Cotton production in Australia has traditionally been conducted using surface irrigation techniques on heavy clay soils. However, increasing pressures on water availability, the potential yield benefits of improved control of soil/water in the root zone, and the potential for reduced labour, fertiliser and pesticide costs has raised grower interest in alternative irrigation application techniques including large mobile irrigation machines. While less than 4% of the total Australian cotton crop is currently grown using large mobile irrigation machines, it seems likely that this proportion will increase due to existing and future pressure on water availability and environmental sustainability as well as economic and political factors. This document reports the findings from a survey of cotton growers irrigating with centre pivot or lateral move machines as well as equipment manufacturers and dealers of these machines. The survey included 25 face-to-face interviews and 6 telephone interviews with growers as well as interviews with the major manufacturers and dealers within the industry,

Quantitative Bt ELISA assays have only recently become available as a research

tool. This research will not only assist cotton breeders in identifying lines which possess

more Bt is present, but indicate where agronomic and environmental factors impact on the levels of Bt in the cotton plant. Effects of crop nutrition, time of sowing, soil condition, soil water management etc have suggested that Bt efficacy is compromised to some extent when environmental stresses are imposed on transgenic plants. Hence, productivity of some Ingard cotton crops has been substantially limited.

Various projects in the past have attempted to assess the extent to which agronomic

factors influence Bt efficacy, including Project CRC3C (Dynamics of Bt protein in Ingard

cotton: mechanisms of variable efficacy against HeIicoverpa).

The primary aim of this project was to assess agronomic factors influencing the

amount of Bt toxin measured using quantitative ELISA assays. This would enable

identification of factors in agronomic experiments which influence Bt efficacy. Sampling of experiments involving crop nutrition, plant population and growth regulators etc. may provide a reasonable guide to indicate factors that influence the efficacy of INGARD cotton andprovide a basis for recommendations to growers.

The minirhizotron system was purchased and field use commenced in January 2002.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) and protocols for using it under field conditions is being defined at present. Technical staff in the soil management program were also trained in its use. Mr. Peter Roberts, an honours student from the Department of Crop Science at

Sydney University, connnenced a project on root dynamics of irrigated cotton under different tillage systems during 2001-02.

Initial results suggest that under irrigated conditions cotton loses a major proportion of its fine root mass, and survives on its tap root. With the end of the irrigation season in March, most of the fine root mass is replaced. Minimum~tilled cotton has more roots in the furrows than intensiveIy-tilled cotton. Root/shoot ratios during early crop growth (up to December, before irrigation commences) are in the order of 4, and not around 0.2-0.4 as previously thought.

Root growth appears to take place primarily through existing soil cracks, and not through the bulk soil.

The project compared the droplet spectrum (by volume) emitted by a RAD aerial rotary atomiser mounted on a standard bracket, a RAD atomiser mounted on a extra long (XL) bracket and a Micronair AU5OOO nozzle mounted in a high velocity airstream. The influence of air speed and liquid flowrate on the droplet spectrum (by volume) emitted by a RAD aerial rotary atomiser with extra long (XL) bracket mounted in a high velocity airstream was also determined.

Cotton aphid (Aphis gossipy) and green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) are prominent pests in many of Australia's cotton regions The importance of aphid has increased in recent times due to their association with cotton bunchy top (CBT) disease. This report outlines the results of face-to-face and telephone interviews conducted with 15 consultants and seven

growers from the Lower Namoi Valley.

The initial BMP Manual focussed on pesticide use. This project aimed to explore the requirements for expanding the focus of the BMP manual, and the BMP program, to all relevant natural resource management issues. These requirements included both the development of the practical information required to address the identified natural resource issues, as well as the relationship of the BMP program to other initiatives (both Government and other agricultural industry initiatives)

The aim of the project was to provide cotton advisers and leading growers in the Hillston district (lower Lachlan Valley, NSW) with the latest information about soil assessment and management for the sustainable production of inigated cotton.

The workshop also provided an opportunity to train recently appointed Industry Development Officers,

The value of decision support packages such as SOILpak for cotton growers, third edition and NUTRlpak was emphasised.

WEEDpak synthesizes the results of extensive research on IWM in Australian cotton farming systems from research . The WEEDpak manual includes extensive reference material to help identify weeds, an important first step in IWM. WEEDpak then discusses a number of other issues involved with IWM including herbicide resistance, herbicides and their application, farm hygiene, the control of volunteer cotton, and weed control in rotation crops. Since the main thrust of IWM is management, WEEDpak , the management of specific problem weeds

Fibre quality management includes on-farm and post-farm gate practices. Variety

selection, irrigation management, crop nutrition management, disease management, pest

management, climatic and weather conditions, harvesting, transport and ginning practices

can all affect fibre quality. Management practices and environmental conditions up to the

point of harvest determine whether the valuable attributes of the selected variety are

realised. Practices from harvest onwards determine whether these fibre qualities are maintained.

The overall quality of the Australian cotton crop is high and continually improving.

While each year's crop generally has one or two quality aspects that would idealIy be better, Australia has a well-deserved reputation for producing and delivering a consistent, high quality product well suited to the needs of spinners. Thus there is no over-riding quality concern that cries out for immediate attention, or which a failure to address would cause immediate marketing problems. Nonetheless, a co-ordinated, formal approach to fibre quality management will help ensure that at a minimum, Australian cotton will continue to occupy its current market position.

It is recommended that the Australian cotton industry undertake to address quality management issues in a coordinated way, through a formal industry program.

Screening of native whitefly from host specificity testing list continues with the following results of host testing of Eretmocerus hayati.

The following whitefly species have been tested:

Lipaleyrodes euphorbiae - no parasitism

Lipaleyrodes atriplex - less than 20% parasitism, adult parasitoids die upon emergence

Bemisia afer -no attack

Bemisia gigantea- no attack

Bemisia sp (saltbush) - test running

Additional species of whitefly tested;

Dumbletoniella eucalypti- no attack

Aleurocanthus spiniferus- no attack

Bemisia subdecipiens - site detected, bushfire destroyed site

Bemisia giffardi- source detected, collection in progress.

Due to silverleaf whitefly expansion in other vegetable crops and outbreaks in commercial production

regions in Qld, the industry has requested meetings and information sessions. For that reason technology

transfer activities were initiated. A large scale tomato trial was conducted to evaluate the best insecticide options combined with the use of

damage thresholds. The two best management options (BMO) were tested with two industry standard

practices.

Four large silverleaf whitefly meetings and information sessions were conducted in Qld

covering the major vegetable production regions. The subject areas covered in the meetings included

insecticide permits, best chemical use strategies, information on new chemistry, crop monitoring, spray

threshold, resistance management, parasitoids and best farm practices. All these meetings were well

attended by the industry and the participants included vegetable growers, crop consultants, chemical

company representatives, resellers, researchers and extension officers. Presentation notes, permit

information and handouts. Best use of IGR against SLW in vegetable crops, and sample spray programs were distributed to participants.