IN THIS ISSUE: New eye on the sky; New Projects - Managing Climate Variability R&D Program; Monthly report helping farmers make 'prophetable' decisions; Value of forecasting proven in NHT projects

In 2003-04, the National Dryland Salinity Program (NDSP) as part of its final synthesis year concentrated on integrating the information and knowledge gained over the past 10 years of nationally co-ordinated research

This report been prepared by the CIE as part of the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation. The financial assistance provided by the Program through Land and Water Australia is gratefully acknowledged.

From humble beginings in the 1880s by individual farmers along inland rivers and, in particular, the efforts of the Chaffey brothers at Renmark and Mildura in 1887, the irrigation industries in Australia have expanded

Scientific Exchange Ms Rose Roche, Purpose of Exchange: Attend the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in Texas as a, speaker, The purpose of this exchange was to attend the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, San, Antonio, Texas US

This project aimed to identify factors that could substantially influence Bt efficacy in, transgenic cotton. Cry1Ac protein concentration in cotton leaves was measured quantitatively, using a commercial ELISA assay.

The CRDC $2000 to put towards attending the 42nd Beltwide Cotton Conference in San

The research project described in this report is concerned with the isolation and, characterization of a gene/enzyme system for the bioremediation of endosulfan sulfate, (endosulfate), the toxic metabolite of endosulf

This research project involved the development and application of crop simulation tools to assist with crop management within the cotton industry.

The emergence of multiple resistance to insecticides in Helicoverpa populations has had a significant impact on the production of most major field crops in Australia.

The aims of the project were: (1) Use composted cotton gin trash and pelletised cotton gin trash to

monitor soil response and soil nutrition benefits; (2) Establish experimental woodlots of

Trichogramma limit pest damage to Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) cotton crops by killing the developing embryo of their insect host at the egg stage, effectively reducing the number of emergent pests ingesting trans

The research into aphid bio-control in cotton has documented the agents attacking cotton aphid in southern and central Queensland, and provided an indication of their relative importance.

Five sites representing the main cotton growing soil types in the Lower Macquarie Valley were selected and soil sampled in late October and May 2004.

ABSTRACT

The project has made significant contributions to further our understanding of causes

and consequences of climate variability and climate change.

Project Summaries from Postgraduate Visit

McKinnon, Buchanan, Delaney, Dodd, Humphries, Ivkovic, Lightfoot, Lowor, Machado, Najar, Speirs, Vanags, Werth, Whiffen and White

Purpose of Exchange: Attend Visual Basic Developers Conference, This application was for Scott Johnston to attend the Access/ Visual Basic Developers, Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada USA, 8-12 June 2003.

Cotton production in Central Queensland will continue to impose a unique set of challenges due to climate and it’s remoteness from other production areas.