Irrigated cotton growers stand to make substantial savings in fuel and greenhouse gas emissions in tractor operations if appropriate tractor engine and ground speeds are used and tillage depth is kept to the shallowes

A pump efficiency trial at Goondiwindi has highlighted the importance of testing individual pumping set-ups to identify the optimum operating point to achieve maximum efficiency.

Reducing pumping costs by $10 an hour with a dieselgas mix has put money in the pocket and a smile on the face of irrigated cotton farmer Warwick Wannan.

Excessive wheel slip and engine speed can waste fuel.

An energy assessment establishes energy saving opportunities. Measuring (or estimating) energy use enables comparison with industry benchmarks and, in turn, identifies high energy use areas.