Transgenic (Bt) cotton has provided major benefits for the Australia cotton industry (e.g. control of Helicoverpa and reduced pesticide use), but the possibility of Bt resistance in these insects is a major threat.

Refuge crops are used in the cotton industry to dampen the expression of resistance in Helicoverpa moths, and are an integral part in the use of transgenic cotton varieties; as such it is important to confirm refuge a

Prof. Dr. Silvia Dorn, Professor of Applied Entomology from ETH Zurich in Switzerland was on a scientific exchange to the Australian Cotton Research Institute (ACRI) in Narrabri from 5 – 12 February 2011.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important symbiotic partners to the majority of land plants. AMF depend on the plant community for photosynthate-derived energy.

Transgenic (Bt) cotton varieties provide a substantial basis for economically and environmentally sustainable insect pest management within the Australian cotton industry.