The following industry take home messages are a summary of practical findings pertinent

to growers and industry personnel:

Regular disease surveys have highlighted the changing status of cotton diseases over time and

provided valuable insights into the factors affecting their distribution and severity.

As the Cotton Breeder for Deltapine Australia this presentation will concentrate on the breeding program and aim to cover the following *The performance of Deltapine Varieties in 1991 /92 *The specific factors Deltapi

Establishing a satisfactory stand of cotton is a continuing problem for many growers. Even when the crop is not planted 'too early in terms of the 9: 00 soil temperature there is still a risk involved .

Seedling diseases include seed rots, pre and post emergent damping 9ff and root pruning. Numerous fungi can be responsible although Rhizoctonia sp., Pythiwn spp. and Fusarium spp. are the most important.