Due to the economic pressure being placed on the cotton fibre by increased use of man-made fibres, the revolution in textile processing technology and the current world surplus, research on the quality and value of co

Like most other major manufacturing industries, cotton spinners in the western world have been constantly pressured by heavy competition from low wage costs countries.

A very serious situation faces growers due to increasing insecticide resistance, the fall-off in development of new chemicals and the rising costs of insecticides from overseas.

The following paper outlines the Bureau's latest outlook for the Australian cotton industry as recently published in the Quarterly Review of Rural Economy Vol . 8, No. 3 August 1986.

The Push Pull Strategy (P.P.S.) is a method of sensory manipulation of pest insects originated at the University of Queensland.

Although cotton has been grown in Australia for over one hundred years, mainly in Queensland prior to the early 1960's, it was not until 1963/1964 following the completion of the Keepit Dam and the introduction o

Without doubt the world statistical stock situation would indicate that there is an enormous Imbalance between the supply/ demand situation for cotton, which on the f ace of it will last for some years yet.

Questions are often raised about whether trace elements are required on cotton.

Traps baited with sex attractants ( 1 pheromone 1 traps) are presently being used by a number of farmers in Central Queensland to monitor P. scutigera populations and for timing insecticide sprays.

Experiments were conducted to determine whether on cotton, Rutherglen Bug and Grey Cluster Bug were able to survive, develop and reproduce. Their ability to damage cotton was also assessed.

Reducing the costs of pest management may be looked at in two ways. These are the actual reduction of chemical costs which must be balanced against the need to maintain or enhance yield.

Of the five species of Heliothis in Australia, only two, Heliothis armigera and H. punctigera are major economic pests. They are clearly the major pests of cotton in all production areas.

Heliothis spp. have two main attributes which give rise to their pest status and make them difficult to manage (see Fitt this volume).

The development and release of SIOKRA, the new okra-leaf variety, has created considerable interest with respect to pest management.

Early crop protection is a controversial subject in modern pest management. Grower magazines in Australia and the U.S. carry articles expressing firm opinions both for and against.

The scouting of cotton for eggs and larvae of Heliothis spp is a labour intensive and therefore expensive undertaking.

Each furrow irrigation waterlogs most of the root zone of cotton in cracking clay soils. This deprives the roots of oxygen, they take up less water and nutrients. and this reduces growth and yield.

Three species of pest mites are found in cotton in NSW and Qld: the two spotted mite, Tetranychus urticae, the bean mite, T. ludenli, and the strawberry mite, T. lambi. Of these T.

Cotton Breeding for Queensland

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