The 2021 Australian Cotton Production Manual is a critical reference tool for cotton growers. The manual is a one-stop-shop for growers, outlining all the various decisions that need to be made on-farm in preparation for, and during, cotton production. The manual provides an understanding of cotton physiology, and discusses important considerations for both productivity and profitability.

The Australian Cotton Production Manual is published by CRDC and CottonInfo and is updated each year to incorporate the latest research and consistent improvements in industry best practice.

The winter 2021 edition of CRDC's magazine, Spotlight, is the 'innovation' issue. 

As agriculture continues to navigate the brave new world created by the development of the internet of things, big data and technological advancements, CRDC is also creating new pathways to capitalise on it.

The role of the Australian cotton industry’s world-class researchers and research projects are often the motor that drives innovation. Bringing this research together creates the brains for new technology for improved decision-making and crop management at the farm level. It also creates opportunities for cotton and its feedstocks to be transformed into new products for industries outside our traditional fibresphere, such as in the medical and bio-fuel industries. At the post-farm gate level, it gives the processors such as ginners the tools to turn out the fibre Australian cotton growers are so well known for.

CRDC will continue to support rigorous research, development and extension (RD&E) through traditional research pathways, albeit with a new focus on how to better bring knowledge and products to the field. CRDC is also looking to the future, through the Vision 2029 commitment, to create and prepare the industry to increased sustainability and efficiency. Technology has a major role to play in this.

In this edition CRDC provides some background on how RD&E is evolving and what it offers the industry. It is impossible to cover off every innovative project CRDC invests in, so in this edition you’ll find a snapshot to illustrate how traditional research and development is backing innovation, along with the pathways CRDC is following to bring innovators to the industry. You’ll also find the full list of CRDC's investments for the coming year.

Cotton fibres are differentiated from single ovule epidermal cells and grow synchronously, initiating at about the time of anthesis. In view of the commercial desirability of long fibres, the study of factors involved in controlling the extent of fibre growth is important. The aims of this project were to: A. Isolate and characterise cDNA clones of mRNAs which are specific to or important in cotton fibre development; B. Elucidate ribosomal gene expression and its role in fibre development

CRDC's Annual Operational Plan for 2022-23 (AOP): the fifth and final annual operational plan under the CRDC's Strategic RD&E Plan 2018-23.

This Guide provides you with a comprehensive summary of the key cotton crop protection issues, and is brought to you by CRDC and the Australian cotton industry's joint extension program, CottonInfo.

The Macquarie valley is closely monitoring the smart farm and ‘automation” space, there are currently two providers in the valley who are offering new technology that the Macquaire Cotton Grower Association (MCGA) would like to trial in an “on farm evaluation”. The MCGA have been using and evaluating the Canopy Temperature Sensor (CTS) technology and would now like to trial the “LoRaWan” gateway to access the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. There are potential significant gains to be made that could lead to our overall objective of improving efficiency of our most limiting commodity - water.

The project will have a three-year life span. The sensors will be purchased outright by the

MCGA and the cost includes access to the software for a three-year period. Past trial work has outlined the need to evaluate over more than one season. The sensors easily moved, and “Gateway” access exists across the valley, farm locations can changed after the first season

to explore other irrigation systems such as drip or overhead in the subsequent seasons.

2 of 10 This project has massive scope and potential to be built upon, there is flexibility to be able to repeat it next season with very little capital inputs. It can be adaptive and will try to explore how the IoT can help all farmers to improve

Picking contractors are most concerned about the financial viability and security of their business and the aging status and declining value of their machinery Movement of machinery is a major concern for picking contractors. Standardised and simplified Road Transport requirements need to be prepared and available for contractors.

These is little focus on the impact of fibre quality during picking as both growers

and contractors assumed the impact is minimal and/or they are doing their best to

minimise degradation. All overview of fibre quality needs to be given at an ACPA

meeting and fibre quality guidelines needs to be disseminated.

Introduction The business of cotton picking is an intensive and arguably a high-risk/low profitability exercise. his an industry where over half of the stakeholders have been in the business for over 15 years and as a result run very efficient and finely-tuned operations. Of these businesses, the majority entered the industry as they saw picking cotton as a profitable venture and in some cases, an opportunity for self-employment or a supplementary income that complemented other business interests. Despite the length of time in the industry, majority of operators are only continuing as their machinery has no trade in or sale value and their long term future in the industry is non-existent.

There is frustration in the industry due to the lack of profitability and security and the

decreasing value of machinery. Furthermore, staff, occupational health and safety (OH&S) and moving machinery between jobs provides added stress and complications. Added to this is the reduced picking window due to agronomic advancements and the lack of physical time to make money.

This report outlines the current status of the industry with reference to the operation in general, staff and OH&S, machinery maintenance and transport, and fibre quality.