This report contains a review of the major methodological frameworks (sensu Tharme 1996) for environmental flow assessment developed or applied in Australia.

Objectives To enhance technology transfer between researchers, consultants and farmers and to develop approptiate commercial technology for farmer adoption. Initially, emphasis was placed on conservation cropping and integrated pest management. Project funding was sought to enable the appointee to the newly established Cotton Extension Agronomist position to become familiar with the research in the cotton industry, and with consultants, farmers and other industry personnel. In the year of project the objectives were: 1. Meet all the researchers involved in the cotton industry at Myall Vale, Toowoomba and Biloela. 2. Make contact with all of the cotton agronomists/consultants in south Queensland. 3. Meet representative farmers from each district in the region. 4. Establish commercial demonstrations of appropriate cotton growing technology.

Dr Daly attended the Fifth Cotton Conference, Broadbeach, Queensland, 12-14 August, 1992. She authored two papers for inclusion in the Proceedings: Daly, J. 5ndosulfan resiS1ance in Helicoverpa armgera, pp 353-368. Trowell, S., N. Forrester, J. Daly, K. Garsia, L. Bird & G. Lang. Development trials of the Hellothls 10 Kit. This meeting gave Dr Daly the opportunity to meet with growers and work colleagues to discuss her studies on resistance and its management

The report indicates that there is a. good potential for cloud seeding in the Copeton Dam region. Should cloud seeding go ahead there a.re a number of individual gauges and groups of gauges which, in their present positions, could act as very good predictors of the rainfall in the Copeton Dam region. This is essential for a good cloud seeding experiment. The odds of detecting a 30 percent increase in precipitation are about 4:1 in a 5-6 year experiment and for a 20 percent increase about 2:1

A self propelled high powered; high clearance insecticide sprayer is now available to cotton growers. As with all products development continues. It would be desirable to bring the cost of the unit down; and this will happen with batch production.

The overall aim is to house current and future staff for our expanded research projects in the next decade. The better accommodation will improve the standard of work from existing projects and also allow some important new initiatives to be undertaken. This project included: The construction of a new insectary to alleviate overcrowding and allow for further expansion in entomology research staff numbers. The construction of a new conference facility with a seating capacity of 100. The space freed from within the present building will allow: expansion of office and laboratory numbers to cater for additional research staff, visiting scientists and post-graduate students and combine the administrative offices of NSW Agriculture and CS/RO, so that all staff and equipment will be housed in one open room..

Aims: 1 * Develop a simple mite management package using data collected relating mite infestations to cotton yield loss. * Complete development and validation of functional sampling procedures. * Continue studies to determine the effects of temperature, humidity and host plant quality and variety on mite population development. * Identify and evaluate the role of predators in spider mite management and the potential for inoculative release of predacious mites.

This grant provides foods for the annual maintenance contract for the Vax 4000 computer system at NARS. The system has been installed and operational since October 5, 1990. Further upgrading was completed in August 1992 to increase the availability and reliability of the system, as well as increase its storage capacity to 6.6 Gigabytes. This upgrade was implemented smoothly, resulting in the problems and failures previously encountered being almost entirely eliminated with uptime being almost 100 per cent

This project examined genetic variation in Helicoverpa populations using variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and variation in quantitative traits, and was supported by ARC as well as CRDC. In this project we developed the molecular techniques that allowed sampling of geographical variation using mtDNA. On theoretical grounds and on the basis of recent studies in other organisms this marker has the potential to be useful for detecting genetic differentiation among regions. Detection of genetic differences among populations of the two Helicoverpa pest species, the native budworm H.punctigera and the insecticide resistant bollworm H. armigera, may provide the ecologists with a useful tool for better understanding moth movement patterns. This would facilitate better prediction and control of infestations.

This report summarises the findings from the CRDC funded project "Managing soils to avoid compaction problems in cotton growing". The project ran from 1989/90 to 1991/92. It had the principal aims of: *developing a management system for cotton growers that would minimize tillage requirements, and *avoiding current problems with soil compaction associated with heavy machinery. The project was based on a controlled traffic approach so that compacted machinery lanes and compaction free plant zones were separately maintained. The operation of the project was split between three interacting teams of experts. The teams worked on what became known as the Model, the Laneway and the Guidance ) subprojects. Separate detailed reports from each of these teams are included in this report. The Modelling team assessed and quantified the dynamic changes in seedbed conditions by monitoring various soil physical and thermal properties. The information obtained could guide the industry as to the minimum tillage requirements of a cotton crop in a controlled bed environment. The Laneway team developed guide-lines for the installation, operation and maintenance of suitable compacted laneways for cotton growing. The Guidance team developed prototypes of automatic equipment that could allow farm equipment to be operated accurately and repeatedly on the compacted laneways over several years