The project was established in response to grower support to promote the adoption of new technologies into sound management practices in the Balonne rivers irrigation area, St George to Dirranbandi. As part of the Cotton CRC extension program it involved the development of a framework of regional trials/demonstrations (in liaison with researchers) as part of a group adoption process to facilitate better communication between farmers, advisers and researchers from government and agribusiness.

The Industry Development Extension Officer would co-ordinate demonstration trials, take a

role in information transfer with the region's growers associations and assist grower direct

and respond to gaps in the current research base as well as adapt existing technology to local needs.

The adoption of new technologies, AWM, IPM and BMP play a large role in meeting the cotton industry's objectives of maintaining and promoting the most sustainable and profitable practices, for benefit of the industry as a whole and the communities/areas where cotton is grown.

In earlier times much research was left on the shelf by growers because of the perception that it was not applicable in their situation or locality. Many growers carry out on-farm trials and demonstrations to help them fine tune management. An extension officer takes a role as an intermediary enabling this on farm trial and demonstration work to continue on a co-ordinated basis as well as ensuring the latest research is incorporated into these trials.

The International Congress of Entomology is the premier conference in this field. There were a wide range of symposia/sessions, many with particular emphasis on topics of relevance to agriculture and cotton. Some examples included sesslons on; acarology, agricultural entomology, ecology and population dynamics, chemical and physiological ecology, integrated pest management and insect disease vectors.

The Vth International conference on B. thuringiensis was well attended with almost all the leading Bt researchers participating. In addition to four symposia on various aspects of Bt research and contributed paper and poster sessions, the Bt conference included a workshop "Public concerns about Transgenic cotton" that ran for three sessions.

The primary purpose of the travel was to attend the "Gene and genome duplications and the evolution of novel gene functions. Conference which was held in Aussios, France from the 25/4/2001 to the 30/4/2001. The conference was attended mainly by scientists based in America and Europe, consisting of no more than 150 attendants. The conference allowed me to present my work, in the form of a poster presentation, and to discuss both the work that I have completed and that which I am still planning to undertake as part of my PhD project. I found the chance of discussing my work and ideas with members of the wider scientific community a very worthwhile opportunity.

Profitability of cotton production is being theathened by resource limitations and reduced margins. The impact of agronomic decisions affect profitability and many of these decisions involve a degree of risk associated with factors such as rainfall variability. In many situations, history can serve as our best guide to the potential risks or benefits of a particular strategies. This knowledge can be tempered with local information to provide a basis for making informed decisions with a reasonable understanding of the risks and benefits. The use of crop models is an ideal and can be often the only way to address these sorts of issues.This project primarily focused on identifying and researching the most appropriate means of delivering systems simulation to industry clients'.

Adoption of BMP in all facets of cotton growing and processing is now well underway. Commitment to the process of constant improvement involves not only growers, but all personnel who play a role in this innovative industry.

This pocket guide for groundhog operators is one part of the CRDC commitment to providing the tools to allow industry participants to achieve best practice.

Objective - To order and purchase a new file server and install it at ACRI. Achieved - A new file SERVER (Dell AS-P11/4400) has been installed at ACRI and is fully functional.

White specks (undyed neps) in dyed fabric samples are a quality problem that arises from neps of immature cotton. Dr Grant's research aimed to correlate the white speck neps back to fibre properties and gin parameters. The number of white speck in a fabric sample were being measured at the USDA by first scanning a sample of fabric (approximately A4 size) using a commercial computer scanner and then the image analysed to determine the number of white specks(neps) using specially written software. Project changed direction with new approach evolving which was successful. Work taken up with CTFT5

Feasibility trials conducted showed that the addition of lubricant helped preserve fibre length during lint cleaning. In laboratory trials three different lubricants (A, B and C) preserved fibre length in fibre breakage assay based on a 'Shirley' Analyser. Measured fibre-to-metal co-efficient of friction values for each lubricant were sigiificantly different with Lubricant B having the lowest fibre-to-metal friction values. It was on this basis and the extent to which fibre length was preserved in laboratory trials that Lubricant B was initially chosen for industrial trials in a gin. However, results from the industrial trials did not fit the laboratory model and Lubricant B produced a decrease in staple length and an increase in short fibre content when added in a commercial gin. A subsequent trial using Lubricant A, a lubricant that had a higher fibre-to-metal co-efficient of friction, resulted in improved staple length and reduced short fibre content on treated cotton. The reason for the difference between the two lubricants is

thought to be due to a reaction, facilitated by the heat of the gin, between the emulsifiers present in Lubricant B with the protective cotton wax layer that surrounds each fibre. That Lubricant A was more successful raises questions about the complexity of the interactions between variables in the industrial situation and generates plants, of scope for further research. Lubricants were also added to cotton at the mill. Treated and untreated fibre from the gin trials was converted to fine count medium twist yam. The effects of lubricant on fibre breakage during mill cleaning and carding, and on spinning performance and yarn quality were observed. The effect of lubricant in the mill on the particular cotton used in this trial was minimal although the addition of Lubricant A helped preserve fibre Iength during cleaning. The better length characteristics were generally reflected as better yarn properties, although yarn tenacity in treated samples was reduced.

The 2016 Australian Cotton Production Manual is a critical reference tool for cotton growers: a one-stop-shop of on-farm cotton production information.