It is changes at this level which yield the variation necessary for evolution to occur.

In response to the development of resistance to pyrethroids by Heliothis armigera in 1983, an Insecticide management strategy was devised.in an attempt to prolong the field effectiveness of this and indeed, the other groups of Insecticides used against H. armigera on summer crops in Australia. Basically, the strategy allows the use of pyrethroids on only one generation of the four or five generations which can occur during the season. Control at other times relies on the rotation of unrelated chemical .groups (e.g. organophosphates. carbamates, endosulfan etc.). The strategy. was first Introduced in the 19R3/R4 season and was closely monitored in the Intensive cotton growing areas of the Namoi and Lower Gwydir valleys. This paper deals with the acceptance of the strategy in that area and the monitoring results for the first season.

Consultation with growers about their key areas of interest identified the need for highly localised information about managing nutrition and how the plant reacts under different temperature situations to assist with better management of limited water.

The next question was being able to access this local information in a quick and cost effective way. This project was developed from this background work. By utilising some existing local data, a method was sought to combine this existing work with new trial work to deliver for growers relevant and local data that meets their needs.

Following the trial of delivering this information in a booklet format, it was decided that annual data records should be maintained ensuring the delivery of relevant and local data to growers each year, including based on our local trials undertaken.

The trial of the canopy temp sensors will help growers to get a good look at the new technology and also build the database of benchmarking information for the CSIRO .

The aim of this research was to measure by laboratory incubation trial, fertiliser and soil mineral nitrogen supply under variable wet and dry soil conditions. The experimental design will include:

 Black Vertosol at constant temperature in pots,

 Simulated wet/dry cycle,

 2 nitrogen fertiliser formulations (Entec and Urea) + unfertilised control,

 Single nitrogen application rate

 Measure soil mineral nitrogen at intervals over a period of up to 60 days,

 Measure N2O if budget allows.

Results from this trial will provide an indication of nitrogen release characteristics which can be linked to patterns of nitrogen release expected in field conditions and which can help to constrain soil mineral nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions models. The researcher will be involved in a range of other cotton industry research projects (compaction, irrigation efficiency, energy efficiency, salinity) whilst based at the National Centre for Engineering in Australia, to enhance exposure to the industry.

Management practices in current Australian cotton farming systems, e.g. reduced tillage, crop rotation, residue retention, organic manure application and reduced insecticide use, can change the levels of key soil microbial functions. They need to be optimised to promote soil biological functions to sustain cotton production, improve nutrient use efficiency, reduce soilborne diseases and maintain environmental health. Preliminary results from research at ACRI suggest that management systems can be manipulated to optimise microbial functions to improve N and C cycling processes and improve soil biological health. Diseases such as Fusarium wilt, Black root rot and Verticillium wilt have significant impact on cotton production. Crop rotation, stubble retention and tillage can either reduce the levels of pathogen inoculum or modify pathogen-soil microbe interactions thereby influencing disease. Currently the management of diseases is through the selection of genetically resistant cultivars (where available), agrochemical application and rotation with non-host crops. But even in our current high F-rank cultivars significant losses can occur from Fusarium disease under the right environmental conditions (Stiller W 2012 FUSCOM). Soil fungal community has been shown to have capacity to affect pathogen inoculum levels and their disease causing potential. Examples of enhanced biological disease suppression have been suggested in cotton (suppression of black root rot). Biological mechanisms behind disease suppression in high-input cotton soils are not known and we are unable to extend individual observations to other sites or develop management options that promote biological disease suppression. In the lower carbon cotton soils, composts can provide a source of organic carbon and nutrients for soil biota and increase soil fertility as well as provide other biological and structural benefits. But little is known about the effects of compost addition to cotton soils on soil biological health and fertility. Long-term rotation trials at ACRI and in Qld provided a valuable resource to quantify management effects on key beneficial microbial communities and processes. In collaboration with these projects/experiments this project provided new knowledge on the underlying biological mechanisms that promote soil biological health.

Climate risk management one of the most important issues facing cotton growers. An international researcher of some repute was engaged to expound his expertise in this emerging field and was to be a keynote speaker in the climate risk session at the 18th Australian Cotton Conference, august 2016. Raising awareness and promoting the need to implement an appropriate climate risk strategy and extend useful tools and decision support for cotton growers and advisors - to enable better on-farm decision making.This work builds on the climate risk management undertaken in the CFEO project.

As it transpired, visa complications meant that Dr Walter Baethgen tuned into the session from the back of the room via Skype. A Cotton Conference ‘first’ saw technology play a role with an international speaker submitting a pre-recording due to complications with VISA entry requirements.

The following recording was played in the climate session in front of a capacity crowd of approximately 300: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u5jJznUsAQ

The aim of this research was to improve nitrogen use in irrigated cotton by looking at how farmers around the world are improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), and to identify what management tools and practices farmers are implementing to improve NUE. To achieve this research was carried out in England, USA and Japan.

The research undertaken overseas highlighted that farmers have implemented rotations and cover crops to improve NUE. Rotations are being used to increase the amount of mineral nitrogen in the soil through planting legume crops that fix nitrogen in the soil. Cover crops are being used to provide ground cover for the soil surface, to improve water infiltration, improve water holding capacity, and reduce leaching and runoff.

Farmers overseas have introduced new irrigation techniques to improve Water Use Efficiency (WUE) and reduce waterlogging, which in turn improves NUE. Farmers have moved away from flood irrigation and have introduced overhead sprinkler irrigators, in which Australian cotton growers have been slow to adopt.

Research undertaken in USA and England showed that both dryland and irrigated farmers have introduced no till farming practices. While in Australia dryland farmers have adopted no till farming practices, irrigated cotton growers have not introduced these practices and still use excessive tillage as a farming practice. No till farms in the USA and England illustrate the benefits of no till outweigh the conventional tillage practices.

The adoption of Precision Agriculture (PA) has been much faster overseas compared with Australia. Famers are using a number of PA practices including imagery and real time soil testing to improve NUE through the introduction of Variable Rate Technology (VRT). Farmers are using NVDI imagery from satellites and drones to create management zones across the fields. Farmers are able to apply different rates of fertiliser through VRT, which has not been widely used by Australian cotton farmers.

The cotton sector is a leader in farm WHS because growers have used evidence-based information to develop practical and effective systems to manage WHS. In some instances WHS can be complex due to conflicting interpretation of WHS standards e.g. advice on practical machinery guarding, bunding for diesel tanks, access to distribution tanks/ irrigation gates etc. This leads to less than optimal uptake and compliance by growers. It is widely accepted that for increased adoption of safety practices to occur, WHS systems need to be convenient, result in cost efficiencies and assist with meeting compliance and legislation requirements.

There is also a requirement to ensure that all workers are competent to undertake the tasks required, with a safety induction being critical to assist in this process. Consequently, enhancing the ease with which contractors can be inducted will assist growers.

With the increasing uptake of smart phone and tablet computer technologies by growers, this provides an opportunity to develop alternate approaches that may further streamline the process to improve WHS.