Australian Cottongrower - Greenmount Press

Print Post Approved Publication No. PP 424022/1583 

April–May 2012 

www.cottongrower.com.au 

The Australian Cottongrower 

P.O. Box 766, Toowoomba, 4350. 

Ph: (07) 4659 3555. Fax (07) 4638 4520. 

Email: cotton@greenmountpress.com.au 

Website: www.cottongrower.com.au 

DELIVERIES: 120 Herries St, Toowoomba, Qld. 4350. 

EDITOR: 

David Dowling 

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Lloyd O’Connell 

GROUP SALES MANAGER: Norm Neeld 

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Mick Allan 

OFFICE MANAGER: Catherine O’Connell 

ADVERTISING: Norm Neeld 

Ph: (07) 5450 1720 

Fax: (07) 5450 1102 

Mobile: 0428 794 801 

CONTENTS OF ADVERTISEMENTS are the responsibility of the 

advertisers. All statements and opinions expressed in The Australian 

Cottongrower are published after due consideration of information 

gained from sources believed to be authentic. The following of 

advice given is at the reader’s own risk, and no responsibility is 

accepted for the accuracy of the matter published herein. No portion 

in whole or part may be reproduced without permission of the 

publisher. Copyright 2012. 

Published by Berekua Pty. Ltd., 40 Creek Street, Brisbane. 

Registered by Australia Post Print Post Approved Publication 

number 

PP 405518/00026. ISSN 1442–5289. 

PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY, APRIL, JUNE, AUGUST, OCTOBER, 

DECEMBER. COTTON YEARBOOK PUBLISHED IN SEPTEMBER. 

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Contents 

Editorial 2 

Cotton Research Roundup 4 

New focus on cotton education and human capacity 8 

Focus on China at Australian Cotton Conference 12 

Future of cotton research boosted by $35 million 14 

SLW – wet conditions, late crops and displaced populations 16 

Converting mm to money – How does irrigated wheat stack up? 19 

Local insects make a meal of mealybugs 21 

Precision Farming & Guidance Feature… 

Making sure you yield monitors are ready to go 23 

Growers to take precision ag to the next level 25 

New features for guidance systems 26 

Water Matters… 

Precision irrigation in the cotton industry through adaptive 

control 27 

Marketing… 

World Commodity Watch 32 

The World Cotton Market 34 

Ginning & Fibre Series… 

New gin in the Murrumbidgee nears completion 36 

Cruiser fund brings industry benefits 38 

It pays to optimise N fertiliser inputs 40 

Cotton seed N indicates fertiliser use-efficiency 44 

Cotton gets nanotech and biotech treatment 46 

Plants use circadian rhythms to prepare for battle with insects 48 

Classic Tractor Tales… 

The good gear 49 

Germinating Ideas 52 

News & New Products 54 

District Reports 60 

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j/24d01072/270808 

INSIDE 

Focus on New gin 

China at in the 

Cotton Murrumbidgee 

Conference 

Cotton 

research 

boosted 

by $35m 

A three year research project has shown 

that natural insect predators are very 

effective at controlling mealybugs in 

cotton. 

See story page 21. 

April–May 2012 The Australian Cottongrower — 1

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U78496 

Editorial… 

David Dowling, Editor 

Ah, the good old days. For those with long enough 

memories, this was the time of year you could usually look 

forward to a gin opening celebration – sometimes more than 

one in a good year. The beer and wine flowed freely, there 

were plenty of prawns and other tasty morsels and sometimes 

a bit of entertainment. 

The drought has a lot to answer for – it changed the nature of the industry. 

One change is that no new cotton gins have been built in Australia for at least 

10 years – so no gin openings either. 

Well the good news is that 2012 will see a new gin in southern NSW, at 

Whitton, near Griffith. 

A consortium of local growers is close to doing what many thought 

impossible. They have raised the funds, battled floods and done a mountain 

of hard work which is about to culminate in the completion of a 200,000 bale 

plus gin in an area which sorely needs it. 

But there are unlikely to be any prawns and champagne until November at 

the earliest. As soon as this gin is finished it will start processing the massive 

2012 crop from the Murrumbidgee. 

Despite the lack of celebration, the new gin is a major sign of the 

resurgence of the cotton industry in this country. It has taken a couple of years, 

but we may now be putting the nightmare of the drought behind us. And the 

way the industry keeps expanding in southern NSW, there may be more good 

news to come. 

On the other side of the coin, the Cotton CRC which, in various forms, 

has provided many millions of dollars of cotton industry research over the 

past 18 years, will close down at the end of June. Without a doubt, this is a 

major setback, but the industry had a great research program before the CRC 

and will undoubtedly have a great one in the future. And the current period 

of huge crops will ensure the continuation of the most important research 

programs for the next few years at least. 

In part, the explosion of the industry in southern NSW is further evidence of 

the importance of this research. Twenty years ago, there was no possibility of 

a sustainable cotton industry in the Murrumbidgee. It was too cold, the season 

was too short and so on. They are now growing 12 bale per hectare crops on 

a regular basis and it looks like the industry is there to stay. Good research has 

played an important role in this story. 

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2 — The Australian Cottongrower April–May 2012

Introduction & symptoms key 

Diseases 

Biosecurity threats 

Herbicides 

Insect damage 

Soil constraints & planting management 

Environmental & other symptoms 

Nutrition deficiency/toxicity 

A production of 

The Australian Cotton Industry 

Development & Delivery Team 

EDITORS: Susan Maas, Stephen Allen and Duncan Weir 

1st Edition 2012 $14.90 incl GST 

In this issue... 

New focus on cotton education and 

human capacity 

Recent figures showing Aussie school 

kids really don’t know much about 

agriculture came as little surprise to 

Cotton Australia, which has already embarked on an ambitious 

program of education and human capacity building. 

See story ....................................................................... Page 8 

Focus on China at Cotton Conference 

With China now purchasing almost 70 

per cent of Australia’s cotton crop each 

year, the Australian Cotton Conference 

will this year host a “Focus on China” 

session to closely examine a country 

that has become the industry’s biggest customer. 

See story ..................................................................... Page 12 

Cotton research boosted by $35 million 

CSIRO and Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) have 

announced a five-year, $35 million extension 

to their existing agreement, to fund projects 

through the Cotton Breeding Australia joint 

venture, which has been running since 2007. 

See story ..................................................................... Page 14 

Precision Farming & Guidance 

Feature 

Make sure your yield monitors are ready to go 

– some things to keep in mind this year with 

regards to cotton yield monitoring. 

Stories start ................................................................ Page 23 

New gin in the Murrumbidgee 

The first new cotton gin to be built in 

Australia for over a decade is expected to 

gin its first bales by the middle of May. 

The gin at Whitton, 35 km southeast of 

Griffith, is expected to process around 

200,000 bales of the anticipated 350,000 

bales to come out of the Murrumbidgee Valley this season. 

See story ..................................................................... Page 36 

Cruiser fund brings industry benefits 

Investing in and applying the products of research Cotton Symptoms 

Guide 

The guide to symptoms of 

and development is a hallmark of the success for 

diseases and disorders 

in Australian cotton 

the Australian cotton industry. Investing in R&D is 

not without risk and by its very nature confers long 

term commitment to invest resources of today for 

a potential outcome realisable down the track. 

See story ..................................................................... Page 38 

E R G 0 0 1 0 _ O H P L _ 1 2 5 x 1 8 . p d f P a g e 3 1 4 / 0 3 / 1 2 , 1 1 : 5 2 A M 


Cotton 

Research 

Roundup… 

Bruce Finney 

Bruce Pyke 

Workforce wake-up call on graduates 

There is increasing concern across the cotton industry about 

how it might address the increasing void between jobs and 

candidates emerging as graduates from Australian universities. 

CRDC began addressing this key need formally in 2008 with the 

implementation of the 2008–13 Strategic R&D Plan in which 

human capacity investments become one of three strategies. 

A study was commissioned by the CRDC in late 2011 into 

the human capacity needs of agribusiness servicing the cotton 

industry. The report conducted by Gordon Stone & Associates in 

Toowoomba contains a very sobering message – “we are going 

to run out of people.” 

The study estimates that before 2016, an extra 65 agronomists 

will be needed, and these will be among 110 new people with 

appropriate academic qualifications. 

Alarmingly, this figure does not take into account those 

who will be retiring or departing the industry in the normal 

course of events. This figure also does not take into account 

numbers required to eventually meet senior/strategic professional 

management staff, researchers, farm managers, business 

advisors, IT and electronics staff or company director positions. 

CRDC believes this report is a wake-up call for a new and 

integrated industry response to strategically address workforce 

requirements from now onward. The report is unequivocal 

– a future crop of graduates with locked in and future job 

placements is required to begin studies in 2013 for the cotton 

industry. This means the remainder of 2012 is key for the industry 

to kick-start this process, the report concludes. In short, the 

cotton industry needs: 

■■ 

An integrated supply chain system with dedicated resources 

and investments if it is to meet its human capacity 

requirements within five years; 

■■ 

An actionable plan rolled out mid-year 2012 to meet needs; 

■■ 

Employers acting in 2012 to secure their future staff needs; and, 

■■ 

A five-year supply chain of Year 11 and 12 students to begin 

in 2013. 

Contact Bruce Pyke at CRDC for further information. 

Environmental assessment underway 

The Australian cotton industry has long valued the importance 

of a capacity to demonstrate its sustainability together with a 

commitment to continuous improvement to productivity. 

In response, the CRDC has commissioned the industry’s third 

environmental assessment to help inform future priorities for 

future R&D investment. 

The Australian cotton industry laid the foundations for 

environmental stewardship with the previous environmental audits 

undertaken in 1991 and 2003. The 2003 audit found that of the 69 

recommendations from the 1991 audit, all had been implemented. 

Recommendations arising from these reviews contributed to 

significant ongoing improvements in the industry’s environmental 

footprint over the 20 years spanning the reviews. Ongoing 

research, changes to legislation, increased environmental 

awareness and the introduction of myBMP are outcomes of these 

reviews and audits. Key recommendations from the 2003 review 

and audit covered the BMP scheme existing at the time, water 

use and management, pesticides and non-pesticide chemicals, 

waste and vegetation management. 

For the 2012 assessment, CRDC commissioned Canberra- 

The first meeting to initiate the start of the Cotton Industry Strategic Environmental Review 2012 – Steering committee 

members Ken Flower D&D Team, Cotton CRC’s Jane Trindall, Angela Bradburn Cotton Australia, Guy Roth Roth Rural and 

Regional, Boggabri farmer John Watson, CRDC’s Bruce Pyke and project co-ordinator Rachel Holloway with Brian Ramsey and 

Ken Moore from Inovact Consulting. 


We’re with you 

from the beginning 

For over 40 years, Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) 

has had a proud heritage of supporting Australian 

Cotton Growers. 

Being grower owned and controlled, no one knows 

the needs of the Australian Cotton Grower like CSD. 

CSD actively invests in local research and breeding 

to ensure the Australian Cotton Growers are leaders 

in the field in a competitive global market. 

Experience, integrity and local knowledge, CSD 

delivers what Australian Cotton Growers need. 

For more information on CSD visit www.csd.net.au or phone (02) 6795 0000

ased Inovact Consulting who began their work began in March. 

Among the first tasks has been a phone survey designed to 

establish the industry’s environmental performance. This first 

look is from an industry viewpoint and taken from a regional and 

farm perspective. The survey sought growers’ input on what they 

consider to be current and emerging environmental issues. 

CRDC and Cotton Australia encouraged growers who are 

contacted to be involved in this important project and thank 

them for their input. 

Further interviews and an on-line survey of key stakeholders 

including state, federal government agencies, community, nongovernment 

organisations and key industry representatives from 

all sectors will also be conducted. 

An industry steering committee has been engaged to guide 

the assessment team and support the subsequent report that will 

reach the industry in July 2012. The steering committee members 

are Bruce Pyke, Rachel Holloway, CRDC; Angela Bradburn of 

Cotton Australia; growers Nigel Corish and John Watson, Jane 

Macfarlane, Cotton CRC; independent consultant Guy Roth and 

Ken Flower, myBMP. 

The Australian cotton industry has a strong history of taking 

ownership of areas where it is having environmental impacts 

and minimising them through the implementation of improved 

management based on sound R&D. 

But despite past achievements, the long term success of the 

industry continues to depend on how its practices, products and 

reputation are perceived by customers and the wider community, 

so it cannot rest on its laurels. 

Further information contact CRDC project co-ordinator Rachel Holloway, 0429 

434949 Email: rachel@shoalhaven.net.au, or Ken Moore, Project Manager, 

Inovact Consulting 02 6140 3900 Email: ken.moore@inovact.com.au 

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Discussion was lively and productive at a CRDC workshop 

held during the Cotton CRC’s Science Forum in Narrabri 

recently. 

Planning cotton R&D for the future 

Being able to connect the collective thinking of all sectors of 

the industry is a challenging but powerful process. It’s something 

that has become part of the culture of our industry and a key 

aspect of what makes it successful. 

A large group of researchers actively participated in a CRDC 

planning forum held in conjunction with the recent Cotton CRC 

Science Review in Narrabri. The forum was chaired by CRDC 

Chair Mike Logan and facilitated by Deputy Chair Mary Corbett. 

The researchers were asked two questions. 

■■ 

The first was what are the big issues likely to challenge the 

industry in the future? 

The researchers workshopped these questions in groups and 

then were asked to identify the top five issues. They identified 

human capacity, competition for resources from mining/energy, 

water, research capacity and biosecurity as the most important. 

Most groups shared common items on their list of concerns. 

■■ 

The second question was what research could be undertaken 

to solve those challenges? 

In relation to the lack of human capacity resources, groups 

identified opportunities for better education of students within 

the industry, mentoring of young people and becoming an 

employer of choice as solutions. Automation of farming practices 

was also suggested. 

Education also extended to the public and other industries 

when dealing with the competition for water and land resources 

in use by the industry and its effect on them. 

Exploring efficiency gains as well as new energy sources and 

secondary fuels was suggested as a way of addressing rising 

energy costs. Addressing biosecurity and pest challenges could 

require development of protocols, biochemistry and novel non 

GM approaches. 

Succession planning and increased longevity of research 

projects were common themes. It was thought that this would 

enable better career development and research outcomes. 

Bruce Finney, CRDC Executive Director, provided an overview 

of the stages of development for its new strategic plan which will 

commence in July 2012. Researchers were invited to continue to 

be involved in the development of the new strategic plan and 

to contact the CRDC with any suggestions. 


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New focus on cotton education 

and human capacity 

Recent figures showing Aussie school kids really don’t 

know much about agriculture came as little surprise to 

Cotton Australia, which has already embarked on an 

ambitious program of education and human capacity building. 

The research from PIEF (Primary Industries Education 

Foundation) found 45 per cent of school students could not 

identify that everyday lunchbox items such as a banana, bread 

Cotton Australia Policy Officer Angela Bradburn. 

and cheese originated from farms. Around 27 per cent think 

yoghurt is a plant product/grows on trees and 40 per cent believe 

that farming damages the environment. 

A cotton industry forum last November identified education as 

playing a pivotal role in inducting potential cotton workers of the 

future. The forum also considered the need to attract and retain 

the existing cotton workforce. 

Cotton Australia Policy Officer Angela Bradburn says this is 

an exciting time developing a whole of industry human capacity 

framework with a plan to address the industry’s needs in the 

medium to long term. 

“We are aiming to use data generated by a number of current 

CRDC research projects, backed by the legacy of the Cotton CRC 

in developing the plan which will have broad industry support 

and input.” 

Angela says the first order of business is a joint program 

between Cotton Australia and the CRDC to get behind the 

Primary Industry Education Foundation (PIEF). 

“PIEF will be pushing to make sure information on cotton 

is included in the national curriculum as well as making cotton 

resources available to educators and students through a webbased 

platform. 

“This work comes on top of a joint CRDC and Cotton 

Australia plan to co-fund a number of new projects covering 

school education, curriculum development, career path 

development and industry leadership.” 

Cotton Australia plans to build an up-to-date and practical 

suite of education resources throughout the year that will be 

made available through a new ‘Cotton Classroom’ section on a 

revamped Cotton Australia website. 

Cotton Australia will this year become a major sponsor of the 

very popular, school based competition Art4Agriculture program 

which is open to primary and secondary schools. 

At least nine schools, based in NSW and Queensland will focus 

on cotton for their entry in the competition and to give them a 

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flying start these schools will be provided with a range of cotton 

resources and information as they undertake a major project 

examining the cotton industry and then developing student 

resources to tell the cotton story. 

Some of the entries might include powerpoint presentations, 

on-line blogs and YouTube videos that will be shared with other 

schools via the internet. The centre-piece is the decoration of a 

life-sized fiberglass cow that also carries the cotton theme, and 

that will eventually go on display at a range of venues in Sydney 

and throughout the bush. 

Angela Bradburn says social media and the opportunity for 

these students to share their projects online will allow a positive 

message about cotton to spread into school rooms far beyond 

the nine targeted schools. 

“We all know that today’s school students learn in an 

online and very interactive environment, which is why the 

Art4Agriculture program engages all these various types of social 

media. They help students gain a more accurate understanding 

about the importance of agriculture in all our lives.” 

Leadership training 

Cotton Australia has also been working on ensuring we have 

the right people to lead the cotton industry in the future, who 

have been given appropriate leadership training at each stage of 

their career. 

Recently in Narrabri the latest round of participants in the 

Australian Future Cotton Leaders program began an intensive 

training program. 

The Future Cotton Leaders program is an eight month long 

leadership and personal development course for 15 participants, 

taking a range of young people from sectors as varied as cotton 

merchants, research, agribusiness and extension along with a 

representative group of young cotton growers, then putting 

them together to learn from each other and from exposure to 

experienced managers and leaders 

As part of the program, participants will all be matched and 

mentored by already established and well recognised cotton 

industry leaders. 

Stage one of the Future Cotton Leaders program was held 

in Narrabri with participants given some practical experience in 

leadership styles including activities ranging from an intensive 

leadership session with Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay all the 

way to a leadership boot camp held on the river’s edge. 

Each participant will work on their own integrated leadership 

project, designed to both deliver real benefits to the Australian 

cotton industry while giving participants the chance to practice 

and develop their leadership skills. 

The projects included in the 2012 Future Cotton Leaders 

program include an examination of how regional partnership 

building could increase the profile of the cotton industry, an 

investigation into the whole supply chain in China and sub 

continent regions and promoting agricultural career pathways in 

cotton. Another participant is looking at existing approaches to 

enhance the communication between research, extension and 

growers. 

Course co-ordinator Jo Eady says the broad range of projects 

nominated by participants shows the varied backgrounds and 

future interests of participants in this year’s Australian Future 

Cotton Leaders Program. 

Jo Eady says the next stage for participants will be the 

opportunity to be matched with experienced mentors who will 

include some people beyond the cotton industry. 

“Then after working with their mentors, the Future Cotton 

Leaders will present the findings and results of their projects at 

their next face to face meeting being held as part of this year’s 

Australian Cotton Conference on the Gold Coast.” 

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Focus on China at Australian 

Cotton Conference 

With China now purchasing almost 70 per cent of 

Australia’s cotton crop each year, the Australian 

Cotton Conference will this year host a “Focus on 

China” session to closely examine a country that has become the 

industry’s biggest customer. 

According to Cotton Conference Committee Vice Chairman 

and Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) director 

Arthur Spellson, this will be a great opportunity to get an 

explanation of the factors that influence the Chinese market and 

the ramifications for Australia’s cotton industry. 

“A panel of speakers who know the Chinese market will 

talk about what affects domestic production and consumption, 

government influences and why Australian cotton is so attractive 

in China,” Arthur said. 

Arthur has just returned from China where a delegation 

of ACSA members was joined by Cotton Australia grower 

representatives and CSIRO scientists to update the Chinese 

market on the Australian cotton situation. The last time such a 

delegation went to China was in 2005 when China was on the 

rise, but Indonesia was Australia’s largest cotton customer. 

Two seminars were hosted by ACSA and assisted by the 

Australian Trade Commission – one in Qingdao in Shandong 

province and the other in Shanghai. Qingdao is located in China’s 

biggest cotton consumption area and is a major port that houses 

LEFT-HAND PAGE 

many of the free trade zone bonded warehouses; while Shanghai 

is an area where many major spinners are located. 

“We had over 400 spinners, warehouse managers and traders 

attend two seminars to get an update on Australia’s positive 

production outlook, ginning and shipping capacity, quality 

improvements, classing system, the role of Cotton Australia, myBMP 

and an update on our plant breeding program,” Arthur said. 

“These numbers indicate China’s insatiable appetite for cotton 

and confirms the need for us to understand this market because it 

affects all of our businesses, whether we’re growers or merchants. 

The “Focus on China” session provides that opportunity. 

“China’s demand for high grade Australian cotton stems from 

a few factors including the demise of the Californian cotton 

industry as it moves into other crops like almonds and tomatoes 

and also difficulties in sourcing high-grade Chinese production 

from the western areas due to the government purchasing these 

supplies for strategic stocks. 

“As textile capacity in China matures and government 

interference in China’s domestic market continues, more mills are 

looking to use imported cotton to avoid having to deal with these 

challenges. 

“This gives Australia an ideal opportunity to position ourselves 

as a reliable supplier of high grade, machine picked cotton that 

can be shipped quickly at the right times of year for China, when 

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supplies from other markets are running short in the second and 

third quarters,” Arthur said. 

China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of 

cotton. Don’t miss the “Focus on China” session at the Cotton 

Conference that will include fascinating presentations from: 

■■ 

Madam Zhang Fangchum of the China National Cotton Group 

Corporation who will present an overview on the Chinese 

Cotton Market. 

■■ 

Australia’s fit within the Chinese market. 

■■ 

Political dynamics and government policy – effect on 

Australian cotton. 

■■ 

Surviving volatile times – a spinner’s yarn. 

To find out more about China, and a multitude of other interesting 

topics, register now for the Australian Cotton Conference at www. 

australiancottonconference.com.au 

Early Bird registrations are open until 30 June, 2012. 

The Australian delegation presented two seminars in China. 

RIGHT-HAND PAGE 

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Future of cotton research boosted 

by $35 million 

CSIRO and Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) have announced 

a five-year, $35 million extension to their existing 

agreement, to fund projects through the Cotton Breeding 

Australia joint venture, which has been running since 2007. 

The Cotton Breeding Australia (CBA) joint venture funds 

research into many aspects of cotton breeding including 

improved quality; higher yields; drought and heat tolerance; 

water use efficiency and pest and disease resistance. 

CSIRO Division of Plant Industry’s Chief, Dr Jeremy Burdon, 

said the new agreement is building on the valuable research 

which has already delivered major benefits to cotton growers. 

“The extension of the agreement underlines the huge benefits 

Cotton Breeding Australia’s research is having for the cotton 

industry. A clear example is the future development of cotton 

varieties with elevated resistance to mites and whitefly, which will 

reduce costs and reliance on pesticides,“ Jeremy said. 

“We have also developed molecular markers for resistance to 

diseases such as cotton bunchy top (CBT) virus, which will allow 

us to develop resistant varieties, and we are similarly researching 

resistance to black root rot and Alternaria fungi. 

”The Cotton Breeding Australia joint venture is a remarkable 

collaboration between breeders, biotechnology research, 

pathology and post-harvest processing that is ensuring the best 

performance in our new varieties,” Jeremy said. 

The new agreement extends the collaboration for a further 

five years, from its current termination date of 2017 to 2022. 

“The joint venture has continued to deliver yield increases 

which have averaged around 1.5 per cent each year over the past 

20 years. Scientific research requires a long term commitment 

and the current high performing varieties are the results of years, 

sometimes decades, of research and development,” Jeremy said. 

Finding new sources of resistance to fusarium wilt. 

Symptoms of wilting in a resistant variety (MCU-5) and a 

susceptible variety (Siokra 1-4) after two weeks growing 

in Fusarium infested soil. Using this assay on a population 

from a cross between these two varieties allows scientists 

to ‘map’ the locations in the cotton genome contributing to 

this resistance. Markers close to these regions can then be 

used to help breed for better disease resistant varieties. 

“CSIRO-bred varieties currently comprise the entire Australian 

market and we are pleased our expertise in biotechnology and 

core breeding is delivering results in the field,” he said. 

CSD has been working with CSIRO for nearly 30 years and 

Cotton Seed Distributor’s managing director, Peter Graham says 

the collaboration with CSIRO and industry has been rewarding. 

“Continued investment in research and development is 

required for Australia to remain globally competitive,” says Peter. 

“Our past achievements include new varieties with improved 

yield, disease resistance and fibre quality. The high rate of 

adoption of the new varieties by cotton growers shows that the 

breeding and research by Cotton Breeding Australia is benefitting 

growers’ bottom lines. 

“We also recognise the importance of the CRDC and Cotton 

Australia’s (as the ACGRA) prior contribution to the Australian 

cotton breeding program.” 

The CBA joint venture concentrates on a number of significant 

areas of research: 

Core breeding project 

The core cotton breeding project has a large crossing and 

regional evaluation program – up to 16 sites are used across 

the industry’s geographical spread. The majority of experiments 

are located on growers’ farms and so receive commercial 

management. 

The breeding team has developed new varieties with improved 

yield, adaptation, disease resistance and fibre quality. 

The varieties have been developed with the inclusion of a 

range of insect resistance and herbicide tolerance traits such as 

Bollgard II, Roundup Ready Flex or Liberty Link. 

A key focus of this program is breeding for pest and disease 

resistance. 

Scientists are now making progress breeding varieties for 

resistance to bacterial blight, Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt. 

In collaboration with the biotechnology team, molecular markers 

are now being used to more rapidly develop CBT resistant 

varieties. Active scoping research is underway for breeding 

resistance to black root rot and Alternaria. 

Core biotechnology project 

The biotech team has developed streamlined processes for 

screening transgenic breeding lines for commercial traits, which 

will help deliver key new transgenic varieties to the industry. 

Varieties such as Sicot71BRF are now contributing to the next 

varieties with BGIII and CBT resistance. The team also routinely 

contributes towards many of the other CBA projects through 

molecular analysis of both conventional and transgenic plants, 

production of mutagenised seeds and in assisting with the 

production of transgenic cotton plants containing a variety of 

experimental traits. 

This is an incubator project for new ideas and the team 

gathers preliminary data to help in the formulation of new 

biotech projects within CBA. 

Host plant resistance project 

This project has discovered new sources of resistance to spider 

mites and silverleaf whitefly in a range of cotton genotypes and 


species. While the mechanisms of these resistance traits have not 

been completely determined, some biochemical traits (jasmonate, 

salicylate) and some morphological traits have been implicated. 

The first stage of getting mite resistance into an upland cotton 

background has commenced in the core breeding project, with 

the expected outcome of mite resistant material that can be 

used in the breeding program. Assuming this is successful, the 

long term result will be cotton varieties with elevated levels of 

resistance to mites and whitefly. 

Heat stress project 

Research is identifying differences between cotton genotypes for 

tolerance to high temperature stress, to provide a framework for 

integration of stress tolerance into the CSIRO breeding program. 

Recent highlights include the improvement of approaches 

to undertake rapid screens for respiratory enzyme viability, 

chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf temperature on genotypes 

grown in the field. 

Scientists have identified significant variation in progeny of a 

‘heat tolerant’ by ‘heat susceptible’ cross, and these results were 

generally consistent for three generations of evaluation in the 

glasshouse and field. 

Researchers are also evaluating the use of these screening 

approaches in the different climates of Narrabri, Moree, Mungindi 

and St George. Complementing the screening of advanced 

conventional CSIRO germplasm, studies are continuing to 

investigate the heat tolerance of genotypes from diverse origins. 

Improving cotton fibre (cotton fibre 

development) project 

Critical regulatory genes (transcription factors) in the initiation 

of fibre development on the cotton seed have been identified 

and are being manipulated to try to improve cotton fibre yield. 

Early results are promising with transgenic plants being produced 

that have more fibre initials at the start of fibre development. As 

it is difficult to measure yield components on individual plants, 

an OGTR application for a field trial of various combinations of 

the plants over-producing these transcription factors has been 

submitted, which should allow field assessment of fibre yield and 

quality over the next two of years. 

Designer fibres project 

A top Australian cell wall chemist has been recruited to 

research and develop analytical methods for studying cotton 

fibre cell wall composition. This will help our molecular biologists 

select gene targets for genetic modification. Already the scientists 

are measuring differences in composition of many of the minor 

polymer components of the cell walls, but more research is 

needed to relate these to differences in fibre properties. If the 

right genes can be identified, this approach could eventually 

make fibres with novel cell wall compositions that could give 

Australia a competitive advantage in the global fibre market. 

Cell wall pectin project 

This project has identified differences in the pectin composition 

in the fibre cell walls of pima and upland cotton. Transgenic 

cotton plants with more or less of the cell wall enzymes are being 

produced to measure changes to fibre quality. Early results are 

promising, and plants over-producing these pectin modifying 

enzymes had a more rapid early elongation. But more analysis 

needs to be done to confirm whether this translates into fibres of 

better quality, and that the changes are caused by alterations in 

the structure of the pectin in fibre cell walls. 

Cotton molecular marker project 

The aim of this project is the identification of DNA markers 

that can be used as substitutes for field disease screening in early 

generation cotton breeding. This project is scoping modern high 

throughput marker technologies based on the cotton genome 

that should accelerate the pace of breeding in the future. Using 

markers identified from partially re-sequencing the genomes of 

many varieties varying in disease resistance, the group hopes 

to be able to develop screening DNA chips that will help the 

breeding program maintain and advance the tolerance of our 

cultivars to fungal diseases like Fusarium and Verticillium wilt but 

also eventually to other important agronomic traits. 

The team has identified a marker for CBT resistance, which is 

now being routinely used for screening breeding lines from the 

core breeding project in Narrabri. 

RNA silencing project 

This project’s main objective is to identify a role for natural 

plant gene silencing pathways in defence against fungal diseases 

and to develop better disease tolerance. These mechanisms 

of gene silencing were known to be important for conferring 

resistance to virus diseases in plants, but this was the first time 

that those pathways were shown to be important for defense 

against fungal diseases like fusarium wilt. While most of the work 

was done in a model plant, Arabidopsis, the same mechanisms 

will be tested in cotton and for application to the management of 

Fusarium wilt. 

Cotton mutant project 

This project has developed several different mutant 

populations in cotton that are being screened for plants that will 

help us understand cotton fibre quality and other agronomic 

characteristics. The first short and immature fibre mutants 

have been found, and are being studied at the biochemical 

and molecular levels using techniques being developed in the 

Designer Fibres project. Those populations are also being bulked 

up as a resource for future screening to find other novel 

mutants in fibre or other plant attributes. 

Dr Filomena Pettolino is using state-of-the-art GC-MS 

instruments to examine the composition of polymers in the 

walls of the cotton fibre as part of a long term project to 

develop varieties with novel fibre properties. The wall of the 

fibre is made up of a complex mixture of polymers mostly 

cellulose and some xyloglucans embedded in a matrix 

of pectin and other sugar polymers that are all potential 

targets for manipulation using breeding, mutagenesis or 

genetic engineering. 


SLW – wet conditions, late crops 

and displaced populations 

■■By Ian Taylor, Richard Sequeira, Paul Grundy and Lewis Wilson 

Whitefly numbers increased in most cotton growing 

regions during February. But infestations are variable 

– some fields had zero leaves infested while others 

had 80 per cent infested. Though cool conditions mean fewer 

generations of whitefly have developed, the regular rainfall 

has maintained widespread growth of suitable hosts which has 

probably sustained widespread low whitefly infestations. 

Now, as these hosts mature and as fallow fields and pastures 

are sprayed with herbicide, it is likely that whitefly are seeking 

more palatable hosts such as cotton. The migration of SLW from 

surrounding weeds, sprayed out crop lands or defoliated crops 

poses an additional challenge for crop managers – particularly for 

those crops already delayed by flooding or wet weather. 

Management of whitefly this season will be challenging due to 

the wide spread of crop maturity both between and within each 

region. The flooding and inundation that has occurred in both 

November and again in February means some cotton crops will 

mature on time, while others may have been set back by as much 

as six weeks due to flooding/waterlogging and cool overcast 

conditions. 

Temperatures during autumn have remained high and so we 

expect whitefly numbers to increase in crops and as whitefly 

continue to migrate from senescing or herbicide treated 

alternative hosts. 

The threshold matrix should be used to guide whitefly 

management decisions for crops that are on time, or close to it 

Honeydew sheen on lower leaves indicating corrective action 

is required. 

(the day degrees calculator found at http://CottASSIST.cottoncrc. 

org.au can assist with assessing whether crops are maturing 

on time). Refer to pages 26–28 of the 2011–12 Cotton Pest 

Management Guide for control recommendations using the 

threshold matrix. This matrix provides an excellent measure of 

projected population build up and action thresholds for crops 

that are on time and not subject to mass SLW migrations from 

surrounding areas. 

What if my crop is late? 

Control of whitefly in later maturing crops is more complex. 

Whitefly that may occur in these crops are likely to be a 

combination of both the resident population and those that have 

dispersed from earlier maturing defoliated crops or sprayed out 

winter cropping lands. In these instances the threshold matrix 

MAY NOT be an accurate predictor of SLW population build up. 

Firstly, the day-degrees that a crop accumulates may no longer 

align well with the matrix if it is late developing due to flood 

damage. Secondly, the matrix is predicated primarily on SLW 

populations having built up in the crop without additional mid 

to late season influxes from surrounding areas. Agronomists and 

consultants will need to adjust their management strategy to one 

that accounts for open bolls and honey dew build up as opposed 

to the direct use of the chart. 

A crop manager faced with these scenarios should aim to 

avoid honey dew contamination of open bolls. This means that 

high populations of displaced whiteflies prior to open bolls can 

be tolerated. The delay of treatment for as long as possible on 

late crops may also be advantageous as cooler temperatures 

will slow whitefly population growth and further reduce their 

capacity to generate honeydew. 

Purposeful treatment delay also allows more settling time for 

the likely inward flow of whiteflies before treatment is applied. 

Treating too early maybe partially ineffective due to further crop 

re-invasion by adult whitefly as the treatment’s efficacy declines 

and so increases the risk of having to re-treat. 



For developmentally delayed crops or those fields that suffer 

influxes, control decisions should be primarily based on four 

factors: 

■■ 

Presence of whitefly and open bolls; 

■■ 

Expected time until defoliation leaf drop; 

■■ 

The rate of honey dew accumulation on the crop canopy and 

lint; and, 

■■ 

The likely efficacy and residual impact of the chosen 

insecticide. 

Product choices for SLW are primarily limited to knockdowns 

such as Pegasus (Diafenthiuron) and Pyrethroids (Bifenthrin) 

or the slower acting IGR’s such as Admiral (Pyrproxifen) and 

Movento (Spirotetramat). Resistance is a threat to these products, 

so follow the IRMS. Admiral can only be applied once. 

Crops with very low whitefly populations (less than 10 per 

cent infested) and little honeydew at boll opening should not 

require control. But numbers and honeydew should continue to 

be monitored and if there is a sudden increase in whitefly, due 

to an influx from neighbouring fields, control with a knockdown 

may be warranted. Crops with moderate to high numbers at boll 

opening (over 30 per cent infestation), may require treatment. 

Treatment options will depend on the origin and numbers of 

SLW, level of honey dew and rate of change and time left till 

defoliated leaf drop and relevant product withholding periods 

(WHP’s). 

If numbers are moderate to high and defoliated leaf drop is 

three or more weeks away, an IGR may be the best control option 

as Pyriproxyfen has excellent residual and will mostly prevent the 

With heavy honey dew contamination and the appearance of 

sooty mould on bolls, growers should delay harvest. 

Honeydew accumulation should be monitored. 

continued buildup of resident and immigrant SLW. The Central 

Queensland experience strongly suggests that Pyriproxyfen 

(Admiral) works even better at lower autumn temperatures 

than it does in summer and is capable of cleaning up dense 

whitefly populations on late cotton very effectively with a single 

application. Again, continue to monitor whitefly numbers and 

honeydew. If adult numbers begin to rebuild a knockdown may 

be required – use the threshold matrix as a guide. 

If the crop is less than two weeks from defoliation and an 

influx of adult SLW occurs, a knockdown type product may 

provide better value, keeping in mind relevant WHPs. Again 

monitor honeydew and revise control decisions accordingly. In 

each scenario, if whitefly numbers are beginning to recover and 

cause honeydew close to defoliation then consider defoliating 

a few days earlier. Once defoliant is applied, adult whitefly will 

generally leave the crop and falling leaves will take the nymphs 

with them. 

In terms of monitoring honey dew, it is difficult to determine 

at exactly what point levels may become problematic once 

bolls begin to open. In CQ and during later outbreaks on the 

Darling Downs, honeydew was considered to be nearing levels 

that maybe problematic when leaves on the lower canopy start 

becoming heavily speckled with honeydew. If the leaves are at 

or get beyond this level and develop a honeydew ‘sheen’ then 

corrective action is required immediately. 

In some instances a crop will have an earlier and later maturing 

phase of bolls in the crop. It is important to manage whitefly to 

reduce the risk of contamination of the earlier bolls. The basic 

strategies outlined above should be used in relation to the earlier 

bolls eg, delaying the first treatment as late as possible, but not 

later than five per cent open bolls. But with ongoing monitoring 

of whitefly and honeydew as a guide, a second application of 

an insecticide from a different group may be required. Earlier 

defoliation may also be beneficial. 

If, despite efforts to manage whitefly, crops end up with 

significant honeydew contamination – for example, lower bolls 

dark with sooty moulds – then picking should be delayed as long 

as possible to expose the lint to maximum weathering, especially 

rainfall, which will help reduce honeydew levels. 

In general, the costs of preventing the problem will be far 

less than the potential grade penalties for weathered lint – so 

proactive management is the best option. 


Converting mm to money – How 

does irrigated wheat stack up? 

■■By The CSD Extension and Development Team 

In the previous issue of Australian Cottongrower magazine 

(Feb-Mar, Vol 33, No. 1, Pg 22) research results from ‘The High 

Yielding Irrigated Grains in Cotton Farming Systems” and the 

‘Achievable Yields for Irrigated Grains’ projects revealed seasonal 

crop water demand estimates when targeting eight tonne per 

hectare irrigated wheat yields. The collaborative research was 

initiated by the cotton and grains industries in the recognition of 

irrigated wheat as a viable alternate rotation crop for irrigated 

cotton systems in north western NSW and south east Queensland. 

Similarly, in the past three seasons, the CSD Extension and 

Development team has been trying to get a better understanding 

of the evaporative demand of cotton crops to assess the 

performance of different varieties, technologies and farming 

systems – especially semi-irrigated skip row plantings and dryland 

production systems. The publication of these evaporative demand 

figures for irrigated wheat provides an opportunity to compare 

the water use of both cotton and wheat and the return for each 

mm of water each crop uses. 

For the cotton industry in the central region, these figures are 

of great benefit, as they allow comparisons between the irrigated 

cotton and wheat systems purely on a return for water used. This 

removes the reliance on data generated in cooler, more southern 

climatic zones, hearsay and influences of in-crop rainfall which 

may affect the seasonal water requirements for both systems. 

Using evaporative demand is a better way of looking at water 

use, as relying on the number of irrigations or budgeted water has 

led to confusion in the past as it does not take into the account 

all sources of water used to produce the crop. This method 

concentrates solely on the crop water use and does not factor in 

other system constraints such as irrigation type or farm water use 

efficiency which is site specific and not repeatable seasonally. 

Knowing the water needed to mature a crop, regardless of 

the source or seasonal conditions, allows analysis of the potential 

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Table 1: Comparison between gross margins of 

high input and low input irrigated wheat and 

irrigated cottonn 

Irrigated wheat Irrigated cotton 

Low High 

yield yield 

Sicot 74BRF 

Yield (t and bale/ha) 6.8 8.7 12.3 

Estimated ML required 2.5 4 7 

Water use (Etc mm) 410 490 760 

WUE (kg/mm) 16.58 17.75 3.66 

Commodity price $243/t (delivered) $450 (bale) 

Variable costs ($/ha) $942 $1,371 $2354 

GM ($/ha) $717 $752 $3168 

GM ($/ML) $287 $167 $453 

GM ($/mm) $1.75 $1.53 $4.17 

returns of that crop, highlighting those commodities which return 

the most for the water resource. In essence we are comparing 

apples with apples. 

In March 2008, CSD E&D published a gross margin analysis 

comparing the returns of irrigated wheat and cotton. Back then, 

in the middle of the drought, water was scarce and wheat was 

hitting a record price ($470 per tonne). Regardless of this, the 

conclusion reached in that analysis was that irrigated cotton was 

in front of irrigated wheat in both return per hectare and per ML. 

But this analysis had a downfall in that we estimated/guesstimated 

crop water requirements based on the best available information 

at the time, which when comparing crops across winter and 

summer growing seasons was full of uncertainties. 

Table 1 gives a summary of the revamped analysis, the crop 

evaporative demand for the wheat having been lifted from the 

Goondiwindi example of the Australian Cottongrower article. 

This represents a similar locality to the area where the cotton 

evaporative demand figures were also sourced. The cotton figures 

are taken from 11 CSD agronomic and variety trials and the 

evaporative demand is calculated from time between planting 

and defoliation. Economic data has been spliced from the original 

CSD analysis which was based on the NSW DPI publication 

Growing eight tonnes a hectare of irrigated wheat in southern 

NSW by Lacy and Giblin, 2006. 

Although it is not a true reflection on the yield/water use 

relationship in wheat, we have allocated the lower yield range with 

the lowest water use and vice versa for the high yield scenario. 

As with the previous 2008 analysis conclusion, irrigated cotton 

is still in front on a return per hectare, and also per ML applied. 

But with the additional information now available on evaporative 

demand, we are truly able to examine the return per mm of 

moisture within each crop, regardless of whether it is from stored 

soil moisture, captured in-crop rainfall, irrigation water from onfarm 

storages or pumped from the river or a bore. Under present 

yield, pricing and water use scenarios, irrigated cotton provides a 

2.3–2.7 times greater return per mm of that water resource than 

irrigated wheat. 

This analysis highlights the need to ensure that the water 

resource is used on the crop which will return the most – in this 

scenario it is cotton. Only if wheat prices return to record highs is 

it likely to again become competitive. 

But this analysis also poses another question – what additional 

benefits will irrigated wheat bring to a rotation over and 

above a crop of dryland wheat? 

CHEMICAL ACCREDITATION 

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Narromine 4/9, Trangie 4/9, Bourke 3/9, St George 21/8, 

Dirranbandi 22/8, Mungindi 23/8. 

If dates/location do not suit please advise of your 

requirements to enable future planning 

Accreditation is valid for 5 years – New & Update courses available 

Supervision Skills COURSE 

Goondiwindi 24–25th July 

Formal management training for managers, supervisors, 

leading hands or foremen 

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Countryco Training Pty Ltd 


Local insects make a meal of 

mealybugs 

Natural insect predators have shown themselves to be 

very effective in controlling mealybugs in Queensland 

cotton crops. 

That’s one of the findings of a three-year research project 

being conducted by DEEDI (Department of Employment, 

Economic Development and Innovation) and industry into how to 

best combat the mealybug problem. 

The Solenopsis mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis) was first 

identified in Australia from cotton crops in the Burdekin region in 

2009 and then in Emerald in February 2010. 

DEEDI researchers have been working closely with the 

Queensland cotton industry to determine the impact of 

Solenopsis mealybug on cotton growth and yield, and develop 

integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. 

DEEDI’s Dr Moazzem Khan is leading the project, funded 

by DEEDI and Cotton Research and Development Corporation 

(CRDC), with a team of specialists from Emerald and Toowoomba. 

“We are looking at mealybug damage, categorising it and 

quantifying it, so we can develop action thresholds for the 

mealybug to determine when they warrant control and with 

what tactic,” Moazzem said. 

“We’re also focussing on different approaches including 

chemical options that fit into existing IPM strategies, so that it’s 

less disruptive, and maximising the use of beneficial insects. 

“In Emerald and the Burdekin, natural enemies have proven 

to be very effective at reducing high mealybug populations, and 

minimising the build up of populations in crops. 

“In some instances, these beneficial insects were so abundant 

Fast Facts… 

■■ 

Description: Female adults are around 3 mm long. Female 

adults and nymphs are oval-shaped and covered by a 

white waxy coating giving them a mealy appearance. They 

form colonies on shoots, stems, leaves and peanut kernels, 

developing into white masses. Males are small aphid-like 

winged insects. 

■■ 

Damage: Mealybugs pierce and suck on plant tissue. Infested 

plants are stunted. Peanut kernels often collapse and turn 

black when mealybugs are in high numbers. 

■■ 

Monitoring: Can affect any stage. Infestations are often 

close to paddock edges or in poorly drained areas. In 

peanuts, colonies are often found at the base of plants on 

the taproot and pods. 

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To find out how a Zimmatic by Lindsay irrigation system can help 

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© 2012 Lindsay. All rights reserved. Zimmatic, Growsmart and FieldNET are trademarks of the Lindsay Corporation. 

April–May 

LI-INT-0138_AD_AustCottongrower_Feb2012_1.9.12.indd 

2012 

1 

The Australian Cottongrower 

1/9/12 9:10 

— 

AM 

21

and effective that they decimated mealybug populations, 

meaning that growers have not needed to apply insecticide. 

“Ladybirds, lacewings, earwigs and cockroaches are some 

of the important predators of mealybug and DEEDI trials will 

determine which are the most effective and how much impact 

they can have on mealybug populations.” 

Moazzem said research suggested mealybugs were now 

widely distributed throughout the cotton and horticultural 

production regions of Queensland at low densities, including at 

Byee in the South Burnett. 

“Cotton and a wide range of other cultivated plants (e.g. 

tomatoes, eggplant, chilli, melons, potatoes) and broadleaf 

weeds are hosts of these small white, sucking insects,” he said. 

“Outbreaks may be triggered by host availability (allowing 

population build up), climatic conditions, use of broad-spectrum 

insecticides, water stress, high levels of nitrogen fertiliser use, or 

limited natural enemy activity.” 

Moazzem said current DEEDI trials in Byee and Emerald were 

determining how much crop loss the mealybug could cause. 

“These trials will form the basis of economic thresholds to 

guide grower and consultant decisions about if and when control 

is needed,” he said. 

As part of the project activities, DEEDI Crop Protection 

scientists are looking at mealybug ecology and behaviour. 

Moazzem said adults and nymphs pierced and sucked the sap 

from both soft and hard plant tissue, which stunted the plants. 

“Infested plants often show distorted terminal growth with 

short internode and crinkled and bunchy leaves, and in severe 

cases the plant dies,” he said. 

“The team has been evaluating the effectiveness of 

insecticides, including conventional chemistry (synthetic 

insecticides), fungal pathogens (diseases) as well as oils and 

soaps. 

“It’s early days but trials have shown some promising results 

in terms of effective insecticides, which aren’t yet registered for 

mealybug. 

“Farm hygiene is also very important to minimise outbreaks 

of this pest. Before farmers even sow a cotton crop, minimising 

mealybug populations in weeds and volunteer hosts will limit the 

size of infestations, and the overall impact of this pest in crops.” 

Moazzem said it was still not known what prompted the 

Solenopsis mealybug outbreaks in Queensland. To date, they 

have not been found in the cotton growing areas of NSW. 

“We can’t pinpoint why there was an outbreak, but we do 

know they can be transmitted by wind, rain and floodwater, and 

it’s possible floodwater brought it to Byee,” Moazzem said. 

For more information visit www.deedi.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23. 

Independent 

cotton classing services 

Services include: 

4 Manual classing for colour and leaf grade. 

4 Instrument fibre testing using world leading Uster HVI 

technology. 

4 Conditioning of classing samples for correct moisture 

content, essential for accurate fibre quality results. 

4 Third party review classing and testing. 

4 Tendering of uncommitted cotton. 

4 Reporting tailored to individual client requirements. 

4 Australian BMP and USDA certified cotton classing 

laboratory. 

4 Servicing all cotton growing regions for both committed and 

uncommitted cotton. 

To maximise your returns through Independent classing contact: 

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Fax: 07 4671 1206 

Email: stuart@1stclassing.com 

1ST Class Pty Ltd 

Carrington Cotton Classing Office 

Boggabilla Lane, Goondiwindi Qld 4390 

Dr Moazzem Khan working in Mealybug culture room at 

DEEDI Toowoomba. 


Making sure your 

yield monitors 

are ready to go 

■■By Andrew Smart, Precision Cropping Technologies 

Here are some things to keep in mind this year with 

regards to cotton yield monitoring. 

Hardware 

Check the earth cable on the Agleader sensors on plastic 

chute machines – even think about replacing the ends and 

reconnecting to be safe. A bad earth can fry the monitors and 

sensors. 

Agleader sensors are light based so they will get dirty. Take 

them off and give them a clean – just a damp cloth will do as some 

cleaners can damage the plastic lenses. You can buy new eye covers 

so talk to your nearest Agleader dealer. Replace them if you haven’t 

before, because they are probably scratched and worn out. 

The battery in the Agleader monitor is important. If they are 

flat then your data may have the date of 2008. Change the 

battery and fix the date in the monitor, at the very least make 

sure your card is clean so this season’s data can’t be confused 

with previous year’s data. 

Data cards are always a problem. Do not format an Agleader 

card in any operating system XP or later. These cards are hard to 

Precision farming 

& guidance 

feature… 

come by and this can render them useless. Make sure you cut the 

files from the card and paste onto your computer. 

Older cards are called PCMCIA and are about the size of 

a credit card. Often getting a card reader in the first place is 

difficult. One solution is to buy second hand Toughbooks. These 

are less than $1000 and are typically refurbished and in excellent 

condition. They still have full size card readers and serial ports 

which are good for checking GPS units. 

They are very good for contractors and although sound like 

an expensive card reader they do have other uses. They will run 

programs such as Apex for downloading. 

PCT provide a data card download program for free. This is 

especially useful for John Deere picker owners who don’t have 

Apex. 

Calibration is useful and important, but don’t spend too much 

time on it. If you are going to do it, try it about 1 to 2pm in the day. 

If you’re doing it in the morning or late in the afternoon moisture 

will have an impact. It’s very important to leave the calibration once 

its set and post calibrate the data after picking. With more than one 

machine it’s likely they will be different and require post calibration, 

so don’t spend time trying to get them the same. 

With cotton yield monitoring you will see yields change during 

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Precision farming & 

guidance 

feature… 

Figure 2: Cleaned but uncorrected data 

the day. Generally this is dependent on how much moisture is 

absorbed by the crop during the night and how long it takes to 

dry down. 

Defoliation can have an additional impact on this effect. A clean 

crop will only show this effect for short periods of time, whereas a 

crop with residual leaf can have an influence for much longer. 

With the ability of the new pickers to pick longer hours, this 

issue has become more important. 

The light at the end of the tunnel is that PCT has a post 

calibration process which can minimise this problem. 

Figure 1 shows the changes in harvest time. In this case not 

only is there variation in the days but between days as well. 

Figure 2 shows the yield data before correction and there are 

some very obvious patterns related to time. 

Figure 3 shows the yield after correction. This process is very 

important for all cotton yield monitoring equipment regardless of 

the manufacture. 

Further information can be obtained by emailing Andrew Smart on 

andrew@pct-ag.com 

Figure 1: Harvest collection time 

Figure 3: Cleaned and corrected data 


Growers to take 

precision ag to 

the next level 

The vast majority of Australian farmers could dramatically 

increase their yields and profits by taking advantage of 

the full potential of their existing precision agriculture 

technology, according to Case IH Product Manager for Precision 

Agriculture, Liam Connolly. 

“At present, most Australian growers are only using 20 per 

cent of the information collected via precision ag technology,” 

said Liam. 

“While some farmers might engage the services of an 

agronomist to assist in the analysis of the precision ag data 

collected during peak times such as seeding or harvest, others 

struggle to know what to do with the wealth of information 

they’ve collected. Once the information is downloaded onto a 

home computer, the big question is what next?” 

A new partnership between Case IH and SGS will enable 

Australian growers to take precision farming in Australia to 

the next level to maximise yields and fertiliser inputs, minimise 

unnecessary chemical applications and dramatically improve 

farming efficiency. 

The partnership will provide farmers with a range of after 

sales support options to simplify the process of analysing data 

collected in-field via systems such as the Case IH AFS Pro 700. 

“The new partnership with SGS will provide growers with 

professional training and support on our AFS precision farming 

desktop software, which will enable growers to more effectively 

use in-field data they’ve gathered, like yield mapping and other 

data, for maximum efficiency and productivity,” said Liam. 

SGS is a global company that specialises in a range of 

Precision farming 

& guidance 

feature… 

agricultural services from soil and seed testing to feed testing. 

With 60 offices and labs around Australia and 67,000 staff in 

more than 1,250 offices globally, the partnership will provide 

Australian growers with access to wealth of international experts. 

Under the partnership, Case IH customers can sign up for a 

range of options from one day classroom training plus online 

support, to a ‘flying doctor’ style service where a support 

engineer will provide on-farm one-on-one training. SGS will also 

provide a number of specialised training events during the year 

which will be delivered via live online, webinar technology. 

“The flexible service will cater for the needs of all growers – 

from the beginner to the expert,” said Liam. 

“Our aim is to enable online sign up via the Case IH AFS portal 

and while costs will vary depending on the level of service required, 

cost effectiveness is a key consideration. At present we are looking 

at packages which start from just $650 for 24 months.” 

Case IH and SGS will also develop additional support packages 

that contribute to good practice precision farming. “The services 

will extend to the provision of agronomical advice for the creation 

of variable rate applications on fertilisers, sprayers and planters to 

soil sampling and analysis along with agronomical and analytical 

services. These services could be purchased individually or 

bundled with an AFS support and training package, depending 

on the individual growers’ needs,” said Liam. 

“Our overall aim will be to assist our customers move from basic 

precision farming to the brave new world of prescription farming. 

It is really just the start when you think about the enormous 

capabilities of precision agriculture. I anticipate that in the next 

five to 10 years all farming will be precision farming!” 

With most farmers only just touching the surface when it comes to analysing the wealth of data collected via precision ag 

technology such as the AFS Pro 700, Case IH has developed a new partnership that will offer farmers varying levels of after 

sales support to take precision ag to the next level. 


Precision farming & 

guidance 

feature… 

New features 

for guidance 

systems 

Leica Geosystems has announced additional features for 

the Leica mojoMINI and Leica mojo3D to further enhance 

product usability and compatibility. Upgrades include an 

improved look and feel of the mojoMINI display, data import and 

export for the Leica mojo3D and an extra lightbar option for both 

products. 

Leica mojoMINI 

The 4.3 inch touch screen has undertaken several 

modifications. It now displays the speed on the main screen in 

km/h and mph to assist customers without a speed compensated 

rate control. Additionally the menu buttons vanish after 20 

seconds of inactivity to provide a full screen view of the field. 

With a simple touch of the screen the buttons re-appear instantly. 

The Leica mojoMINI now offers two lightbar modes: the 

traditional cross track only lightbar and the Leica smart lightbar. 

Using the added cross track lightbar mode, farmers can 

customise the distance from the line which is represented by each 

lightbar segment. Whereas the established Leica smart lightbar 

provides an easy to follow path to the line. 

For more flexibility the new WAAS/EGNOS activation control 

allows farmers to choose the use of WAAS and EGNOS satellites 

or to deactivate them, if desired. Plus, the added support for kml 

files gives users of the Leica mojoMINI the ability to export data of 

the most recent work, such as coverage, boundary and wayline, 

for viewing in Google Earth or import into a Leica mojo3D. 

Leica mojo3D 

The latest steering update allows steering of all Leica 

SteerDirect kits which are supported by the Leica mojoXact, using 

just the Leica mojo3D and the Leica twist. To enable these extra 

steering options a Leica mojo3D SteerDirect kit is required. 

Like the Leica mojoMINI, the Leica mojo3D gained an extra 

lightbar option and now offers the cross track only lightbar 

as well as the Leica smart lightbar. To further increase the 

compatibility of the guidance display, the support for kml and 

shape files has been introduced. This makes it easy for customers 

to import and export field data and vehicle setups to another 

Leica mojo3D or different applications, such as SST Summit or 

Apex. 

Furthermore the support of direct section control Agrotronix 

Pulvix 8X00 has been added to the range of section controls. 

For more information about Leica Geosystems agriculture products 

visit www.AgGuidance.com 

EM surveys for: 

l Placement of moisture probes. 

l Soil sampling 

l Storage and channel leakage 

l Variable rate 

Elevation 

surveys for: 

l Earthworks budgeting 

l Earthworks design 

l Storage volume 

Imagery for: 

l Variable rate in-crop 

l Crop scouting 

Yield processing for: 

l Soil type revenue analysis 

l Earthworks cost benefit 

l Variable rate cost benefit 

Precision Cropping Technologies Pty Ltd 

“sharpening the cutting egde” 

Contact: Andrew Smart – Mob: 0428 922 638, E: andrew@pct-ag.com 

Brook Sauer – Mob: 0427 090 279, E: brooke@pct-ag.com 

Software for: 

l Viewing and analysing data layers 

l Placing probes, soil and leaf testing sites 

l Variable rate inputs 

l Earthmoving design 

l Variable rate irrigation for pivots 

GRDC Northern 

Region Training: 

l For agronomists, growers and industry 

TerraCutta: 

l The latest in elevation collection, 

earthworks design and iGrade 

control. All in-cab on a Windows tablet. 

l Talk to you local John Deere Dealer 

or contact PCT 


Water Matters… 

Series supported by Valmont 

Precision irrigation in the cotton 

industry through adaptive control 

■■By Rod Smith 1 and Alison McCarthy 1 

The traditional irrigation application systems (surface 

and pressurised) are at the limit of their irrigation 

performance under current management practices. But 

future gains in performance can be achieved through the use 

of advanced technologies and management, in particular the 

use of adaptive control, thus converting them to precision 

irrigation systems. 

A 2010 review of precision irrigation conducted by the 

Figure 1: Surface irrigation as a precision irrigation method 

Climate data 

Whole season 

Spacial pattern of 

soil moisture deficit 

Decision software including crop model and 

expert knowledge (eg grower) applied at 

relevant spatial scale 

Update prediction of yield and seasonal WUE & 

irrigation management strategy to maximise WUE 

Timing of next irrigation 

Individual irrigation 

Spacial pattern of 

depths applied for 

each set of 

furrows or bays 

Sequencing of sets 

(furrows or bays) 

Optimisation target for 

individual irrigation including 

depth to be applied 

Control software 

Actuate 

next set 

Actuate 

cut-off 

Optimisation of irrigation 

in real time including 

spatial variation in 

infiltration and deficit 

Surface irrigation 

simulation model 

WATER 

Sense flow rate and 

advance during event 

Sense crop 

response and soil 

moisture 

CROP 

Initial characterisation of field 

(geometry, flow rate and soil 

infiltration characteristic) 

Precision Irrigation Made Easy 

CENTRE PIVOT and 

LATERAL MOVE IRRIGATION 


National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture described precision 

irrigation systems as those that can: 

■■ 

Determine the timing, magnitude and spatial pattern of 

applications for the next irrigation to give the best chance of 

meeting the farmer’s seasonal objective (that is, maximisation 

of yield, water use efficiency or profitability); 

■■ 

Be controlled to apply exactly (or as close as possible to) what 

is required; 

■■ 

Through simulation or direct measurement know the 

magnitude and spatial pattern of the actual irrigation 

applications and the soil and crop responses to those 

applications; and, 

■■ 

Utilise these responses to best plan the next irrigation. 

In other words, a precision application system: 

■■ 

Knows what to do; 

■■ 

Knows how to do it; 

■■ 

Knows what it has done; and 

■■ 

Learns from what it has done. 

Precision irrigation requires real-time knowledge of the 

factors which are limiting production at any time in all areas of 

the field. The experience from precision agriculture suggests 

that the variables controlling crop yield are those that require 

within season management (such as water, nitrogen, pests 

and diseases). It is possible to address all of these factors with 

an automated response. The precision agriculture experience 

also suggests that the temporal variations (within and between 

seasons) are greater than the spatial variability that the variable 

rate technologies attempt to address. 

Precision irrigation implies a system that can adapt to the 

prevailing conditions. Also implied is the idea that the system will 

be managed to achieve a specific target which, for example, may 

be maximum water use efficiency, maximum yield or maximum 

profitability. This requires access to detailed data regarding the 

crop, soil, weather, environment and other production inputs,the 

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- existing system performance 

- system upgrades and alterations 

- full system design 

- whole farm water balance 

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Contact: Jim, Anthony, Liam, Jonathan or Kieran 

NARRABRI 

Ph: 02 6792 1265 

Fax: 02 6792 4570 

WARREN 

Ph: 02 6847 3446 

Fax: 02 6847 3392 

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office@aquatechconsulting.com.au 

interaction of these variables and the agronomic responses to 

these inputs at the relevant spatial scale. 

Crop simulation models provide the first step towards 

the identification of optimal strategies. These models are an 

essential part of the real-time decision systems required for 

precision irrigation by incorporation into controllers on irrigation 

application systems. Models able to simulate the behaviour and 

performance of the application system are another necessary 

feature of the precision irrigation ‘toolkit’. 

Surface irrigation as a precision method 

To demonstrate that the idea of precision irrigation 

can be extended to any irrigation application method, the 

conceptualisation of surface irrigation as a precision system is 

provided in Figure 1. In this case, ‘smart’ automation involving 

real-time optimisation of individual irrigation events is used to 

manage, optimise and control each set of furrows. 

To optimise seasonal WUE, a further layer of decision support 

is required. The crop response to the irrigations needs to be 

monitored and modelled continuously through the season to 

determine the irrigation timing and amounts that give the desired 

response. This information also helps to determine the preferred 

strategy for management of the individual irrigation events and 

to account for the effects of spatial variability along the length of 

the furrows. 

Real-time optimisation of furrow irrigation 

The widely used surface irrigation methods of border check (or 

bay) and furrow irrigation are variously claimed to be as efficient 

as any other method or blamed for the perceived low efficiencies 

of Australian irrigation. However true these opposing claims may 

be, it is true that there is considerable scope for improvement 

in both the efficiency and uniformity of surface irrigation 

applications and that management strategies and technologies 

are available to start to achieve these improvements. 

Improvement of furrow irrigation performance through the 

process of evaluation and simulation with the Irrimate suite 

of tools developed by NCEA has been widely adopted in the 

cotton industry. Adaptive real-time optimisation builds on these 

existing tools and processes and can provide an even higher 

level of irrigation performance. When coupled with automation, 

substantial labour savings can also be provided. 

The automated real-time optimisation system developed at 

NCEA involves: 

■■ 

Automatic commencement of the furrow inflow and 

automatic continuous measurement of the inflow; 

■■ 

Measurement of the advance down the furrows mid-way 

through each irrigation; 

■■ 

Real-time estimation of the current soil infiltration 

characteristic from this single irrigation advance observation; 

■■ 

Real-time simulation and optimisation of the irrigation to 

select the time to cut-off that gives maximum performance for 

that set of furrows for that irrigation, taking into account the 

current soil moisture deficit and the variation in the infiltration 

characteristic across the set of furrows; and, 

■■ 

Automatic cut off of the inflow at the designated time. 

Decision support software is an essential part of the system 

and the software has to perform steps 3 and 4 without user 

intervention. 

Trials of this system were undertaken on a furrow irrigated 

cotton property at St George in south-western Queensland. Four 

irrigations in the summer season of 2010-11 were monitored 

in a section of the field that used pipes-through-the-bank (PTB) 


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A centre pivot-irrigated cotton field with 

spatially varying soil properties shown in 

figure below was simulated with two irrigation 

machine uniformity distributions. 

The field used for the case study simulations 

Case studies 

Case study A: Effect of irrigation application 

uniformity 

40 mm every 6 days 

High uniformity machine 

Yield = 5.6 bales/ha 

Irrigation supplied = 132 ML 

IWUI = 0.5 bales/ML 







Low uniformity machine 





Low uniformity machine 




Legend 

Case study B: Effect of soil moisture sensor location on irrigation performance 

Triggered by Point 1 
















to supply groups of 11 furrows that were 970 metres long and 

spaced one metre apart. The results showed that the irrigation 

times predicted by the system were shorter than those used by 

the farmer in irrigating the remainder of the field. This translated 

to reduced runoff and deep percolation and higher application 

efficiencies as a direct result of the real-time optimisation. 

The trials have proven the concept and established the 

basis for commercialisation of the system. Development and 

adoption of a successful commercial system will deliver irrigation 

performance and labour savings similar to the pressurised systems 

used within the industry but at greatly reduced capital and energy 

costs. The integration of the NCEA real-time optimisation with a 

commercially available automation system is the subject of future 

work on the system. Further work is also proposed to adapt the 

optimisation system to bay irrigation and to trial the system in 

Victoria and in the USA. 

Adaptive control of centre pivot and lateral move 

irrigation 

Precision irrigation is also possible using CPLM systems where 

the amount of irrigation can be varied spatially. But precision 

management of such systems requires new adaptive control 

techniques. 

A simulation framework,VARIwise, was created to develop, 

simulate and evaluate uniform and site-specific irrigation control 

strategies that may be applied to precision CPLM systems. 

This is the first step in the development of a system for the 

management and adaptive control of spatially varied CPLM 

irrigation. The continuing work on VARIwise is directed toward 

this purpose. 

Crop models (the cotton model OZCOT and the generic 

simulation framework APSIM) are used in VARIwise to provide 

data to the control strategy simulations. In VARIwise, the field is 

divided into cells with a minimum area of one square metre to 

accommodate spatial variability. The software allows for: 

■■ 

The inclusion of field-scale variations in input parameters (such 

as crop response, crop age, target yield and management 

constraints); 

■■ 

The input of data at a range of temporal scales; and, 

■■ 

The ability to apply the various levels of control strategies for 

variable-rate irrigation at different spatial scales. 

VARIwise can be used to evaluate the performance of existing 

irrigation control strategies with different field and irrigation system 

properties. For example, the uniformity of irrigation application from 

an irrigation system can affect the spatial variability of crop yield 

across a field (case study A). 

The amount of irrigation applied also interacts with the irrigation 

system uniformity, and in some cases a low uniformity system which 

applies large volumes of irrigation in some areas of the field may 

result in higher yields. 

One irrigation strategy that may currently be applied is to 

initiate an irrigation event when the measured soil moisture 

reaches a set value. But in a field with spatially variable soil 

properties, the optimal location for determining this moisture 

content may not be clear. From case study B,the location of the 

trigger point used to initiate irrigation events significantly affected 

the simulated yield. The spatial variability of the yield was a 

function of the non-uniformity of the irrigation machine and the 

relationship between the location of the trigger point and the 

machine. 

1 

National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA) University of 

Southern Queensland 

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World COMModity Watch 

US 

Despite the USDA’s Planting Intentions 

Report having already been released, 

acreage between cotton and soybeans 

will continue to fluctuate over the coming 

month. But one thing is sure – the USDA’s 

forecast of 13.2 million acres is the 

maximum acreage cotton will see in this 

upcoming 2012–13 season. An earlier 

than usual spring has spurred some early 

planting across parts of Arizona, Alabama 

and South Texas. West Texas has received 

some nice rainfall and despite still being in 

severe drought conditions, are in a much 

better shape than last year. Old crop is 

now virtually sold out and growers now 

switch their attention to marketing of the 

upcoming crop. But uncertainty around 

production and market direction is making 

for a slow start to the marketing year. 

Brazil 

Weather conditions in Mato Grosso and 

Bahia remain favourable with adequate 

moisture and sunshine for crop growth. 

In line with historical weather patterns, 

rainfall is becoming less frequent so rainfall 

amounts between now and the end of April 

will influence yield and quality. Prospects 

at this stage remain high with the yield 

forecast at a slight increase (2% above 

previous crop) to 1426 kg per hectare. 

New York cotton futures 

Source: Queensland Cotton 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian dollar vs US dollar 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the field to t 

Queensland Cotto 

Queensland Cotton has the longest supply

World COMModity Watch 

India 

Speculation around the Indian government’s export ban continues as a 

Government Official Meeting to discuss the further release of registered 

cotton for export is again postponed. Multiple sources now agree that the 

crop in India is significantly lower than that pinned by ICAC and USDA. 

This may be a reason for support found in their domestic market of 

late, coupled with the fact that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has 

recently announced its intent to build up reserves of the 2012–13 crop. 

China 

The Chinese Reserve has now concluded 

its procurement program, having 

accumulated around 14.5 million bales 

of domestic cotton and approximately 

4.5 million bales of imported cotton. This 

successful procurement program was 

thought to be an underlying factor of 

support in the market over the past six 

months, so all eyes are watching this space 

for the Reserve’s announcement as to how 

the next program will work, having returned 

to the markets after their Lunar New Year 

break with renewed vigor. Domestic prices 

are supported, and the China National 

Cotton Monitoring Price has now risen for 

29 straight sessions to its 13 week high 

(currently at 19,309 yuan per tonne). There 

is an increasing number of reports of the 

Chinese returning to market, looking to top 

up their low running inventories. 

Australian cotton price* 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian basis* 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australia 

Ideal picking weather continues across the 

board with growers in central Queensland, 

the Darling Downs, and south west 

Queensland now in full swing, with a 

slower more variable picking date profile 

for those south of the Macintyre. Quality 

from Emerald has been unfortunately less 

than ‘base’ grade on the whole due to the 

generally cooler and more variable growing 

season. Thankfully, yield and quality for 

growers in the Dawson has been kind, with 

many growers enjoying 4 bales per acre and 

above. Everyone in the industry is holding 

out for another six weeks of fine weather. 

* Ex-gin price bids and basis for 

middling 1 1/8 inch cotton 

he shirt you wear, 

n is at every step. 

chain in the Australian cotton industry. 

55 Wyandra Street, Newstead 

Queensland Australia 4006, 

Tel: 61 7 3250 3300 

Fax: 61 7 3852 1600

marketing 

The World Cotton Market 

■■By Michael Edwards, Cotton Outlook 

World raw cotton prices have continued to move 

within fairly narrow margins during the two months or 

so since we last contributed to the Cottongrower. The 

Cotlook A Index has fluctuated either side of the US$1.00 per lb 

mark – still a high value by historical comparison. 

That prices should have been sustained at such a level may 

seem surprising, given the recent direction of global supply 

and demand fundamentals. The sharp contraction of demand 

during the 2010–11 season meant that a net addition to 

world stocks occurred during that season, in contrast to earlier 

Figure 1: Cotlook A Index since January 2012 

Specialists in the 

Sale and Valuation 

of Rural Properties 

• Rural Properties • Cargill Cotton Agents 

• Town Sales 

• Registered Valuers 

• Property Management • Auctions 

• Clearing Sales 

MOREE REAL ESTATE 

www.moreerealestate.com.au 

Phone: 02 7651 1100 

Fax: 02 6751 1766 

After Hours: 

Paul Kelly 0428 281 428 

Cliff Brown 02 6752 3970 

Allan Gobbert 0428 523 375 

expectations of a further reduction. Consumption has declined 

modestly further during the current, 2011–12 season, whereas 

production, stimulated by recent price levels, seems poised to 

set a new record. As a result, world supply is forecast to expand 

this season by a massive four million tonnes. In February, Cotton 

Outlook published initial (and, at this early stage, necessarily very 

tentative) forecasts of production and consumption during the 

2012–13 season. Despite a reduction in production forecasts 

and an increase in consumption, supply is projected to exceed 

demand for the third successive season. 

The upshot is that current statistics point to an addition to 

world supply, over the three seasons described, in excess of seven 

million tonnes. 

World prices would no doubt by now already have succumbed 

to the weight of that excess supply, were it not for the creation 

by China of a de facto buffer stock. Habitual readers of this 

column will know that, under the system implemented for the 

first time this season, Beijing is committed to purchasing from 

the domestic crop, between September and March, at a predetermined 

intervention price of 19,800 yuan per tonne (roughly 

equivalent, when taxes and other adjustments have been taken 

into account, to 120 US cents per lb, cost and freight China). 

With the procurement process almost at an end for this season, 

Cargill’s Cotton Division – 

Buying cotton bales 

direct from the grower 

Phil Sloan 

PO Box 1203 

GOONDIWINDI Qld 4390 

Ph: (07) 4671 0222 

Fax: (07) 4671 3833 

AGENTS: 

Pete Johnson 

Left Field Solutions 

Mob: 0409 893 139 

Paul Kelly 

Moree Real Estate 

Moree 

Ph: (02) 6751 1100 

David Dugan 

Trangie 

Ph: (02) 6888 7122 

Roger McCumstie 

Brisbane 

Ph: (07) 3367 2629 

cotton_aust@cargill.com 

www.cargill.com.au 


over three million tonnes have been brought under the control 

of the state reserves corporation, in addition to imported cotton 

estimated at perhaps a further one million tonnes. 

The question now exercising the market is: what happens 

now? The acquisition of what by any measure is a huge volume 

of cotton does not of course remove it from the global balance 

sheet. While the strategic objectives of Chinese policy are fairly 

clear – support production and promote market stability – the 

manner in which policy-makers choose to pursue those twin 

goals has yet to become clear. 

Although replenishment of the depleted state reserve 

is doubtless considered desirable from the government’s 

perspective, observers doubt that the entire volume purchased 

can be retained beyond this season. A reserve price for next 

season has already been announced (some three per cent higher 

than this season’s value), and it is presumed that, on logistical 

and perhaps financial grounds, some room must be made for the 

supply that the government is committed to procure between 

September 2012 and March 2013. 

One hypothesis is therefore that Beijing will opt to restrict new 

import quotas, and thereby the supply of foreign cotton to mills 

over the coming months, in order that the local market can rise 

toward the intervention price, and a part at least of the cotton 

can be fed back to the market, the Chinese exchequer incurring 

little or no ‘trading loss’ in the process. This course would deprive 

the global market, during the coming months, of its major source 

of recent import demand. 

The implications of a slowdown or even total absence of 

Chinese demand are clearly not bullish. But, selling pressure 

from most origins may not immediately be brought to bear on 

marketing 

the market, since (not least as a result of earlier Chinese buying), 

the 2011–12 crops are already well committed in most major 

exporting countries. India has for the time being suspended 

further exports (though considerable unsold quantities remain in 

transit or on consignment). Much of the available, uncommitted 

supply resides in Central Asia, where the effect of rigid, stateinspired 

marketing systems has been to limit the volumes moving 

into export marketing channels so far this season. 

As for the demand side of the market, outside China, most 

mill buyers have shown extreme reluctance to depart from a 

hand-to-mouth approach to covering their requirements. This no 

doubt reflects their risk-aversion following the volatility of the 

past 18 months, the awareness that global supplies have been 

rising, and the lacklustre nature of demand from the downstream 

textile sectors. But the consequence has been that few spinners 

are well covered for the second and third quarters of 2012. 

The foregoing factors may, at least in the short term, restrict 

downward pressure on the market. But if world supply and 

demand fundamentals remain bearish by the time the movement 

of the main Northern Hemisphere crops is imminent in the later 

months of this year, it remains to be seen whether cotton at or 

near a dollar will prove sustainable. 


Ginning & fibre quality 

Series supported by ECOM Commodities 

New gin in the Murrumbidgee 

nears completion 

The first new cotton gin to be built in Australia for over a 

decade is expected to gin its first bales by the middle of 

May. The gin at Whitton, 35 km southeast of Griffith, is 

expected to process around 200,000 bales of the anticipated 

350,000 bales to come out of the Murrumbidgee Valley this 

season. 

The project is the brainchild of local farmers Roger and Tim 

Commins who are building the gin in conjunction with Gerrard 

and John Toscan, Scott Hogan and Larry Walsh – all pioneering 

cotton growers in this rapidly expanding cotton region. Roger 

has subdivided 60 hectares from his farm to build the gin, and 

despite the setbacks from the recent floods, the syndicate is on 

track to complete a project which many experts doubted could 

be completed in the time available. 

The Murrumbidgee valley has experienced a remarkable 

expansion in cotton area over the past couple of years as good 

rainfall has replenished the major water storages. Newer cotton 

varieties suited to the area have changed the economics of 

cropping in the Murrumbidgee so that cotton is now the highest 

gross margin summer crop by a considerable amount. 

In 2009–10, there were 4000 hectares, then 15,000 hectares 

in 2010–11 and 35,000 hectares this season. And although it is a 

short season area, the lack of summer cloud means high levels of 

radiation, and yields in most years are well into the 10 to 12 bale 

per hectare range. 

In 2010–11, there was not enough capacity for all the 

Murrumbidgee cotton in the gin at Hillston in the nearby Lachlan 

Valley, which has also experienced a production increase. So a lot 

of cotton had to take the long and expensive journey to gins in 

the Macquarie Valley, with a freight cost of around $70 a bale. 

During the 2010–11 season, the Commins brothers, who 

now grow 1500 hectares of cotton, realised that good prices and 

full dams could mean they may not be able to get their cotton 

ginned anywhere, even if they were prepared for the high freight 

costs. 

“We started lobbying all of the Australian processors and 

Tim Commins, Gerard Toscan, Larry Walsh, Scott Hogan, John Toscan and Roger Commins in front of one of the new Lummus 

gin stands. 

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merchants to see if we could get someone to commit to building 

a gin in the Murrumbidgee,” says Roger Commins. “They all 

thought it was a good idea but no-one was prepared to invest so 

much money. Most of them had downsized and shed staff over 

the previous seasons and were not in a position to expand. 

“The other issue was timing. They didn’t think they would be 

able to get a gin up and running in time. In hindsight, they were 

probably right, but we had an extra personal incentive to get it 

finished for this season,” says Roger. 

Originally the Commins brothers wanted to get a small second 

hand gin to process their own crop and maybe a bit more. And 

they found one available in Greece which could do the job. But 

some of their friends and neighbours realised they too would 

need some ginning capacity and the project grew. 

“We decided to build a new gin,” says Roger. “It went from a 

three stand gin to a four stand high capacity gin with 222 saws 

per stand, with overall capacity of 1700 bales per day. We had to 

make the final go-ahead decision in May last year when we gave 

a commitment to Lummus for the equipment.” 

The ginning season is expected to go for five months and 

the group has commitments for up to 200,000 bales this year. 

This could expand if yields in the area exceed expectations. This 

will still leave much of the Murrumbidgee production to go to 

Hillston or the Macquarie Valley. The Whitton gin intends to 

charge more than most other Australian gins, but growers will 

reap the considerable benefit of not paying large freight costs. 

“We didn’t start any major works until August 25 last year,” 

says Roger. “We now (mid April) have all the buildings completed 

and 90 per cent of the equipment installed. We expect modules 

to start arriving in 10 days or so and be ready to start ginning by 

mid May. 

“The timetable is tight, and it was made worse by the flood 

which put us back by at least two weeks. We had electrical 

equipment being built in Wagga which was flooded, then we 

had an overland flood locally and a river flood at Darlington Point 

which kept most of the workforce off the site. The railway was 

also washed out which delayed the delivery of some equipment.” 

Despite the headaches involved in bringing such a massive 

project together in such a short time, Roger continues to be 

excited about the role of the gin and cotton production generally 

in the local economy. 

“There may be another 10,000 hectares of cotton in the area 

next season,” he says. “New growers who grew 100 hectares this 

year are already talking about 250 or 300 hectares next season 

while others are progressing to 400 to 500 hectares. 

“It has been a hell of an experience, but it will be so good 

for the local economy. At current prices, cotton will inject about 

$180 million into our local area this year and it will continue to 

increase.” 

Cotton Trade Desk 

Matthew Bradd 

Scott Biffin 

Shipping and Logistics Manager 

Monique Lewis 

Head Office 

Suite 801, Level 8 

15 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2001 

GPO Box 29 Sydney NSW 2001 

Ph: 02 9223 3631 

Fax: 02 9233 6206 

Agents: 

Namoi Valley, Gwydir Valley & 

Macquarie Valley 

Steve Dalton 

AgVantage Commodities Pty Ltd 

Ph: 02 6792 2962 

MacIntyre Valley 

Geoff Webb 

AgVantage Commodities Pty Ltd 

Ph: 07 4671 1225 

Darling Downs 

Simon Donaldson 

Gebar Farming 

Ph: 0428 636 924 

St George & Dirranbandi 

Kelvin Bella 

Our-Tek Pty Ltd 

Ph: 0428 717 284 

Central Highlands & Dawson–Callide 

Don Cooper 

Cooper Consulting 

Ph: 0428 794 698 

Riverina 

Ross Harvie 

Ph: 0458 567 776 

Waiting for the first bales to arrive at the new gin. 

www.ecomtrading.com 

www.ecomcommodities.com.au 


Cruiser fund brings industry 

benefits 

■■By Steve Ainsworth, CSD 

Investing in and applying 

the products of research and 

development is a hallmark of 

the success for the Australian 

cotton industry. 

Investing in R&D is not without 

risk and by its very nature confers 

long term commitment to invest 

resources of today for a potential 

outcome realisable down the track. 

Unfortunately, sometimes (often 

with very good reason) investment 

priorities change and some areas Steve Ainsworth. 

of research become less important and the willingness to invest 

for the long haul also changes. 

If we cast our eye back to 2007, the cotton industry was 

facing unparalleled challenges. Record drought, low production 

and hardship were being experienced across industry and in 

cotton communities. Certainly a challenging environment for 

growers but equally so for the provision of R&D. It was with this 

background that in 2007, Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) and 

Syngenta agreed to re-affirm their long term commitment and 

established the Cruiser R&D Fund. The R&D activities resourced 

by the fund are explicitly focused on an outcome of ‘improving 

cotton plant stands’. A good uniform plant stand is recognised 

as the foundation of high yields – so this is an important area of 

R&D with outcomes that are immediately applicable to growers 

and of course to their bottom lines. 

The Cruiser R&D Fund is self funding with contributions made 

by CSD and Syngenta which equate to $1.40 per bag of Cruiser 

treated planting seed. The Cruiser R&D fund is managed by a 

joint committee of both companies, is chaired by eminent plant 

pathologist Dr Stephen Allen and has invested in research to 

understand how to improve cotton establishment. A key focus 

has been to establish a better understanding of the interaction 

between diseases and to examine novel seed applied chemistry 

to provide new management solutions as part of an integrated 

approach. 

Five years on and the Cruiser R&D Fund goes from strength 

to strength. We have jointly developed the product Bion and in 

combination with the seed applied fungicide, Dynasty Complete 

has become a very popular choice for management of a range 

of intractable diseases including Fusarium wilt, black root rot, 

Pythium and Rhyzoctonia. Examples of other projects supported 

include resistance screening for a range of insects, improving 

our understanding of the ecology for important insects such as 

thrips and the purchase of discrete equipment to allow industry 

plant pathologists access to new research methods and materials. 

Importantly, we have supported the industry’s Cotton Symptoms 

Guide to ensure that growers and consultants are well informed 

on this important area of crop production. 

The Cotton Symptoms Guide was produced by the Cotton 

CRC Development and Delivery Team and published by 

Cotton Symptoms 

Guide 

The guide to symptoms of 

diseases and disorders 

in Australian cotton 

Introduction & symptoms key 

Diseases 

Biosecurity threats 

Herbicides 

Insect damage 

Soil constraints & planting management 

Environmental & other symptoms 

Nutrition deficiency/toxicity 

A production of 

The Australian Cotton Industry 

Development & Delivery Team 

EDITORS: Susan Maas, Stephen Allen and Duncan Weir 

1st Edition 2012 $14.90 incl GST 

Greenmount Press. The Symptoms Guide was launched at the 

recent Science Forum held by the Cotton CRC at Narrabri. 

The Symptoms Guide is partly an update of the industry 

disease guide produced several years ago, but it is also much 

more. It is a diagnostic tool covering diseases, herbicide damage, 

insect damage, soil constraints, environmental symptoms and 

nutrient imbalances. 

For growers and consultants, it should be the first port 

of call when faced with damage symptoms in a crop – to be 

supplemented by more in-depth investigation. The Symptoms 

Guide will be also available as a smart-phone app which will 

point to more detailed information. 

Apart from the Cruiser Fund, The Symptoms Guide was 

made available by the support of a number of cotton industry 

distributors – B&W Rural, CGS, Elders, IHD (AgNVet, McGregor 

Gourlay, Pursehouse Rural, MIA Rural Services, Darling Irrigation) 

and Landmark. 

As always, we appreciate feedback on specific research opportunities as this 

helps to guide project selection and long term funding. The CSD Extension and 

Development team is your first port of call and can be contacted on 

02 6795 0000 or via www.csd.net.au. 


Healthy crop. Healthy industry. 

The Cotton Symptoms Field Guide and the Mobile App were both sponsored by the Cruiser R&D fund. 

The Australian cotton industry 

congratulates the Cruiser R&D Fund 

for sponsoring this Field Guide and the 

Mobile APP. The Cruiser R&D Fund has 

been established by Syngenta and Cotton 

Seed Distributors to support research into 

finding solutions to improve cotton stand 

establishment. 

The R&D fund receives $1.40 per bag 

of cotton seed sold with Cruiser seed 

treatment. This helps with funding 

establishment research projects such as 

this Field Guide and the Mobile APP. 

Contact your local CSD E&D 

Agronomist or Syngenta’s Peter 

Chapman on 0417 443 243 

NAMOI 

GWYDIR 

SOUTHERN NSW 

BORDER RIVERS 

DARLING DOWNS 

Rob Eveleigh 

James Quinn 

Bob Ford 

Alex North 

John Marshall 

0427 915 921 

0428 950 028 

0428 950 015 

0428 950 021 

0428 950 010

It pays to optimise N fertiliser 

inputs 

■■By Ian Rochester and the Cotton CRC Development and Delivery Team 

N 

use-efficiency (NUE) has been researched in cotton 

crops for many years now. The response of cotton to 

applied N fertiliser is well known and the response curves 

shown in Figure 1 are indicative of the rotation systems typically 

used by cotton growers. 

The economic optimum N fertiliser rate can be determined 

based on the cost of each kg of N fertiliser and the return for 

each kg of lint. The amount of over or under-use of N fertiliser 

can be determined for each N rate used. Cotton following faba 

beans needed no N fertiliser and cotton following cotton or 

wheat needed between 100 and 150 kg N per hectare. 

Where the optimum N fertiliser rate was exceeded, the cost 

of more N fertiliser lint yield exceeded the return from lint and 

seed; so the crop gross margin was reduced. Interestingly, the 

CRC survey of August 2011 indicated that of the 177 growers 

surveyed (about 20 of the growers in that season), the average N 

fertiliser application was 217 kg N per hectare, with the highest 

rate of 534 kg N per hectare and lowest rate was 30 kg N per 

hectare. 

Profitability 

An economic (gross margin) analysis was performed on the 

2010 cotton crop following wheat depicted in Figure 1. This 

accounted for the estimated costs (or savings) of N fertiliser, and 

the yield forgone by not optimising N fertiliser inputs. 

The prices received for lint and seed were $450 per bale and 

$150 per tonne respectively. Nitrogen fertiliser cost $1300 per 

Figure 1: The yield response of cotton to N 

fertiliser in three rotation systems 

Stars represent the economic optimum N fertiliser rate for each rotation system. Cotton 

following wheat was used for economic analysis of the response to N fertiliser. 

In Brief… 

■■ 

Under use of N fertiliser reduced gross margin by $725 per 

hectare 

■■ 

Over–use of N fertiliser reduced gross margin by $265 per 

hectare 

■■ 

Use the tools available to optimise N fertiliser inputs and 

maximise profits 

tonne of N. Where cotton growth is excessively vegetative, the 

additional costs for applying growth regulators to control this 

growth may be incurred as well as for additional insecticides and 

defoliants. This may amount to $135 per hectare, but these costs 

were not included in this analysis. The change in gross margin ($ 

per hectare), relative to optimum N fertiliser application, is shown 

in Figure 2. 

This analysis shows that it was just as costly to under-fertilise 

as over-use N fertiliser. Importantly, the cost of the additional N 

fertiliser applied (or saved) was of relatively small impact, as was 

the loss of revenue from seed, compared with the value of the 

lint yield foregone. 

The magnitude of the reduction in gross margin is noteworthy 

and this analysis emphasises the importance of getting N fertiliser 

management right. Where the optimum N fertiliser application 

rate was out by 100 kg N per hectare or more, the gross margin 

was reduced by more than $400 per hectare. 

Crop N use-efficiency 

Crop NUE was determined at the end of the season by 

dividing the lint yield by the crop N uptake. Crop N uptake 

is measured by sampling one metre of crop row, drying and 

weighing the biomass and analysing the whole plant for N. The 

optimum crop NUE has been measured as 12±2 kg lint/kg crop 

N uptake by assessing the lint yield of cotton crops subjected to 

numerous rates of N fertiliser; this allows the economic optimum 

N fertiliser rate to be determined. Crop NUE was then calibrated 

with N fertiliser use in those experiments over several years, as 

shown in Figure 3. To optimise cotton production, crops need to 

have been fertilised within 50 kg N per hectare of the optimal N 

fertiliser rate. 

Survey of cotton crops 

Between 2007 and 2009, the cotton extension team assisted 

in sampling commercial cotton crops in three valleys (Macquarie, 

Namoi and Gwydir) to assess NUE. In all, 80 crops were surveyed 

in the three seasons. Crop NUE was calculated and it was shown 

that about 61 per cent of fields were potentially over-fertilised 

with N, 30 per cent received optimal N fertiliser and nine per cent 

showed that too little N was applied (Figure 4). 

High NUE is normally associated with low N uptake, which 

can be a consequence of too little N fertiliser applied, but more 

commonly as a result of a deficiency of another nutrient, such as 

phosphorus, which can limit crop N uptake more than lint yield. 


Figure 5 shows the mean lint yield determined in the three 

groups of crops surveyed. While lower lint yield may be expected 

where insufficient N fertiliser is applied, it is just as important to 

recognise that over-fertilising can depress yields as well. Lint yield 

was 270 kg per hectare lower in the over-fertilised group. By 

using the relationship in Figure 3, it was estimated that the group 

of over-fertilised crops received on average 104 kg N per hectare 

in excess of the optimum N fertiliser required. As well, gross 

Figure 2: The reduction in gross margin ($/ha) relative to receiving optimal N fertiliser based on the 

N fertiliser response by cotton following wheat depicted in Figure 1 and the relative importance of 

reduced lint and seed revenue and cost of N fertiliser 

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April–May 2012 The Australian Cottongrower — 41 

cttngrwr312.indd 1 

27/03/12 10:32 AM

margin was reduced by $265 per hectare in this group of overfertilised 

crops when the same costs were applied as described 

previously. The consequence of applying more N fertiliser than is 

required by the crop is potentially profound. Applying excess N 

stimulates vegetative growth in favour of fruit, as demonstrated 

by the excessive N uptake in the over-fertilised crops in Figure 5. 

Conclusion 

This research strongly supports the importance of getting N 

fertiliser management right and the value of measuring NUE to 

improve crop nutrition, yield and gross margin. A relatively wide 

window of N fertiliser rates exists to optimise cotton production, 

but the survey data indicate this may only occur in half of our 

cotton crops. Initially, soil testing before N fertiliser is applied will 

suggest an appropriate N fertiliser rate that may be modified 

after in-crop leaf analyses indicate insufficient N to optimise yield. 

Development Corporation and the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC is 

gratefully acknowledged, as well as the many cooperating farmers. Kellie 

Gordon, Jo Price, Bern Onus, Greg Roberts, Jim Wark, Dallas King and Steve 

Madden provided technical assistance with crop sampling and N analyses. 

Further reading: Cotton Catchment Communities CRC Cottongrower Survey 

(2011) GHD Hassell. 

Rochester I, Ceeney S, Maas S, Gordon R, Hanna L, Hill J (2009) Monitoring 

nitrogen use efficiency in cotton crops. Australian Cottongrower 

magazine. (May 2009 p42). 

Figure 5: Mean lint yield, crop N uptake and 

reduction in gross margin determined in the 

commercial fields surveyed 

Acknowledgements: Ms Janine Powell provided in-depth assistance 

with economic analyses. Financial support from the Cotton Research and 

Figure 3: The relationship between crop NUE 

and N fertiliser applied relative to the economic 

optimum N rate 

Figure 4: The number of commercial cotton 

crops with high, low or optimal crop NUE – 

optimal NUE is 10–14 kg lint/kg crop N uptake 


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www.namoicotton.com.au 


Cotton seed N indicates fertiliser 

use-efficiency 

■■Ian Rochester and the Cotton CRC Development and Delivery Team 

Recent research has shown that cotton crop N nutrition is 

closely related to the N concentration in fuzzy cotton seed. 

Crops that have been over-supplied with N have a high 

seed N concentration, and under-fertilised crops have lower seed 

N concentration. 

Seed N concentration and nitrogen fertiliser useefficiency 

(NUE) 

It is impractical to measure crop NUE routinely, because it is 

a slow and laborious task that requires destructive sampling of 

whole plants, drying those samples and then analysing them for 

N concentration. So, a new approach was developed. Crop NUE 

can be estimated by measuring the N concentration in the seed 

at the end of the season. But further, the N concentration in the 

seed is indicative of the N status of the cotton crop and can be 

used to assess whether N fertiliser has been applied inadequately 

or in excess. 

Figure 1: Relationship between fuzzy 

cotton seed N concentration and N fertiliser 

application 

In Brief… 

■■ 

Seed N concentration indicates where N fertiliser is used 

efficiently. 

■■ 

Seed N concentration also indicates the degree that N 

fertiliser has been under or over-applied. 

We are currently appraising whether this technology to 

measure seed N concentration can be installed at a commercial 

gin. This procedure would test fuzzy seed as it is produced during 

the ginning process. It may be possible to conduct multiple 

measurements on each bale to ensure accuracy and thus provide 

growers with information on seed N concentration, as well as 

fibre quality and gin out-turn data. 

This will give growers some feedback on crop NUE and 

indicate how efficiently N fertiliser was managed on each field,. 

Where crop N nutrition has been optimised to maximise lint yield 

seed N concentration will be between 3.3 and 3.7 per cent N. 

Seed N concentrations above 3.7 per cent indicate more than 50 

kg N per hectare was applied in excess of the crop’s requirement. 

Seed N concentration below 3.3 per cent indicates inadequate N 

Figure 2: Relationship between fuzzy cotton 

seed N concentration and lint yield in nine 

fields on a farm in the Namoi valley 

Table 1: Numbers of modules identified with high, low and optimum seed N concentration in three 

valleys 

Region Modules sampled Low seed N% (< 3.3 %N) Ideal seed N% (3.3 to 3.7) High seed N% (>3.7 %N) 

All modules 449 45 (10%) 201 (45%) 203 (45%) 

St George 85 5 (6%) 22 (26%) 58 (68%) 

Gwydir 85 4 (5%) 36 (42%) 45 (53%) 

Namoi 88 21 (24%) 58 (66%) 9 (10%) 

A farm (Namoi) 189 24 (12%) 94 (50%) 71 (38%) 


cent and lower yield may have been constrained by factors other 

than N nutrition, but it remains that those two fields received 

excess N fertiliser that may have contributed to reduced lint yield, 

as reported in the N fertiliser response curves in the previous 

article in this magazine. 

Conclusion 

This study has demonstrated that cotton seed N concentration 

can be used to assess crop N use-efficiency and indicate where 

N fertiliser management can be improved to benefit irrigated 

cotton production. In fields where excessive N fertiliser is applied, 

it is possible to achieve higher lint yields if N fertiliser is managed 

more carefully. 

Applying too much N can be just as bad as too little. 

fertiliser was applied. Figure 1 indicates the relationship between 

seed N concentration and whether excess or inadequate N 

fertiliser was applied to the crop. This information was generated 

from N fertiliser rate experiments conducted over several years 

and identified the optimal N rates and measured crop NUE along 

with seed N concentration. 

This methodology is still being evaluated for commercial 

delivery to help growers manage N fertiliser more efficiently. It 

should be used in combination with other proven tools i.e. prefertilising 

soil analyses that determine appropriate N fertiliser rates 

and in-crop leaf analyses to assess nutrient levels (not just N) in 

the crop. 

Testing seed N concentrations in 2010 

In 2010, seed N concentrations were determined in 449 

commercial cotton modules sampled from 61 fields in three 

cotton-growing regions. Using 3.5 per cent seed N as the optimal 

value the investigation showed that seed N concentrations were 

above optimal in 203 modules (45 per cent), optimal in 201 

modules (45 per cent) and below optimal in 45 modules (10 per 

cent), as shown in Table 1. 

Seed N per cent averaged 3.65 for all modules, suggesting 

that about 25 kg N per hectare too much N fertiliser was applied. 

For the modules that indicated high seed N concentration, seed 

averaged 3.88 per cent N, suggesting that about 83 kg N per 

hectare too much N had been applied. This may have cost those 

growers $350 per hectare profit on average, according to 

Figure 2 on page 41. 

Importantly, low seed N is indicative of poor N uptake by 

the crop, and this may not only be attributed to inadequate N 

fertiliser application, but also, a deficiency of another nutrient 

that may restrict N uptake. So low seed N highlights the need for 

more intensive nutrient monitoring to direct changes in nutrient 

management. 

Yield data from one of the Namoi farms shows that high seed 

N per cent was correlated with lower lint yield (Figure 2). At this 

farm, seven fields had N fertiliser applied at optimal rates, but 

seed N analysis indicated that two fields were over-fertilised, and 

showed yield was depressed by 1.8 bales per hectare (16 per 

cent), relative to the optimally fertilised fields. This suggests that 

the gross margins for these two crops were reduced by about 

$1000 (reduced lint and seed worth $810 and $90 and added 

cost of N fertiliser $130). 

Figure 2 demonstrates the value of the technology to the 

grower. It is possible that the two fields that had high seed N per 

Acknowledgements: Financial support from the Cotton Research and 

Development Corporation and the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC is 

gratefully acknowledged, as well as the many cooperating farmers. Kellie 

Gordon, Jo Price, Bern Onus, Greg Roberts, Jim Wark, Dallas King and Steve 

Madden provided technical assistance with crop sampling and N analyses. 

Further reading: Cotton Catchment Communities CRC Cottongrower Survey 

(2011) GHD Hassell. 

Rochester IJ (20 12). Using seed nitrogen concentration to estimate crop N use 

efficiency in high-yielding irrigated cotton. 

Field Crops Research 127, 140-145. DOI 10.1016/j.fcr.2011.11.018 

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Cotton gets nanotech and biotech 

treatment 

■■By Jan Suszkiw, USDA–ARS 

Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service’s Cotton 

Chemistry and Utilization Research Unit (CCUR) in New 

Orleans, Louisiana, have a long history of research successes 

leading to advances in the use, manufacturing, and quality of 

cotton fibre. 

For example, groundbreaking studies led by chemist 

Ruth Benerito at the Cotton Chemical Reactions Laboratory 

(CCUR’s predecessor), starting in the 1950s, gave rise to easycare, 

permanent-press clothing and other consumer-friendly 

improvements that helped cotton better compete with synthetic 

fibres, like polyester and nylon. 

New challenges and consumer demands have since emerged, 

but the ARS lab’s tradition of excellence and innovation in 

research continues. 

Under the leadership of Brian Condon, CCUR researchers 

today are leveraging the latest developments in nanotechnology 

to bring cotton into the 21st century. 

Foreseeable applications range from the purely functional – 

like better shrink resistance – to the truly futuristic, such as fabrics 

made of cotton-optical fibre blends that can change color. 

Flame-retardant coating 

In one ongoing project, Condon and CCUR chemist SeChin 

Chang are collaborating with Texas A&M University (TAMU) 

scientists to evaluate a first-of-its-kind, environmentally friendly 

flame retardant for cotton apparel and durable goods. 

Halogenated flame retardants have been among the most 

widely used chemical treatments for cotton. But there’s been a 

push to find alternatives that are not only more benign, but that 

also avoid imparting the same stiffness to fabric characteristic 

of some chemical treatments. For these and other reasons, “the 

textiles industry would like to move away from using halogenated 

flame retardants,” says Brian. 

Made of water-soluble polymers, nanoscale clay particles, 

and other ‘green’ ingredients, the ARS-TAMU flame retardant 

is applied as a nanocoating that reacts to open flame by rapidly 

forming a swollen, charred surface layer. This process, known 

as ‘intumescence’, stops the flame from reaching underlying or 

adjacent fibres. 

A team led by Jaime Grunlan at TAMU’s Department of 

Mechanical Engineering, in College Station, Texas, originally 

developed the intumescent nanocoating using a layer-by-layer 

assembly. In this procedure, alternating layers of positively and 

negatively charged ingredients, including clay particles 50-100 

nanometers wide, are deposited onto the surface of a desired 

material. The result is a striated nanocoating that, when viewed 

under a scanning electron or other high-powered microscope, 

resembles the stacked layers of a brick wall. 

Brian’s interest was piqued after listening to Jaime discuss his 

team’s research at a recent American Chemical Society meeting, 

and he approached the TAMU professor about potential benefits 

to cotton. That conversation, in turn, led to a cooperative 

research project enabling Brian and SeChin to evaluate the 

nanocoating at CCUR. 

Treating cotton for flame resistance isn’t a recent concept, 

adds Brian, whose lab is part of the ARS Southern Regional 

Research Center in New Orleans. In fact, some of the most 

successful early treatments were born of research conducted by 

Benerito and colleagues there several decades ago. 

Brian coauthored a 2011 ACS Nano paper on the potential 

Cross-section of a cotton fibre with clay nanoparticles 

attached. Magnification about 11,000x, with transmission 

electron microscope. 

Closer view of a clay nanoparticle coating. (Photos on this 

page courtesy of Jaime Grunlan, Texas A&M University. Colorisation by 

Stephen Ausmus.) 


of intumescent coatings together with SeChin, Jaime and his 

TAMU team, and Alexander Morgan of the University of Dayton 

Research Institute in Ohio. 

Early trials of the nanocoating using standard flame-resistance 

tests are promising. In one case, 95 per cent of treated cotton 

fabric remained intact after exposure to flame, whereas the 

untreated fabric used for comparison was completely destroyed. 

“What we’re investigating now is how well it will perform 

after repeated launderings of treated fabric,” says Brian. “After 

all, the coating contains clay, and that’s something detergents are 

made to remove.” 

Even if the coating does eventually wash out and the treated 

fabric loses its flame resistance, the nanotech approach could 

still be used to protect textiles and durable goods that aren’t 

frequently washed, such as upholstery, mattress pads, box spring 

covers, automotive interiors, and firefighter coats. 

Tapping silver’s antimicrobial properties 

On another nanotech front, Brian and CCUR engineer 

Sunghyun Nam are investigating a way to inhibit microbial 

growth in cotton using silver particles ranging in size from about 

two to six nanometers. Silver nanoparticles have been used as an 

antimicrobial agent in many products, including clothes, plastic 

food containers, and medical textiles. The methods of producing 

them, however, have mostly relied on the use of toxic agents and 

organic solvents. 

Brian’s team has explored an alternative approach using an 

environmentally friendly agent, polyethylene glycol, and water as 

a solvent to generate silver nanoparticles of the desired size. Brian 

and Nam reported on this method in the Journal of Nanoparticle 

Research together with engineer Dharnidhar Parikh, formerly 

with CCUR. Also under investigation is a new method by which 

the nanoparticles form directly on cotton fibre, eliminating 

handling and storage of the particles before application. “This 

is a leg up for cotton over the synthetics,” which have not been 

amenable to silver nanoparticle treatment, says Brian. 

Chemist Sunghyun Nam examines suspensions of 

silver nanoparticles. Fabrics can be treated with these 

nanoparticles to add antimicrobial qualities. (Photo SeChin Chang) 


From nanotech to biotech 

The CCUR scientists have also been busy on the biotech front. 

In one project, CCUR chemist Vince Edwards, together with 

Brian, devised a treatment for impregnating nonwoven cotton 

fabrics with lysozyme, an enzyme that slices open the cell walls 

of microorganisms, killing them – including microbes that cause 

infection or odor. That same cell-slicing capacity may also be 

used for biodefense applications that deactivate nerve agents – 

essentially by chewing them up, or ‘hydrolyzing’ them, he adds. 

By adding the lysozyme to cottons, the resulting nonwovens 

could have these bactericidal and detoxifying properties. 

In another biotech project, Brian and CCUR chemist Michael 

Easson are experimenting with equipment that generates an 

ultrasonic field of mechanical energy (similar to that used to clean 

jewelry) to improve the biobased processing of raw, or ‘greige’, 

cotton using enzymes, like cellulase. Chemical processing agents 

are now used to strip away waxes, pectins, fats, and other fibre 

components that can hinder subsequent dying procedures and 

diminish the quality of finished cotton products. But the waste 

these ‘wet chemistry’ methods generate is a concern. 

“We’re interested in enzymes as an environmentally friendly 

alternative, and we found that subjecting a solution of the 

enzymes to a field of ultrasonic energy can speed up their 

reaction rates,” says Brian. 

In experiments with lint fibres, for example, use of ultrasonic 

energy increased the bioprocessing efficiency of cellulase by 

22 per cent. The same concept can also work to improve the 

conversion of cotton sugars into biofuels – a potential valueadded 

market for two million tonnes of US cotton gin waste 

generated annually. 

Besides publishing their findings in scientific journals, Brian’s 

team is actively seeking commercial partners to help usher these 

advances into the marketplace – all with an eye towards assuring 

the viability of America’s $25 billion cotton industry at a time 

of increasing production costs, dwindling resources, and global 

competition. 

This research is part of Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products, an ARS 

national program (#306) described at www.nps.ars.usda.gov. 

Brian Condon is in the USDA-ARS Cotton Chemistry Research Unit, Southern 

Regional Research Center, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124; 

(504) 286-4540, brian.condon@ars.usda.gov. 

This article was originally published in the Agricultural Research 

Magazine, April 2012. 

Using circadian 

rhythms to 

battle insects 

In recent years, scientists have begun to apply powerful genetic 

tools to the study of plant circadian rhythms. Researchers have 

found that as many as one-third of the genes in Arabidopsis 

thaliana – a widely studied species in plant biology – are activated 

by the circadian cycle. Rice biochemist Michael Covington 

found that some of these circadian-regulated genes were also 

connected to wounding responses. 

“We wondered whether some of these circadian-regulated 

genes might allow plants to anticipate attacks from insects, 

in much the same way that they anticipate the sunrise,” said 

Michael, now at the University of California, Davis. 

Danielle Goodspeed, a graduate student in biochemistry and 

cell biology, designed a clever experiment to answer the question. 

She used 12-hour light cycles to entrain the circadian clocks of 

both Arabidopsis plants and cabbage loopers, a type of caterpillar 

that eats Arabidopsis. 

Half of the plants were placed with caterpillars on a regular 

day-night cycle, and the other half were placed with ‘out-ofphase’ 

caterpillars whose internal clocks were set to daytime 

mode during the hours that the plants were in nighttime mode. 

“We found that the plants whose clocks were in phase with 

the insects were relatively resistant, whereas the plants whose 

clocks were out of phase were decimated by the insects feeding 

on them,” Danielle said. 

Wassim Chehab, a Rice Faculty Fellow in biochemistry and cell 

biology, helped Goodspeed design a follow-up experiment to 

understand how plants used their internal clocks to resist insect 

attacks. Wassim and Danielle examined the accumulation of the 

hormone jasmonate, which plants use to regulate the production 

of metabolites that interfere with insect digestion. 

They found that Arabidopsis uses its circadian clock to increase 

jasmonate production during the day, when insects like cabbage 

loopers feed the most. They also found that the plants used 

their internal clocks to regulate the production of other chemical 

defenses, including those that protect against bacterial infections. 

“Jasmonate defenses are employed by virtually all plants, 

including tomatoes, rice and corn,” Wassim said. “Understanding 

how plants regulate these hormones could be important for 

understanding why some pests are more damaging than others, 

and it could help suggest new strategies for insect resistance.” 

Following flame exposure, the untreated fabric 

(top) is completely destroyed, but the fabric 

treated with clay nanoparticles is intact. (Photo Brian Condon) 

Rice University biologists Janet Braam, Danielle Goodspeed 

and Wassim Chehab, have worked with colleagues to show 

that plants use circadian rhythms to both anticipate raids 

by hungry insects and to time the production of defensive 

hormones that fend off such attacks. 


The good gear 

■■By Ian M. Johnston 

CLASSIC TRACTOR TALES 

Seven months after placing the order, I recently took 

delivery of a diesel fuelled European car equipped with 

one of these new high tech twin clutch semi-automatic 

transmissions. I have to admit, the brochure was right! The 

seamless gear changes can often only be detected by a 

close scrutiny of the rev counter. 

Mind you, I have been subjected to ridicule from a handful 

of my car club alleged mates, who persist with the belief that a 

real driver prefers to change gears manually. Yet put them in a 

1940s Austin truck, or my old 1928 Talbot, or better still – a 1920s 

Fordson Model F, with their soul destroying crash gearboxes and 

my car club compatriots would likely be in a state of extreme 

trepidation. But of course, no problems for we ageing tractor folk! 

Frankly, in the year 2012 I am surprised that anyone desires to 

own a modern family car with a manual-change gear box. After 

all, automatic transmissions have come a long way since the 

chewing gum autos of the 1960s. 

So having vented my views relating to car transmissions, 

predictively my thoughts now turn to tractors and the 20 forward 

and 12 reverse gears that I originally thought was an overkill in 

my Landini. But guess what – I use every one of them! 

But I can assure you, there were some wacky transmission 

designs in many of the early tractors. 

In the beginning 

Apart from a few experimental machines, internal combustion 

engined tractors commenced their irrevocable march across the 

rural landscape during the first decade of the 20th century. In 

the main they were obstreperous, clattering and often dangerous 

contraptions of mammoth proportions. The philosophy inherited 

from their steam powered cousins prevailed. In other words, it 

was believed the new generation oil powered tractors had to 

equate the weight and size of steam traction engines in order to 

be capable of pulling the broadacre implements of the era. 

For example, a tractor weighing around 10 tons with a huge 

but inefficient engine (by today’s standards) producing a mere 

20 hp, required at least half its power to simply propel the unit 

without a load. 

The transmissions of these first tractors were crude in the 

extreme. Rough castiron gears were exposed to mud and grit, 

with the resultant rapid deterioration one would expect. Few 

manufacturers considered the frivolous idea of encasing the gears 

and having them running in oil! 

Initially most tractors were only offered with one forward and 

one reverse gear, providing a plough speed of around two mph 

Eventually two forward speeds became the rule. 

Three examples of the more idiosyncratic early tractor 

transmissions are examined hereunder. 

International friction drive 

International Harvester’s first tractor was based on a design 

patented in 1903 by an engineer named Morton, who had 

established a factory in Chicago specialising in the design of 

tractor chassis and transmissions, to which customers could add 

an engine of their choice. 

The International marketing team saw this as a rapid way of 

entering the tractor business, thus bypassing much of the design 

development. All that was necessary was to adapt their well 

accepted single cylinder open crankshaft 15 hp Famous engine 

to the Morton chassis. The massive engine featured an 8 inch 

bore and 14 inch stroke and developed its 15 hp at 240 rpm, the 

speed being regulated by a hit-and-miss spark governor. 

But what made the big tractor technically fascinating was 

the method of delivering the power from the engine to both 

the forward and reverse drives. The operator was required to 

manipulate two large levers positioned by his left hand, the first of 

which actually moved the engine either forward or backward along 

the chassis, thus engaging the flywheel by friction to the forward 

drive. The second lever smoothly engaged the reverse drive. 

A 1906 International Friction Drive owned by Les Noll of 

Toowoomba. Note the crude chain steering. (Photo IMJ) 

The operator’s platform of an International Friction Drive. 

Note the cylinder head and the forward and reverse levers. 

(Photo IMJ) 


Surprisingly the Friction Drive was a pleasure to operate, 

requiring very little physical effort compared to conventional 

power trains utilising the heavy clutch designs of the period. The 

action could be likened to that of a modern hydraulic shuttle 

control, such was the ease and smoothness of the operation. 

Ronaldson Tippett Super Drive 

The Victorian Ballarat firm of Ronaldson Bros. & Tippett 

introduced their Super Drive 18-30 in 1924. The design was 

based on the Illinois 18-30 produced in America by The Illinois 

Silo and Tractor Company of Bloomington. The unit was powered 

by a 30 hp Wisconsin engine, featuring four cylinders in two 

banks of two. 

Operating in Australia’s torrid summer weather the tractor 

immediately encountered over heating difficulties. The problem 

was overcome by increasing the capacity of the radiator. The 

modified tractors were instantly recognisable by the profile of the 

heightened radiator header tank. 

Interestingly, Australian engineers designed a special manifold 

which enabled the engine to be run on crude oil fuel, following 

the initial warm up with petrol. This added considerably to the 

appeal of the tractor, as crude oil was cheaper than petrol and 

even kerosene. 

But undoubtedly the most interesting feature of the Super 

Drive was its 96 speed gearbox! Well – potentially 96 gears. 

You see ostensibly the gear box provided two forward and one 

reverse speeds. But this could be augmented by first removing 

a cover on the left side of the transmission and swapping the 

position of two ‘pick-off’ gears. This now offered the choice of 

four forward and two reverse speeds. 

But that is not all. Ronaldson Tippett could supply an extensive 

range of ‘pick-off’ gears which, according to the operator’s 

manual, could provide no less than 48 speeds under 6.6 mph 

(The mind boggles!) 

But wait – there is more. A choice of two rear wheel diameters 

was also available. So if one does the maths, there were 

theoretically 96 forward and 48 rear speeds. Undoubtedly a 

world record for any type of transportation. 

The control of the clutch was also interesting. As the clutch 

was engaged, the engine revolutions were automatically 

increased. This was supposed to overcome the problem of the 

engine stalling when the clutch picked up the load. The downside 

was, the operator who was perched on a narrow wooden 

platform at the rear of the machine, had to really hang on as the 

machine jerked forward or be in serious risk of being jolted off – 

right in the path of the plough! 

Fortunately most of the Super Drives were sold to grain 

farmers whose agricultural land was relatively flat and accordingly 

seldom had to apply the horrendous braking system. 

If a gear was disengaged the brake would not operate! 

Think about it. Imagine a Super Drive negotiating a hill, either 

up or down, and it became necessary to change down to the 

lower gear. The perilous procedure would be to firstly apply 

the foot brake (there was no hand brake) with the hand clutch 

disengaged but the gear still engaged. Then, presumably with 

the aid of an offsider, a block would be placed against the wheel, 

preventing the tractor from taking off whilst the operator moved 

the gear shift through neutral and into the other gear. Scary 

stuff! 

Fowler rein drive 

In the 1920s the horse still reigned supreme on Australian 

farms. Even the bargain basement price of a Fordson was 

not a sufficient inducement for the average farmer to retire 

his team to back paddock and invest in one of these new 

fangled intimidating tractors. I mean to say, one would have to 

comprehend the incomprehensible gearbox-clutch routine whilst 

wrestling with a steering wheel! And then there were all these 

leavers and do-dahs to worry about! 

On the other hand, it is a well known fact that the only 

controls necessary for the horse is a pair of reins. Such was the 

reasoning of the many farmers who were nervous of tractors. 

Then up sprung Cornelius Murname, a design engineer from 

Melbourne. He had a weird but clever idea of how to overcome 

this farmer resistance to the complications of driving a tractor. 

He presented his patents to John Fowler and Company of Leeds, 

England, who were in the business of manufacturing very large 

heavy weight tractors and thus were losing business to the 

multitudes of lighter machines that were becoming increasingly 

popular. 

In 1924 the Fowler Rein Drive was unveiled at The Royal 

Agricultural Show at Leicester, where it won a gold medal. But 

that was its one and only day of fame. It turned out that, in fact, 

farmers were not enamoured by the prospect of driving a tractor 

This magnificent specimen, being driven by the author, of a 

Ronaldson Tippett Super Drive has been restored by Master 

Restorer Newton Williams of The Pioneer Village Museum, 

Swan Hill. The cover for the pick-off gears can be seen just 

forward of the rear wheel. (Photo M. Daw) 

A Super Drive in full flight. Taken some years ago at 

a twilight tractor pull at the excellent North Western 

Agricultural Machinery Museum, Warracknabeal, Vic. (Photo IMJ) 


The extraordinary Fowler Rein Drive photographed outside 

the Pioneer Park Museum, Parkes, NSW. 

The operator’s platform of a Super Drive provides the 

opportunity to sit or stand. (Photo IMJ) 

solely by means of a pair of reins, because whilst the driver was 

obliged to be perched on a sort of trailing buggy or astride a 

trailed implement, a rope rein was the only contact he had with 

the tractor. Different tugs on either the left or right rein controlled 

the clutch, gearbox and steering. 

Considering the overall dimensions of the rig, it was powered 

by an engine of somewhat alarming proportions. It was a liquid 

cooled V twin configuration with a 5.75 x 7.5 inch bore and 

stroke and developed 32 hp at 1000 rpm. Designed by Fowler, 

it was virtually half an engine that was originally deployed for 

propelling a military tank. 

The accompanying illustration is of possibly the sole remaining 

Rein Drive and is on public display at the Pioneer Park Museum at 

Parkes, NSW. This rare exhibit was restored by Stewart Nash and 

is but one of scores of magnificent tractor artefacts lovingly cared 

for by a team of dedicated enthusiasts. 

A few years ago I was offered a drive of the Parkes Rein Drive. 

Despite the fact that I have been privileged to have operated 

untold numbers of weird old tractors around the world, this was 

the scariest I have ever encountered. I mean – a pair of reins!!! 

What if the rope broke? 

It is no small wonder that the Fowler Rein Drive was a 

commercial flop. 

Ian’s Mystery Tractor QUIZ 

Question: Can you identify this popular tractor of the 1930s? 

Clue: The colour is significant. 

Degree of difficulty: They don’t come any easier than this! 

Answer: See page 64. 

A Rein Drive hauling a seven ton load. (IMJ archives) 


Germinating 

ideas 

■■By CSD Extension and Development Team 

In this edition of Germinating Ideas we will look at the dryland 

cotton production system and why it continues to grow. 

A number of key events have occurred in the cotton 

history that have made dryland cotton production accessible to 

many broadacre farmers. The keys have been in the introduction 

of new varieties with high yield and better quality and the 

introduction of transgenic traits. 

When comparing long term dryland yields and quality of 

Siokra V16BR, which was a consistent dryland performer from 

2003 to 2008, to the new varieties Sicala 340BRF, Sicot 74BRF 

and Sicot 71BRF, there are differences. 

Table 1: Dryland cotton varieties, yield and 

quality parameters over the past decade 

Siokra 

V16BR# 

Sicot 

71BRF* 

Sicala 

340BRF* 

Sicot 

74BRF* 

Yield 3.13 3.66 3.34 3.67 

Length 37 38 40 38 

Micronaire 4.0 4.3 4.3 4.4 

Trials 23 21 21 21 

#23 trials from 2003–08 

*Trials are not head to head comparison with Siokra 16BR 

*21 trials from 2010–11 

Yields have gone up and quality, particularly staple length, has 

got longer with new varieties. To the point where today we have 

a variety Sicala 340BRF that is consistently achieving lengths in 

dryland of 1.24 inches or manual grade of 40. 

This has allowed many growers the confidence that if they do 

grow dryland cotton, the industry has varieties that will fit the 

system without too many fibre quality discounts. 

The other innovation that has helped expand the area grown 

to dryland cotton is transgenic cotton. Growers find it much 

easier and simpler to grow dryland cotton because they do not 

have to worry about spraying for insects as much, due to Bollgard 

II technology. And most of the weed problems can be eliminated 

using Roundup Ready Flex technology. 

In the 1999 season, which up until the 2010 season was the 

largest dryland plant of around 110,000 hectares, insect pressure 

and resistance to the main chemical groups meant high costs 

for insect control which ultimately led to reduced dryland cotton 

acreages in subsequent years. Conventional cotton was around 

70 per cent of the industry and single gene Ingard cotton was at 

30 per cent. 

With the introduction of two gene Bollgard II cotton the 

number of insect sprays has dramatically dropped – in most cases 

heliothis are not being sprayed during the season. This is allowing 

growers to concentrate on getting timeliness of operations 

associated with planting, herbicide application, nutrition, 

defoliation and picking right. Better management in combination 

with better varieties and the transgenic technologies has resulted 

in higher yields and better fibre quality. 

Table 2: In crop cotton operations in dryland 

Average number of in-crop dryland operations 14 CSD 

Bollgard II dryland trials 2008 and 2009 

Groundrig insecticide for sucking pests 2.1 

Groundrig Roundup Ready herbicide 1.2 

Shielded sprayer – Roundup + residual 0.9 

Inter-row cultivation 0.6 

Chipping 0.1 

The keys in terms of dryland cotton management have not 

changed that much and but timeliness of operations has become 

more efficient. Importantly, the seven main rules that CSD has 

promoted over the past five years for success in dryland have 

remained unchanged. 

n Choose the right soil type 

Most dryland cotton is grown on self cracking clays and 

loams. These soil types give the crop the best opportunity 

in terms of cotton plant growth and typically have better 

moisture holding capacity. 

n Choose an appropriate variety for your region 

CSD has many years of trials comparing variety 

performance by region. The use of the Variety 

Performance Comparison Tool on the CSD website 

enables growers to assess the performance of varieties 

that best suit their situation (www.csd.net.au). 

n Plant on full soil moisture 

A full profile of moisture gives assurance to growers that 

the crop can grow through to the next rain fall event, 

which in some districts can be as long as January. It is a 

must, particularly in regions of reduced summer rainfall, 

such as in the western areas of the Namoi Valley. 

n Select a an appropriate row spacing 

Row spacing is very important in allowing the crop 

to grow to its full potential. Select a row spacing 

that represents the soil and climatic situation on your 

farm. Typically, the further west the wider the row 

configuration due to less rainfall and soils that have 

less water holding ability at depth. For example, soils at 

Moree can be 180 mm in depth compared to western 

Namoi soils of 130 mm. Moree grow double skip row 

configuration in many cases while western Namoi grows 

super single configuration. 


Row spacing is very important in allowing the crop to grow 

to its full potential. 

n Create a good even plant stand 

The problem with having gaps through a plant stand 

in dryland is that there are also gaps due to the row 

configuration either side of the plant row. So a gappy 

stand combined with the skip row in dryland exacerbates 

yield loss. If the seed bed is not ideal, increase the 

planting rate to create an even stand. 

n Use stubble cover 

The use of stubble cover is a proven way of retaining soil 

moisture. The use of wheat stubble or millet has been 

used in the past to great effect and in many cases allows 

for good soil moisture at planting. 

n Use an experienced agronomist 

Having an experienced agronomist will help with key 

decisions through the season such as defoliation and 

insect control and they will help with advice on some 

of the important management decisions as mentioned 

above. 

By keeping to these simple rules this gives dryland cotton the 

best opportunity to maximise yield potential. 

New potential regions 

One of major questions that has been asked over the past 

couple of years is whether dryland cotton will have a fit into non 

traditional regions. Areas such as the Macquarie, Spring Ridge near 

Quirindi, western NSW – and there may even be a potential for 

dryland cotton in coastal regions due to the availability of rainfall. 

Some of these questions are currently being answered with 

farmer and CSD trials in many of these regions. 

The basics still remain the same but the main restriction in 

many of the cases is in season rainfall which determines effective 

yield in dryland. 

In the more traditional dryland regions we see significant 

rainfall falling in the summer. Further south and west, in-season 

rainfall is less, and more importantly, January and February rainfall 

is significantly less. This period of a crops life is very important 

as this is peak flowering and this period of the crops life will 

determine final yield. 

So if cotton is to grow in these regions where there is less 

rainfall it is important to keep to the rules of having a full profile 

of moisture at planting and have a row spacing that allows the 

plant to grow and survive to the next rainfall event. Effectively 

by increasing row spacing it is creating a bigger ‘bucket” for the 

crop to draw on from the soil. For example, a soil that is 150 mm 

deep on double skip row configuration has effectively 300 mm of 

soil to draw on for moisture. A similar soil depth on super single 

row configuration has 450 mm and a greater area for the roots 

to explore and draw moisture from. 

It must be remembered that the wider the row spacing places 

a cap on potential yield. In other words, solid row configuration 

has the best potential in terms of high yield and other 

configurations have lower yield potential due to the row spacing. 

But to grow cotton in areas with less in-season rainfall, it is a 

must to use the wider row spacings for insurance against hot dry 

periods through the season. 

Trial results will be available at the end of the season in these 

regions. For those growers contemplating growing dryland 

cotton it must be remembered that the most ideal situation is to 

have clean fallows with stubble cover with no residual group B 

or C herbicides in the soil. This has been one of the issues with 

first time growers who have already put down these residuals, 

effectively stopping them from growing cotton the next season. 

Figure 1: In-season rainfall across cotton growing regions 


Cotton has a number of major benefits over other crops that 

make it very competitive: 

■■ 

Cotton indeterminacy: The cotton plant, unlike wheat and 

sorghum, has a strong indeterminate growth pattern. It 

accumulates fruit and yield over a long flowering period. This 

is a major advantage as it allows the plant to benefit from 

rainfall when it eventually falls. The plant will continue to grow 

and put on fruit as long as it has moisture. 

■■ 

Cotton’s taproot: Cotton has a strong tap root that will 

go looking for both moisture and nutrition. This is a benefit 

particularly with nutrition and moisture at depth where some 

crops with a fibrous root system will struggle to pick this up. 

■■ 

Gross margin: The dryland cotton gross margin is consistently 

better over many years against sorghum and wheat and over 

60 per cent of the costs associated with growing cotton fall at 

the end season just before or just after payment from ginning 

(see Table 3). 

■■ 

Cotton marketing: Cotton has a range of marketing tools 

that can be used to hedge against future volatility in market 

prices. 

For further information in relation to any of the new or current commercial 

dryland varieties please contact your local CSD Extension and 

Development Agronomist or visit the web site www.csd.net.au 

Table 3: Growing costs for dryland cotton 

Growing costs 

Cotton 

super single 

Cotton 

double skip 

Consultant $35 $35 

Planting $50 $60 

Weed and insects $182 $191 

Defoliation $30 $37 

Harvest/transport $185 $210 

Post crop $80 $80 

Technology licence $130 $198 

Total per hectare $692 $811 

news & new products 

Sharing cotton 

lessons with 

West Africa 

In a new partnership with sub-Saharan Africa, Australian 

scientists and farmers have hosted a delegation of key African 

cotton industry representatives and researchers to share their 

knowledge and insight to help improve farming practices and 

thereby reduce poverty in West Africa. 

The Australian cotton industry has a world-wide reputation for 

its high yields and quality fibre and can offer vital assistance to West 

and Central Africa where cotton is an important income source. 

The largest cotton producing countries in the region are 

Chad, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso (often called the Cotton-4 

countries). Six representatives from these countries have spent 

two weeks touring the cotton growing regions of Queensland 

and New South Wales with Australian scientists from the CSIRO, 

cotton industry representatives and farmers. 

Dr. Peter Carberry, Deputy Director of CSIRO’s Sustainable 

Agriculture flagship, said non-staple crops like cotton are 

extremely important for West Africa. 

“These crops provide small holder farmers with cash to either 

purchase food or buy farm inputs that can be used to grow 

other food crops like maize and sorghum. Cash crops also offer 

important income sources for things like school fees and medical 

expenses,” Peter said. 

Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry 

and Fisheries (DAFF), through its International Agricultural 

Cooperation program, with support from Conservation Farmers 

Inc (CFI), the team exchanged lessons on how to improve West 

and Central Africa’s cotton production systems, particularly 

cotton seed production. 

“‘There are some important commonalities between the 

production systems in West and Central Africa and Australia. 

The crops we grow are similar and we both struggle with highly 

variable climates,” Peter said. 

Dr. Ousmane Ndoye, a researcher from Senegal and Program 

Manager from West and Central Africa’s CORAF/WECARD is 

excited by this partnership. 

“Australia has been able to overcome so many similar issues 

and is now the world’s third largest exporter of cotton, producing 

4.2 million bales of cotton in 2011, which is around double the 

Cotton-4 countries,” Ousmane said. 

“The team from West and Central Africa are keen to learn the 

lessons from Australia to really help our farmers understand how 

to improve their yields. 

“We took the group from Toowoomba to Narrabri, training 

on-farm with Australian farmers and industry representatives. 

We covered cotton agronomy based on the Australian Cotton 

Industry’s Best Management Practices, visited cotton seed 

production and storage facilities and engaged with cotton 

researchers at Myall Vale,” Michael Burgis, CEO of CFI, said. 

Ousmane is expecting big results. “After our visit to Australia, 

this small group will return to our respective countries and train 

at least 25 industry workers and farming representatives,” 

he said. 


A 

pilot project to enhance the job skills and employment 

rates of Aboriginal workers, while also boosting 

biodiversity on local farms, has been launched in 

the Narrabri district by the Cotton Catchment Communities 

Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). 

The CRC Cotton Trainee program will create farm based 

employment opportunities for local Aboriginal people as part of 

the industry’s commitment to ‘closing the gap’. 

The project has been made possible by funding from the 

Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative, and 

aims to promote the conservation of biodiversity on cotton farms 

across the country. Aboriginal ‘Cotton Trainees’ will play a key 

role in implementing critical revegetation projects while building 

their skills in natural resource management. 

Trainees will take on environmental rehabilitation projects 

in local bushland and along rivers and creeks. They will also be 

trained through host farm placements in agricultural activities 

such as machinery maintenance, irrigation system operation, crop 

planting and harvesting. 

CRC Cotton Trainee George Lamb says working on the 

host farms has been far more enjoyable than other jobs and 

employment programs he’s been involved in, “There’s a big range 

of things to do on a farm so that it keeps the job interesting. It 

doesn’t get repetitive and monotonous.” Since the project began 

in February, George has already tried his hand at irrigating cotton 

and working with sheep, mustering, drenching and moving 

stock, and he’s revelling in the wide variety of work each day 

presents. 

“It’s challenging and interesting. Before I started I thought 

it would be just hard work. Instead it is hard work but it’s also 

interesting work and it keeps you motivated. This is heaps 

better than sitting around and not working.” George Lamb, 

Gus Mason, Shane Toomey, and Blake Hilderson are the first 

four recruits to take on the 12 month Cotton Traineeships 

course which will culminate in a Certificate II in Rural Production 

qualification. 

Sally Knight is the CRC’s liaison officer between trainees, 

TAFE, and host farmers, “It’s been wonderful to see how excited 

the boys are about starting work on local farms. They’re a 

great group and they’re enthusiasm has been matched by the 

host farms who’ve welcomed the boys in to their workplaces.” 

The Sydney University Wheat Breeding Institute, the Australian 

Cotton Research Institute and Cotton Seed Distributors farming 

operation have all taken on trainees. The host farms have been 

fully supported by the CRC with trainee wages subsidised 

through the Caring for our Country initiative and administered by 

the Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council. 

Sally Knight believes the project will have multiple beneficial 

outcomes, “These young men will become role models for their 

peers. With the increase in mining and full water storages in the 

irrigation sector boosting crop prospects, the trainees are gaining 

qualifications that will give them a stake in a very competitive 

labour market. 

“They’re also leading the way for their friends and family to 

see agriculture as a viable career path. If we can skill up and 


Aboriginal cotton trainees start 

work in Narrabri 

mobilise a largely untapped labor force, this can be a win-win for 

everyone in the community from local Aboriginal families looking 

for economic security to rural businesses struggling with labour 

shortages,” explained Sally. 

Training is provided by the TAFE NSW New England Institute 

as part of a flexible program negotiated with the host farm 

businesses to ensure trainees are in the workplace when they’re 

needed most. 

The CRC Cotton Traineeship pilot is not only increasing the 

supply of skilled workers for the agricultural sector, it’s also 

designed to improve environmental biodiversity and on farm 

sustainability. The Namoi Catchment Management Authority is 

assisting with the planning and management of revegetation and 

rehabilitation strategies to be undertaken by trainees. 

The CRC welcomes the tremendous support the project 

has already received, and would like to thank the many local 

companies and organisations who have been part of the project 

including Joblink Plus which has taken on the recruitment process 

in Narrabri and the Australian Business Ltd Apprenticeships 

Centre in Moree which assisted with implementation of the new 

traineeship program. 

“This is a unique opportunity for farm businesses to access 

additional workers and be part of a pilot driven by local people to 

build the capacity of the local labour market,” said Jane Trindall, 

Catchment Programme Leader with the Cotton Catchment 

Communities CRC. 

For young people in the local Aboriginal community the 

traineeships offer the chance to gain skills and experience and a 

nationally recognised qualification in agriculture and in natural 

resource management, both industries with strong job demand. 

For trainees like George Lamb, the project has already proven 

to be extremely valuable. 

George says work in the farm sector is now definitely a career 

path he’d like to pursue, “By far this is the most useful and 

interesting course I’ve ever done.” 

Lyn Trindall (CEO Narrabri Aboriginal Land Council), Jane 

Trindall (Cotton CRC), George Lamb – front (Trainee), Blake 

Hilderson (Trainee), Gus Mason (Trainee), Shane Toomey 

(Trainee), and Verity Gett (TAFE Trainer). 

train young indigenous people living in towns like Narrabri, and 



Crop Cruiser offers new adjustable 

track width 

Customer demand for a durable, self propelled sprayer 

with adjustable wheel track width to accommodate for 

varying cropping demands has seen GoldAcres develop a 

new version of its popular Crop Cruiser Evolution range. 

The ‘on-the-go’ wheel track adjustment system allows Crop 

Cruiser operators to move between different crops and cropping 

systems adjusting wheel track width effortlessly. 

Croppers or contractors can widen the wheel tracks to suit 

three metre centre controlled traffic programs before bringing the 

track width in to two metres for other applications. 

Adjustable wheel track width is available as an option on 

GoldAcres’ Crop Cruiser Evolution 2WD models. 

GoldAcres engineering manager, Roger Richards said the 

development came as a result of customer feedback – particularly 

from mixed croppers and contractors in northern NSW and 

Queensland. 

“Cotton growers need the wheel track width set at narrow 

2.0 metre spacings while cereal cropping programs are generally 

looking for 3.0 metre wheel track centres. 

“In many cases spraying contractors are switching between 

crops every day and the call for an adjustable axle machine was 

heard by GoldAcres loud and clear,” Roger said. 

“The technology allows the operator to set wheel track widths 

at either two metres, or three metres fully extended, at the press 

of a button without leaving the cabin,” he said. 

“The system is completely hydraulically controlled and 

functions as the sprayer is travelling, working seamlessly with the 

Crop Cruiser Evolution’s air bag suspension and enclosed double 

reduction chain drive system. 

“There’s no loss of operating power and operators require as 

little as 50 metres for a full track width change to occur on-the-go.” 

Fitted as an option on 2WD, two wheel steer Crop Cruiser 

Evolution models, the extendable wheel track system does not 

interfere with the Crop Cruiser’s turning circle. Available tyres 

sizes are 13.6R48 or 14.9R46. 

Adjustable track width will be welcome by farmers and 

contractors alike looking for an Australian built machine that is 

noted for its combination of durability and precision performance. 

“GoldAcres’ Crop Cruiser Evolution’s have been in strong 

demand on the back of their reliability,” Roger Richards said. 

“They are a heavy duty construction but with a competitive 

tare weight that is designed to offer a long service life whether 

used by contractors or farmers. 

“Complementing the durability is the new Euro style cabin 

which delivers day-long operator comfort for extended shifts and 

is fitted with the latest sprayer control technology.” 

The extendable wheel track Crop Cruiser Evolution retains 

all other features of the range including a 3500 litre main tank 

and GoldAcre’s class leading TriTech boom system which delivers 

increased boom stability and yaw control. 

The TriTech boom is available to 36 metres and delivers 

ultimate strength and durability with unmatched stability for 

precision spray application. The TriTech’s three-way suspension 

dampens pitch, roll and yaw forces and the boom can be fitted 

with options including Ultraglide, Rapidfire and Rapidflow to 

further improve spraying efficiency. 

“We’ve managed to retain all the features the Crop Cruiser 

Evolution mechanical drive system offers and combine it with the 

flexibility operators and contractors have been calling for in an 

extendable track width package,” Roger said. 

“The Crop Cruiser ultimately delivers a powerful, stable and 

comfortable platform to ensure spray application programs are 

carried out with high level efficiency. 

“Combined with our product service and support farmers and 

contractors alike can rely on GoldAcres to deliver results without 

risk.” 

For further information phone 1300 301 853 or see goldacres.com.au 

Crop Cruiser Evolution 5236. 

The extendable wheel track system. 


Five-star deal 

With farm production tipped to rise another 4.2 per 

cent this financial year and profits expected to be 

positive in all States for the first time in more than 30 

years according to observations from the ABARES Outlook 2012 

conference, Case IH is making it easier for farmers considering 

purchasing a new Quadtrac, Steiger or Magnum tractor to get 

into their new machine sooner. 

All of these new model tractors are being offered with zero 

per cent finance rate fixed for five years, $5000 worth of free 

diesel fuel and a five-year/2500-hour REDCover Warranty for a 

limited time. 

“Lots of farmers have held off upgrading their equipment due 

to the recent floods we’ve seen in some states,” said Case IH 

Tractor Product Manager, Tim Fanning. 

“With conditions finally looking up, it was an ideal time for 

Case IH to take some of that pressure off growers by making it 

easier to upgrade – and just in time for seeding. 

“The zero per cent finance rate is fixed for five years, giving 

customers the peace of mind that they won’t be affected by 

rising interest rates. Plus there’s no balloon payment, so at the 

end of the five-year period, the tractor is paid off entirely.” 

Tim added the constantly rising cost of inputs makes the 

$5000 free diesel fuel offer very attractive. 

“In this economic climate, every little bit helps. Putting diesel 

in the tank is one way we can make a difference,” he said. 

“The addition of the five-year/2,500 hour REDCover Warranty, 

further ensures growers can feel completely confident that their 

investment in a new Case IH high horsepower tractor will return 

dividends.” 

The recently-released high horsepower tractors include five 

new model Magnums, 10 Steiger models and four Quadtrac 

models. The range includes the most powerful Case IH tractors 

ever offered: the Magnum 340 at 340 engine Hp (389 peak Hp) 

and the Steiger and Quadtrac 600 at 608 engine Hp (670 peak 

Hp). 

“In recent Nebraska tests, field days and customer Ride and 

Drive days, the Quadtrac, Steiger and Magnum tractors have 

proven they are the ideal workhorses for Australian conditions, 

standing head and shoulders above the rest,” said Tim. 

The new Quadtrac 600, is among the range of Quadtrac, 

Steiger and Magnum tractors being offered with zero per 

cent fixed finance rate for five years, five-years REDCover 

Warranty and $5000 free diesel fuel. 


Covering round 

bale problems 

After listening to cotton growers and cotton gin 

managers, Polytex has come up with another innovation 

that is needed by all cotton growers and cotton ginning 

companies who are producing and processing round bales. 

Many will have experienced the problems of handling a 

round bale when the initial film cover starts giving way. This may 

happen in the handling either in the field or at the gin. 

For the grower in the field, once the cover gives way 

completely it is an arduous process to hand feed the loose cotton 

back through the picker. The Polytex emergency Ratch-e-tarp 

for round bales can be used by the grower only when there is a 

problem with the initial film cover. The round bale Ratch-e-tarp is 

placed over the bale before the split or damaged film can let go 

and is ratcheted up tight, holding the cotton in place so the bale 

can be transported to the gin without further problem. 

For the gin manager the same applies. Damage can happen 

to the round bale film at the gin site, again creating a major 

problem of handling the bales. 

For the gin site, covers are available to suit single bales or four 

in a row which is needed when there are splits in a bale within a 

row. 

The emergency cover not only retains the shape of a split 

cover but also protects the cotton in the event of rain. 

As with the original Ratch-e-tarp, the round bale Ratch-e-tarp 

utilises webbing and ratchets to tightly tension the cover in place. 

Ratch-e-tarps are available from the manufacturer Polytex. 

Climate science 

for the paddock 

Advisors and grain growers who want information on 

climate and agriculture research and news now have it 

in one place – Australia’s first climate and agriculture 

blog, Agri Climate Culture, www.agriclimateculture.com.au 

Climate variability increasingly challenges the agricultural sector 

in Australia. The Agri Climate Culture blog brings together the 

latest research, news and discussions on a single site. 

“This blog is another tool for growers to manage their 

farm resources and stay profitable,” says John Harvey, GRDC 

Managing Director. “As the climate becomes more variable, 

we’re working with growers to give them tools to stay dynamic 

and build their knowledge.” Launched by the Grains Research 

and Development Corporation, Agri Climate Culture features 

new research and research updates from GRDC, CSIRO, DAFF 

and other research organisations. 

It also features local and international news stories, videos, 

proposal calls for adaptation and mitigation projects, and updates 

on the Climate Champion farmer program. 

Users are encouraged to share their views and comments on 

the site as part of an ongoing discussion between other 

farmers, advisors and researchers. 


Bender160 

released for 

centre pivots 

Valley Irrigation, the leader in precision irrigation, 

continues to offer growers more options that will help 

them be more profitable with the land they already have. 

Valley recently released the Bender160 product for centre pivots 

to the international marketplace. 

For an economical cost, the Bender160 can increase the 

number of irrigated hectares in a field. With the Bender160, a 

grower can easily avoid a tree, building, or other obstacle in the 

field, allowing for maximum irrigated land. 

The Valley Bender160 easily retrofits to existing centre pivots, 

though minor structural changes to the centre pivot are required. 

More than one Bender160 unit, as well as in combination with 

the Bender30, can be installed in multiple locations on the same 

centre pivot. 

“The Bender160 is designed to provide growers with flexibility 

to maximise their irrigated hectares in oddly shaped fields 

with obstacles,” explained Wade Sikkink, Equipment Product 

Manager. “The innovative design of the Bender160 allows for 

continual monitoring of the machine angle while bending, which 

enables growers to control auxiliary functions and end guns. 

This exclusive feature from Valley Irrigation gives growers more 

options to make sure they are getting the most out of their land 

and investment in centre pivot irrigation.” 

“This product is yet another example of the choices Valley 

Irrigation offers to growers,” said Scott Mauseth, International 

Product Manager. “The Bender160 will allow growers in the 

international markets to irrigate areas that were not always 

reachable with a standard centre pivot.” 

With the focus on precision irrigation, Valley Irrigation 

continues to outperform the competition by offering an exclusive 

speed-up timer function, which comes standard with both the 

Bender30 and Bender160. This feature improves a centre 

pivot’s water application while bending. 


A year to 

remember 

National recycling program drumMUSTER continues to 

shatter its own records, with two million agvet chemical 

containers disposed of in the past year. 

This is an unprecedented milestone for the container 

management stewardship program that works in partnership 

with more than 750 shire councils around Australia. National 

Program Manager Allan McGann said the achievement was a real 

testament to the hard work put in by all of its program partners 

and those involved with the program. 

“We are delighted to have collected our two millionth 

container in the past year,” he said. 

“We have been keeping a close eye on our returns tally and 

to achieve this just a few months after collecting our 18 millionth 

container since the program started back in 1998 makes it even 

more satisfying. It’s all down to the dedication of our program 

users around the nation and the terrific work done by all of our 

program representatives.” 

Since the service first formed in late 1998, it has helped keep 

well over 23,000 tonnes of potentially-hazardous materials out 

of landfill and hopes are high that the 20 millionth container 

milestone will be reached by the end of 2012. Once the plastic 

or steel containers are brought in, they are transformed into 

practical items such as wheelie bins, road signs and park benches. 

Manufacturers nation-wide have also embraced the initiative, 

with 93 companies now on board with drumMUSTER. 

Most pleasing for Allan is the significant improvement in 

return rates and the increased number of deliveries, providing 

further proof that the program is providing an essential and 

valued service to the rural industry. 

“Our return rates are looking great, the figures indicate we 

have collected around 120,000 more containers than at the same 

time last year. It’s a really pleasing result and it’s extremely fitting 

that it’s been achieved in this, the Australian Year of the Farmer!” 

To find your nearest drumMUSTER collection site, call 1800 008 707 or 

head online at www.drummuster.com.au 

The Bender160 can increase the number of irrigated hectares 

in a field. 


Southern Europe/Mediterranean (Aug–Sep) 

2012 

Farm 

Study 

Tours 

Canada (Calgary Stampede)/New England (USA) (July) 

Africa and Argentina Four Nations Rugby 

(September/October) 

For more than 19 years Greenmount 

Travellers have criss-crossed the globe 

visiting amazing agricultural, geographical 

and cultural destinations in China, Russia, 

South & North Americas, Canada, India, 

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We know where to go – and have 

established excellent farming and 

agribusiness contacts. We also have 

valuable experience in dealing with the 

unique challenges ‘out of the square’ travel 

presents. This ensures our tours are well 

organised and are expertly guided by local, 

trusted operators and our own experienced 

Greenmount Travel guides. 

Asian Odyssey – Indochina/China/Tibet (Jul–Aug) 

Express your interest by giving us a call 

on 07 4659 3555 or 

email travel@greenmountpress.com.au 

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Licence No. ABN 57085 828011 

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E: travel@greenmountpress.com.au 

Fax: 07 4638 4520

District Reports… 

Central Queensland 

Picking is well underway across Central Queensland. With the 

Dawson/Callide about 50 per cent through picking and Central 

Highlands almost three quarters finished, the irrigated crops are 

again looking at a bit of a mixed bag finish. 

Central Highlands picking commenced in earnest in mid 

March with about half the crop picked before more than 150 

mm of rain over five days caused some flooding, cut roads, and 

held up picking until just before Easter. 

Despite extended periods of wet and cloudy conditions in late 

January and February, average yields in this early picked cotton 

were about 7.5 to 8.6 bales per hectare (3–3.5 bales per acre) with 

reports that a couple of fields have gone in excess of 9.5 bales per 

hectare. But estimated yields are highly variable, as some crops 

appear to have been more affected by this early weather. Yield and 

quality are likely to have been further affected by this latest rain. 

The Dawson/Callide managed to escape some of the heavy 

rain, and early yields are coming in between 8.6–9.9 bales per 

hectare (3.5–4 bales per acre). Quality grades are holding up, 

even despite the rain. Yields across all areas have been helped 

along by turnouts of as high as 46 per cent, and averaging just 

above 40 per cent. 

Dryland cotton has also been a mixed result for Central 

Queensland. Despite another wet season, some farms missed 

the storm rain before Christmas and had to spray their dryland 

cotton out. Flooding, particularly along the Mackenzie, also 

further affected some dryland. Phenoxy spray drift continues to 

be a concern across Central Queensland and a number of crops 

were unfortunately affected. 

Despite these issues, the wet finish has meant there is some 

extremely good looking dryland crops around. After a break from 

cotton of more than 10 years, some farms are now looking at 

possibly a second outstanding cotton crop in as many years. 

Susan Maas 

April 10, 2012 

St George and Dirranbandi 

I sit here rugged up in three jumpers and jackets trying to stay 

warm due to a howling southerly and the fact that my wife has 

turned into a carbon tax dictator with responses such as “you 

don’t need the heater on think of the extra carbon tax you’ll be 

paying in a couple of months!” All this considering two days ago 

on Easter Sunday we were water skiing and enjoying 33ºC days. 

How quickly the seasons change! 

Talking of changing seasons, although this season has been 

very similar to the previous 2010–11 season, the end result has 

been completely different. Unfortunately it is shaping up as one 

growers will most likely prefer to forget. 

The heavy rains and floods during late November and 

early December certainly inflicted some yield losses from the 

lower crop but by January crops appeared to be back on track 

for a moderate to high yield with large numbers of squares 

accumulating. The rain and a cooler summer meant that we were 

about two weeks behind an average season on day degrees. 

Crops by early January were carrying a heavy load of fruit 

and certainly had the potential to compensate for the earlier 

losses. Insect activity had been very low with most farms this year 

averaging one spray for mirids and generally one for mites and 

aphids. The cooler, wet summer ensured that whitefly were not 

an issue this season with few farms having to treat for this pest. 

From talking to Phil Glover, the “Admiral Mountain” still retains a 

reasonable height and size. 

As mentioned, fields appeared to be on track for a reasonably 

high yield until the flooding (literally) rains and 10 days of cool, 

overcast, cloudy weather struck on January 28. Within days the 

tail drains of fields were swollen with squares and small bolls as 

the plant aborted as much fruit as possible. It was quite common 

to find 3 to 4 nodes of fruit missing near the top of the plant. 

Another symptom caused by the rain and floods was that a 

number of crops cut out prematurely and then in late February 

discovered a pile of nitrogen further down in the profile. So we 

now have a large number of fields that have about 40 cm of 

regrowth on the top of the plant which appears as a dirty brown 

stem with the white cotton hidden well below. 

Obviously this has impacted yields. Last year we were 

fortunate to have a dry January, February, March and April 

which allowed the crops to be irrigated on time and grow a high 

yielding finish. Where last year’s yields averaged between 4.3 and 

5.3 with farm averages of 4.8, this year is shaping up to be very 

different. As I type, Dirranbandi is approximately 50–60 per cent 

picked whilst St George is a little later at 20–25 per cent picked 

with the bulk of the St George crop starting this week. 

Considering the gins are only just starting, ginned yields are 

still unknown but indications are that yields will range from 3.5 

bales per acre to 4.5 bales per acre with anything around the 4 

bale mark being very pleasing. 

As one grower whose glass is obviously half full commented, 

“at least we have water for another two seasons.” With fields 

already being slashed, mulched and centre busted it’s probably 

best to look forward to the next season and a few quite beers at 

the Cotton Conference. 

Dallas King 

April 10, 2012 

District Reports 

are proudly supported by 


Border Rivers 

We’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as the 

first farms in the district get defoliated. As we look at crops in 

the mid-stages of boll opening it becomes painfully obvious that 

the cloudy, wet period from late January to mid-February has 

reduced the yield potential of all crops and synchronised a lot 

of the maturity which is going to be logistically challenging for 

harvest. 

The cloudy, wet conditions in early February provided ideal 

conditions for sclerotinia in crops in the Texas and Bonshsw 

area. 


Since the clouds disappeared in mid-February, we have 

had about five weeks of mostly ideal growing conditions. We 

expected crops would compensate from all the fruit they shed 

during this time by loading on a good top crop, but generally this 

has not been the case with the plant continuing to abort bolls, 

and many of those that stuck were parrot-beaked or small. 

Later-planted crops suffered more from this period – and 

now have a large window through the normally productive midsection 

of the crop. Earlier planted crops had generally set a good 

early crop and lost some of the top bolls. 

Dryland crops look particularly good this year with some with 

the potential to reach four to five bales per hectare. 

This season has thrown up a couple of new issues. In late 

January we started observing broad mites in the occasional crop 

and by early February they were at treatable levels in areas. 

Where control was delayed, they caused heavy leaf distortion and 

more worryingly, the failure to set young bolls on the affected 

branches. 

The cloudy and wet weather in January brought on high levels 

of Sclerotinia to crops in the Texas and Bonshaw area. It started 

in the first flowers and when the petals dropped on lower parts 

of the plant it infected bottom branches and moved from there. 

In the worst cases it resulted in the loss of the bottom five nodes 

of bolls and the death of plants from ring-barking. Initially it was 

more common in fields with a legume history but in the end, it 

was found in almost all fields. 

Generally the problem was worst in tall sections of fields. It 

took several weeks of warm weather and reduced irrigation to 

halt the disease but it has reduced yield and delayed maturity in 

many crops. 

Verticillium wilt became apparent in several crops during the 

cool weather in late January. 

Pest-wise, green vegetable bug have been problematic in the 

eastern end of the region with the lack of selective insecticides 

for their control being a real frustration. Mites generally have 

been common post-Christmas, particularly on the eastern end 

of the area. In several crops there were two-spotted mite, brown 

bean mite and broad mites all jostling for positions on the same 

leaf. Aphids have built up late in the season across the whole 

district and have required control. 

Whitefly increased rapidly in mid February after the rain 

stopped but mostly only reached treatable levels in the western 

part of the district. 

Defoliation of the first blocks only started in mid-March so we 

will be lucky if there’s much picking done during March. These 

early blocks are few and far between. At best guess, the bulk of 

crops will be ready for harvest in the last two weeks of April and 

the first week of May which will be a challenge for contractors 

and those relying on them. 

At this early stage, there won’t be any record-breaking 

irrigated yields – the cloud in January making sure of this. The 

dryland results will be worth waiting for as there are some 

outstanding crops out there. 

David Kelly 

March 23, 2012 



Darling Downs 

Weather conditions on the Downs leading into harvest have 

been close to ideal. Dry warm weather has helped finish the late 

crop and allowed growers to desiccate early crops in a timely 

manner. 

Good crops and spraying conditions combined with some 

premature senescence has resulted in excellent desiccation and 

clean picking. Quality looks very good, the colour is bright and 

trash content is low. Ginning hadn’t started when writing this 

report so it is too early to report turnout and quality results at this 

stage. 

Picking of the dryland crop is well underway and a general 

comment from several consultants and growers is that the 

yields are, if anything, slightly better than expected. Early yield 

estimates indicate that most crops are averaging between 1.5 to 

2.0 bales per acre. 

It appears that the southern Downs yields are lower, with 

some crops yielding around one bale per acre. Given the dry 

condition through a large proportion of the season this was to be 

expected. On the other hand, yields in the high twos have been 

reported. The irrigated crop is a few weeks behind the dryland 

crop and there have only been a few early crops picked at this 

stage. 

The annual Cecil Plains grower group field walk held on March 

24 was well attended by many growers and service providers. 

Growers were able to look at a variety of crops, trials and 

production systems. Guest speakers covered a number of issues 

including Fusarium, cotton bunchy top, crop nutrition issues, 

soil compaction and subsoil constraints, 80 inch limited irrigated 

cotton, variety trials and soybean rotation crops. Growers have 

received a copy of the new Cotton Symptoms Guide, a glove 

box size, easy to read publication, produced by the Cotton CRC 

which assists growers and consultants identify problems within a 

cotton crop based on visual symptoms 

Duncan Weir 

April 11, 2012 

Gwydir Valley 

The Gwydir valley growers and consultants are finally starting 

to put to bed the 2011–12 cotton crop, with the first defoliation 

starting in the second and third week of March. Picking will likely 

commence in April but there may be a few crops ready to go 

prior to this. The majority of the crop will be picked late April and 

into May with some stragglers pushing out further into the year. 

Recovery from the flood has been encouraging. Crops have 

responded well to near average conditions and have been able 

to put some late fruit on. It will be interesting to see how long 

the good conditions persist to finish of some of this late fruit. But 

it would have been nice to have a couple more months of kind 

weather to take advantage of this late spurt in crop growth. 

Across the valley there is going to be quite a wide range in 

yields. There are some crops which look extremely good at this 

stage of the season, while flood water has played havoc with 

others and these fields are being kept to salvage whatever is 

possible before turning them around for next season. 

Post flood there was quite a spike of whitefly infestations 

on all crops, including dryland. Such a rapid buildup was 

quite unexpected, as it is contrary to the climatic conditions 

experienced and our knowledge of whitefly life cycles. It 

is surmised that there was a large population out in the 

surrounding countryside which migrated into cotton fields as 

flood water inundated areas outside levees. 

Apart from the high whitefly numbers, heliothis pressure has 

been light, but aphids and green vegetable bugs have been a 

persistent thorn in many sides all season. 

As crops have started to fill bolls there has been a marked 

increase in the incidence of Verticillium and Fusarium wilt in 

crops. It has been a very good year for disease, with a cool start 

favouring black root rot and other seedling diseases, stressed 

crops through waterlogging and a very mild summer adding to 

problems right across the valley. 

Dryland crops unaffected by flooding inundation look 

extremely good and are expected to yield very well. 

James Quinn 

March 24, 2012 

Namoi Valley 

The crop in the Namoi is still running about two weeks later 

than normal. Defoliation of a few early crops has begun but 

the bulk of the crop will not be ready for defoliation before 

mid April. Mild late season conditions have helped irrigated 

crops recover a bit of yield but the lack of rain in most parts of 

the Namoi has reduced dryland crop yields by up to a bale per 

hectare. Picking should be in full swing by late April. 

As we move into autumn the weather has settled into a 

typical pattern of warm days and cool nights. We will need this 

sort of weather for the next few months to get the crop off. 

It’s too early to predict yields accurately. Crops have reasonable 

boll numbers but the bolls are smaller this year. I expect the valley 

average irrigated yield will be about 3.6 bales per acre in the 

lower Namoi and 3.5 in the upper Namoi. Dryland yields are well 

above average and should range from 1.3 bales per acre through 

to a few exceeding 3.5 in the upper Namoi. 

Late season insect numbers increased quite a bit from a very 

quiet start. Mirids, green vegetable bugs, aphids and mites all 

increased in number and generally required one or two sprays 

to control them. Whitefly numbers also increased significantly 

during February and March. Most of the population appeared to 

fly in from neighbouring pastures and weedy fallows rather than 

building up on the cotton itself. About 20 per cent of the crop 

has received a spray for whitefly. Late season Spodotera were 

also present in a few crops. Heliothis numbers have remained 

quite low right to the end of the season. 

The 2011–12 season has been the year of disease. Verticillium 

has devastated a few crops and is present in nearly all Namoi 

crops that have a history of growing cotton. Other diseases that 

have rarely been seen in cotton such as Sclerotinia and botrytis 

have caused severe but isolated damage, particularly under 

centre pivots in the upper Namoi. Hot dry conditions over the 

past month have put disease on hold but individual losses are 

significant. 

Water supplies for next season are very good. Keepit is still 

over 98 per cent full and Split Rock is over 80 per cent full. 

Ground water extractions have been much lower than normal 



Many crops are being defoliated by ground rigs in order to get 

coverage and penetration of thick canopies using higher water 

volumes. 

Spraying for green vegetable bugs continues as they are still 

causing damage to bolls. 

Day degrees are behind average due to cool and cloudy 

conditions over most of the summer period. 

Disease issues have been a real concern. Sclerotinia boll rot 

has been identified and has required treatment in some fields. 

It has been a symptom of the cool moist conditions within 

the canopy. There were delays with getting mepiquat chloride 

applied due to bad weather and this caused excessive canopy 

growth which has added to the incidence of disease. 

The Macquarie field day was due to be held on March 8 but 

had to be postponed due to the wet weather. It is now on April 

12 in the Warren area. 

Water releases from Burrendong are now being reduced to 

around 5000 ML per day after being as high as 19,000 ML per 

day. The dam is now at 103 per cent of capacity and water is being 

released to get it to 100 per cent of capacity. The amount being 

released will be reduced as the dam level gets lower. There have 

been flooding issues with roads and low lying areas along the river. 

At Dinner Plain the 

pace is easy going... 

David Ronald, ‘The Point’, Spring Ridge – winner of the Upper 

Namoi dryland cotton competition. 

so carry over water will be available for most bore users. Fallow 

moisture levels are very good throughout the valley, setting up 

a good year for winter crops and dryland cotton. An irrigated 

cotton area of about 80,000 hectares is anticipated in the Namoi 

next season. The dryland area is also expected to expand up to 

55,000 hectares. 

All we need now is eight weeks of fine weather to pick the 

crop! 

Congratulations to Tom Swain, ‘Glencoe’, winner of the Upper 

Namoi irrigated crop competition and David Ronald, ‘The Point’, 

Spring Ridge, who took out the dryland competition. Andrew 

Watson from Boggabri was also awarded the Cotton Grower of 

the Year Award for the Upper Namoi. 

Robert Eveleigh 

April 1, 2012 

Macquarie Valley 

The season continues with defoliation almost in full swing for 

the majority of crops in the Narromine region. Some crops further 

downstream around Warren have been picked but it is too 

early to comment on yields. Recent warm weather has helped 

somewhat towards achieving respectable yields as possibly more 

of the later fruit will make it through to picking. 


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All water accounts have now been reset to 100 per cent after 

the dam spilling. There have also been some supplementary 

water events. This augers well for a large cotton area for next 

season. 

All growers are now looking for a dry pick and then rain for 

the winter cropping program. 

Craig McDonald 

April 10, 2012 

areas, requiring control – mainly in fields adjacent to soybeans, 

corn or native vegetation. 

Despite the fact that much of the region received more than 

it’s average annual rainfall in one week, the crops appear to be 

back on track. The finish has been very favourable with good 

warm days over the past few weeks, with temperatures in the 

high twenties and low thirties. This has resulted in many crops 

receiving their first defoliation pass in the last week of March, 

indicating that picking should start mid April. 

James Hill 

April 10, 2012 

Southern NSW 

The crops in southern NSW are looking very good, considering 

the cool season and recent extreme rainfall events. There have 

been localised areas of crop inundation, yet the proportion of 

area with severe damage overall is low. In terms of timing, we 

were fortunate that the crop was quite mature at the time of 

flooding, therefore resulting in less significant damage. Some 

crops were affected by overland flows from the initial heavy rain 

and run off. 

A number of these areas are situated on the Murrumbidgee 

River and the Mirrool Creek region west of Griffith, where 

the water backed up as it tried to enter the Blackbox Swamp. 

Considering the volume of overland flow, significant crop 

damage occurred in only a few small areas. 

Fortunately there has been very little late season insect 

pressure with only a small percentage of crops hosting mites and 

aphids. Green vegetable bug numbers spiked in small localised 

Answer to Ian’s Mystery 

Tractor Quiz 

The tractor is a 1936 International W 30, possibly the top selling 

grain farm tractor of the period. (IMJ collection) 

Murrumbidgee floodplain west of Hay. 

Aquatech Consulting....................28 

Austral Rope & Cordage...............19 

Barmac........................................31 

Bayer.................................... 12, 13 

Cargill Cotton...............................34 

Case IH........................................ 11 

Charlton........................................8 

Convey-All.....................................6 

Cotton Grower Services............... IFC 

Cotton Outlook............................IBC 

CSD...............................................5 

Countryco Training.......................20 

Cruiser R&D Fund........................39 

Dinner Plain............................1, 63 

drumMUSTER...............................20 

Ecom Commodities.......................37 

Ergon............................................3 

1st Class......................................22 

Advertiser’s Index 

Goldacres Trading..........................9 

Howard Australia.........................17 

Lindsay Irrigation........................21 

Moree Real Estate........................34 

Namoi Cotton...............................43 

Neils Parts...................................41 

New Holland..................................7 

Omnistar.....................................23 

Pivot Irrigation............................47 

Polytex........................................41 

Precision Cropping Technologies...26 

Queensland Cotton.......................35 

SMK Consultants............................2 

Study Tours..................................61 

Sumitomo................................. OBC 

The Appointments Group................2 

Tractorman..................................45 

Valmont.......................................29

Australian Cottongrower - Greenmount Press

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