Documentation of crop yields and varieties in the Toowoomba Royal Agricultural Show Irrigated Crops Competition since 1972 demonstrates the great advances achieved by cotton breeders as new varieties have been introdu

Rainfed cotton has been grown in Central Queensland since the 1920's but the total area has fluctuated in response to variable seasonal conditions as well as changing prices and market trends for cropping options

WATERSCHED has been developed by research and extension agronomists from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and uses a water balance approach to schedule irrigations.

Yield responses to increasing amounts of irrigation water have been demonstrated in the past by individual trials. In these trials watering occured at varying deficits of soil moisture below field capacity .

Irrigation scheduling in cotton using the water balance program WATERSCHED has been the subject of an extension development project in Queensland for two years. The project is funded by Cotton Research Council.