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The Australian CottongrowerP.O. Box 766, Toowoomba, 4350. Ph: (07) 4659 3555. Fax (07) 4638 4520. Email: [email protected] Website: www.cottongrower.com.auDELIVERIES: 120 Herries St, Toowoomba, Qld. 4350.

EDITOR: David DowlingASSOCIATE EDITOR: Lloyd O’ConnellGROUP SALES MANAGER: Norm NeeldPRODUCTION MANAGER: Mick AllanOFFICE MANAGER: Catherine O’Connell

ADVERTISING: Norm NeeldPh: (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.

www.cottongrower.com.au

August–September 2012

August–September 2012 The Australian Cottongrower — 1

2012 Cotton Grower of the Year

16th Cotton Conference roundup

Evaluating insecticides for PCS

INSI

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AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2012Volume 33, No.4 $6.60

Print Post Approved Publication No. PP 424022/1583

After a break of 150 years, cotton has returned to the Queensland coastal town of Maryborough. Kepler Atkinson helped work on the 40 hectare trial. (Photo by Amy Claireton)

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ContentsEditorial 2

Cotton Research Roundup 4

New look for Cotton Australia 8

Nigel Corish and ‘Yambocully’: 2012 Cotton Grower of the Year 12

16th Cotton Conference roundup 15

The changing face of aphids and mites in Australian cotton 20

Water Matters… Case study: Pipes through the bank 23

Nutrition Feature… Impact of nitrogen fertiliser losses from cotton 27Nutrition knowledge and software aids cotton growers 30Increase soil carbon by managing stubble 31

Marketing… World Commodity Watch 34The World Cotton Market 36China cotton training goes interactive 38ICA arbitrations remain high 38

Ginning & Fibre Series… Detecting and removing contamination in Australian gins 40

After 150 years, cotton returns to southern Queensland 42

Mapping estimated deep drainage in the lower Namoi Valley 44

The search for nematode-resistant cotton 46

Classic Tractor Tales… The joys (or otherwise) of tractor driving! 49

Germinating Ideas 53

Evaluating insecticides for controlling pale cotton stainer bug 55

News & New Products 57

District Reports 61

Front Cover…

For all advertising enquiries please contact Group Sales Manager

Norm Neeld on 07 5450 1720 or 0428 794 801E: [email protected]

As expected, the 2012 Cotton Conference was huge, with a great feeling of optimism evident over the three days. Of course, the mood would have been better if the cotton price had a 5 in front of it rather than a 3. Nevertheless, there is still a long time to get a decent selling opportunity between now

and the end of the season.After a record crop the previous year, the season just gone will undoubtedly

be another record. But we may have to wait for quite a while to get an accurate handle on what looks to be close to a five million bale crop. Of course, the season was late and the ginning capacity was always going to be stretched. A lower price is likely to see the crop fall back to a more manageable four million bales or so next season, which could ease some of the logistical problems.

There are plenty of reasons for the dramatic fall in the cotton price earlier this year, and most experts can explain them after the event. Just as they could explain the incredible high prices the previous year – after the event. But the more I look at cotton and other commodity markets, the more convinced I am that no-one has any real idea which way they will go or why. And if they did know, they wouldn’t tell you anyway. Just like horse racing experts – if they really knew which horse was going to win, they wouldn’t be telling anyone.

Apparently, part of the problem is that China has been stockpiling a huge amount of cotton over the past few years for no apparent reason, and there are some concerns that this may mean they will be reluctant to buy any more for a while.

Nevertheless, China still seems to be buying cotton. Having just returned from China, this inscrutable attitude to their cotton mountain was just one of many things that didn’t make sense to an outsider.

Such as why they keep building huge numbers of apartment buildings while many of the existing ones remain empty. And why they build six lane highways which are often nearly deserted. And why the average life of one of those apartment buildings is about 17 years – after which they knock them down to build a bigger one.

I’m sure the reasons for all these things will become clear eventually. After all, the Chinese seem to know what they are doing. Let’s hope so anyway.

Editorial…� David�Dowling,�Editor

2 — The Australian Cottongrower August–September 2012

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In this issue...2012 Cotton Grower of the YearNigel Corish, ‘Yambocully’, Goondiwindi has been honoured as the Monsanto 2012 Cotton Grower of the Year, at the Annual Australian Cotton Industry Awards night.See story ................................................................... Page 12

16th Cotton Conference roundupAfter two record seasons in the Australian cotton industry, it was not surprising that the 16th Australian cotton Conference was also a record. There were over 1500 registrations for the Conference held at the Gold Coast on August 14–16.Stories start .............................................................. Page 15

Nutrition FeatureThe application of nitrogen fertiliser is the direct cause of nitrous oxide (N

2O)

emissions from cropping systems. Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG) and has a warming potential 310 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO

2). Should agricultural

producers choose to take advantage of carbon trading initiatives, they will need to target and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, especially N

2O emissions.

Stories start .............................................................. Page 27

Detecting and removing contaminationAustralian cotton is viewed as a quality product with little or no contamination and is usually purchased (at a premium) to produce high quality, fine count ring spun yarn. Spinners indicate low contamination is one of the most favorable properties associated with Australian fibre quality.See story ................................................................... Page 40

Mapping deep drainage in lower NamoiThe Murray Darling Basin (MDB) is a prime agricultural region of southeastern Australia. It accounts for half of all water used for irrigation in Australia. But there are increasing pressures on irrigators to improve water use efficiency (WUE) owing to increasing demands on water for environmental flows, new mining industries (such as coal seam gas production) and in some instances to manage shallow water tables.See story ................................................................... Page 44

Evaluating insecticides for PCSWith the increased adoption of Bollgard II cotton in recent years, higher levels of pale cotton stainer (PCS) infestations have been reported from different areas. PCS cause damage to bolls by inserting their long proboscis to feed on developing and mature seeds. This feeding activity causes black spots on the boll, warty growths inside the boll wall and brown coloured lint. Feeding on seeds results in tight lock, preventing the lint from fluffing out as the boll opens See story ................................................................... Page 55

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Industry announces development and delivery model

Building on the legacy of the Cotton CRC, a new collaboration between Cotton Australia, Cotton Seed Distributors and CRDC has been formed to resource and manage the industry’s R&D extension and myBMP services.

This collaborative investment will see a significant expansion of specialist extension information and R&D information services across cotton growing regions in time for the 2012–13 crop.

These three leading cotton industry organisations have pledged funding for five years for a new Australian Cotton Industry Development and Delivery Team.

Announcing the collaboration at the 16th Australian Cotton Conference, CRDC Executive Director Bruce Finney said $4 million has been pledged annually to resource and manage delivery of R&D information.

“This will see an expansion of regional services in many cotton districts to work with farmers looking to improve practices and adopt best practice. The cotton industry is committed to ensure that every grower is geared for success with every crop.

“Improved communications of trusted advice and specialist technical knowledge is a vital ingredient of successful cotton production. Trusted information will be readily available due in part through local facilitators and enhanced communication between researchers, growers, consultants, agribusiness, natural resource management agencies and cotton industry organisations.

“We are happy to announce that leading this complex and important new service will be Dr Ian Taylor of Narrabri. Ian is widely regarded across all sectors of the cotton industry for his practical solutions based approach.

“Ian has extensive experience having worked in cotton research, research program management and commercialisation of research for NSWDPI, CRDC and Monsanto. Ian and the D&D team will be working with industry researchers,

agribusiness, crop consultants and NRM organisation partners to ensure they meet the evolving needs of growers and industry.

“The appointment and resourcing of new people in the field, new resources for online delivery of information including myBMP, information websites and mobile telephone applications (Apps) will result in improved responsiveness to grower needs as the season unfolds.”

New CRDC team membersCRDC seeks to proactively manage its research investment

with researchers to maximise the benefits from the results for growers and the community.

“Having managed down during the drought, CRDC is responding to the better industry circumstances with the welcome opportunity and challenges of a doubling in R&D investments and implementing new collaborative arrangements for industry development and delivery,” said CRDC executive director Bruce Finney.

“In doing so, CRDC is fortunate to have recruited four more highly capable staff to join Bruce Pyke, Tracey Leven and Dallas Gibb in our R&D management team.”

Jane Trindall began as CRDC’s Program Manager – Natural Resource Management (NRM) in mid July and is responsible for leading the development of its NRM strategy and research activities. “My role is to nurture strategic linkages and collaborations with natural resource management research providers and organisations and identify opportunities for new partnerships and co-investment,” Jane says.

Jane brings over 15 years’ experience of working in the field of natural resource management to this role. Her most recent role was Catchment Program Manager for the Cotton CRC. The Catchment Program included research projects to better understand groundwater, surface water, water quality, ecosystem services and projects to provide guidance for growers and natural resource management agencies. Prior to this role, Jane co-led a major Namoi Catchment Management Authority/Cotton CRC project to invest in NRM projects in line with the Namoi Catchment Action Plan.

Jane recently co-ordinated the production of The Australian Cotton Water Story – which brings together over 80 articles on cotton related water R&D undertaken over the past decade and launched at this year’s Australian Cotton Conference (and included with this issue of The Australian Cottongrower).

Allan Williams brings much experience to the role of CRDC Program Manager for soils, climate change/greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency. In this new role, Allan will represent the CRDC on relevant cross-sectoral committees that have been established by the Australian Government to drive collaboration and co-ordination on climate change, nutrition and soils related research.

Allan will be able to bring a practical perspective to those committees on behalf of cotton farmers and will identify potential opportunities for collaboration and industry participation in government funding initiatives. For the past seven years Allan has been working for the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) as the Program Manager for Asia and has chaired the International Cotton Advisory Committee’s expert panel on the Social, Environmental and Economic Performance of cotton.

Susan Maas has joined CRDC as Senior Development and Delivery Team Specialist – Disease and Biosecurity. Susan will be based in Emerald and will work with the Australian Cotton Industry D&D team headed by Ian Taylor. Susan will continue to lead the Come Clean Go Clean farm biosecurity campaign and

Cotton Research Roundup…

Bruce Finney Bruce Pyke

Ian Taylor.

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expand her editorial work on industry publications and mobile APPs. Susan will lead production of the annual Pest Management Guide and the Cotton Production Manual.

Prior to taking on this role, Susan was working with Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and the Cotton CRC and her appointment with CRDC is a continuation and expansion of her Biosecurity Specialist role in the D&D Team. While no longer having a direct regional role, Susan’s presence in the area will allow her to maintain close contact with the industry.

As the new CRDC representative to Plant Health Australia (PHA) Susan says part of her role entails building relationships within PHA and helping industry to further consider and manage its biosecurity risks. “This will include building awareness within the industry of threats and ensuring there are contingencies in place,” she says. “I’m also really looking forward to another aspect of my role which is to improve linkages between the D&D Team and Crop Consultants Australia (CCA). Consultants are on the ground and are the first to be aware of emerging issues, and are key partners in the delivery of innovation and research.”

Pathway to fight diseases of cottonLast season highlighted the communication difficulties that

can occur in coordinating enquiries and responses between growers, consultants, industry personnel and researchers from different agencies.

A new web-based communication model named PathWAY has been launched to assist disease enquiries. PathWAY was developed by NSW DPI cotton pathologist Dr Karen Kirkby who has a particular interest in improving communication between researchers, growers, extension people and stakeholders. Karen is also a 2012 Future Cotton Leaders participant and says the skills she learned through the program helped her to develop and implement the new communication model.

PathWAY works behind the scenes linking a network of cotton professionals across agencies, borders and funding bodies including

representatives from NSW DPI, CSD, Queensland DAFF, CRDC, CSIRO and Cotton Australia. It is a transparent model, allowing the network to see what the latest issues are and who has responded.

The involvement of pathologists, virologists, researchers, extension people, consultants, and funding body representatives in PathWAY has been very positive. This collaborative network facilitates a co-ordinated approach to grower concerns, and at the same time quantifies disease issues and responses. This data can then be added to a database where the information is made available to the wider cotton industry through extension, publications and new research.

For more information, contact Dr Karen Kirkby 02 6799 2454.

Water story now availableThe Australian Cotton Water Story was launched at the recent

Australian Cotton Conference by CRDC Chair Mike Logan, Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay, and CRDC’s Jane Trindall. The publication documents a decade of progress in irrigation research and implementation.

Compiled by CRDC the story provides a snapshot of over 80 water research projects, from more than 100 researchers and quantifies the improvements in water use over the past decade.

Jane Trindall said that huge advances had been made in irrigation efficiency over the period of the book.

“We have been able to document a 40 per cent improvement in cotton water productivity, tied to cotton yields that are two-and-a-half times the world average for quality cotton,” Jane said.

“Other key findings included that 70 per cent of irrigators use soil moisture probes, up from 40 per cent in 2006, and 62 per cent of groundwater users regularly monitor water quality, which is up from 20 per in 2006.”

The book is divided in to chapters which range from “The Farm”, through to “Wetlands” and from “Water Quality” to “Groundwater”.

Copies are available by contacting CRDC.


Phil Armytage (Cotton CRC), Mike Logan (CRDC), Adam Kay (Cotton Australia) and Jane Trindall (CRDC) at the launch of the Australian Cotton Water Story.

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MOREE based cotton grower and beef cattle producer Lyndon Mulligan has been elected the new chairman of Cotton Australia.

Coming into the role Lyndon said the challenge for the industry was how to profitably manage very large crops, such as this season’s record 4.8 million bales and the associated 1.5 million tonnes of cotton seed.

At the Cotton Australia Annual General Meeting on the Gold Coast, out-going chairman Andrew Watson, Boggabri said it had been a very exciting two years as chairman, that coincided with two records crops as the industry rapidly recovered from drought.

Andrew said the recovery had allowed Cotton Australia to rebuild its reserves and staff capabilities, and in light of this he announced that starting with the 2013 crop, the voluntary levy would be dropped from $2.25 to $2 per bale.

“We have taken a precautionary approach to the way we have expanded Cotton Australia’s capabilities,” Andrew said.

“We want to be in the position to handle the next drought and associated smaller crops, without having to reduce Cotton Australia’s capacity to represent the interests of the industry.”

He also said that he was delighted to announce that Cotton Australia had just signed a joint venture with the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) and Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) which would ensure a very strong focus on extension following the finalisation the Cotton CRC in June.

“In addition we have clearly identified the need to build

human capacity across the industry, and to that end Cotton Australia is working with CRDC to develop an industry strategy,” he said.

Andrew also noted that this year was Cotton Australia’s 40th Birthday, and that the organisation had been successfully representing the interests of the cotton industry since 1972.

He acknowledged the major contribution outgoing board member and former Australian Cotton Growers Research Association board member Andrew Parkes had made to the industry in many roles, and welcomed to the board Mungindi grower Barb Grey.

Namoi Cotton’s CEO Jeremy Callachor was also returned to the Board.


New look for Cotton Australia

Cotton AustrAliA CelebrAtes 40 yeArs

After notching up four decades of service, the body which has represented Australian Cotton Growers for all of those years, Cotton Australia, recently celebrated that event in Narromine.

The birthday dinner brought together the very first chairman of Cotton Australia, Alan Brimblecombe along with the (then) current Chairman Andrew Watson as well as past and present directors and staff.

Held at the Narromine Aero Club, the birthday event included a cake and some stories from another former Cotton Australia Chairman and Director, Peter Corish.

After 40 years, current CEO Adam Kay says Cotton Australia remains as relevant today as when the industry began.

“In the early days of cotton, there was a lot to learn about successfully growing the crop down under as well as being a united voice for a much smaller grower base. These days Cotton Australia is still focused on ensuring our growers have a consistent voice to government as well as a direct input towards research and development.”

Adam says the Narromine birthday event was an important opportunity to reflect on the past, looking back at where the industry has come from as well as considering what the future might hold for cotton in this country.

Peter Corish, Adam Kay, Andrew Watson and Alan Brimblecombe at the Cotton Australia 40th birthday.

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Barb Grey joins Cotton Australia’s BoardMungindi cotton grower Barb Grey is the new face on the

Board of Cotton Australia.Barb farms with her husband Ralph in both the Mungindi

region and on the Darling Downs, and has had a long association with the cotton industry.

She was a director of the Cotton catchment Communities CRC until it finished in June this year, and she was the national runner-up in the 2011 RIRDC Rural Woman of the Year.

In addition she has been chair of WinCott (Women in Cotton)

and on the organising committee for the 16th Australian Cotton Conference.

She has a passion for the human capacity challenges facing the cotton industry, and is currently involved in a project aimed at making it easier to employ overseas workers.

More broadly, Barb sees a major challenge for the industry in the management of the whole supply chain, especially in light of the record recent crops in Australia.


Barb Grey.

The new look Cotton Australia board.




















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NIGEL Corish, ‘Yambocully’, Goondiwindi has been honoured as the Monsanto 2012 Cotton Grower of the Year, at the Annual Australian Cotton Industry Awards

night.At a 70s themed dinner on the Gold Coast, with over 1000

guests, Nigel received his award from Monsanto Australia’s Daniel Kruithoff and the CEO of The National Farmers Federation, Matt Linnegar.

Nigel, who runs the 4800 hectare ‘Yambocully’ for the Corish Family Partnership impressed the judges with his constant achievement of high yields and ever improving water efficiency.

Attributing much of his success to the team environment at ‘Yambocully’, Nigel paid tribute to his employees, and said whatever the job, they all got stuck into getting the job done.

The convener of the judging panel, Geoff McIntyre, said it was a well-integrated and coordinated dryland and irrigation farming and grazing system.

“Nigel has extensive community involvement both through the Gateway to Agribusiness program and the CRDC funded schools project,” he said.

“He is also well advanced with myBMP, having achieved level two across all categories.”

Geoff said the panel had been very impressed by the contribution of all the finalists to the industry, and the hospitality that they had been shown as the moved across NSW and QLD.

The other two finalists were Scott Brimblecome, ‘Ashwood Farms’, St George and Steve Porter, ‘Cleveland’, Mungindi.

Murrumbidgee newcomer honoured with High Achiever Award

The AgriRisk High Achiever Award, presented by Deidre McCallum, went to southern NSW grower, Mat Stott, ‘Point Farms’, Darlington Point.

With just two cotton crops under his belt, he impressed the judges with his passion for the industry and the immediate adoption of outstanding management practices including water efficiency and farm hygiene.

Geoff McIntyre said the judges had been impressed with the leadership shown in helping to establish the industry in the Murrumbidgee.

“On his own farm he has successfully integrated cotton into a very diverse farming system,” Geoff said.

“He has also demonstrated a really well developed understanding of cotton agronomy and pest management, and that has been demonstrated by the achievement of high yields.”

The panel had also been very impressed with the other two finalists: Ian and Marilyn Carter, ‘Connamara Partnership’, Quirindi and Scott Armstrong and Richard Ross, ‘Cooinda’, St George.

Jamie Iker receives Young Achiever Award

Twenty-four year-old Emerald consultant Jamie Iker has been awarded the Chris Lehmann Trust Young Achiever Award sponsored by Bayer Cropscience.

Jamie’s research into recovery options for flood damaged cotton crops after the 2010–11 floods in Emerald has attracted a lot of positive industry attention.

In addition he has been an extremely active promoter of agricultural careers, regularly speaking to students at schools in both Toowoomba and Emerald.

He’ll use his bursary to develop an industry video advocating careers in the cotton industry.

Judging Panel convener Helen Dugdale said Jamie had impressed the judges with both his achievements and his ideas for the industry.

“He is just so encouraging to other young people in the industry,” Helen said.

Helen also praised the very high calibre of the other two finalists; Rod Smith, ‘Milchengowrie’, Boggabri and Andrew O’Connor, ‘Strathguyle Farms’, Mungindi.


Nigel Corish and ‘Yambocully’: 2012 Cotton Grower of the Year

Cotton Grower of the Year recipient Nigel Corish (right) and Jim O’Connor.

Mat and Andrew Stott.

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Dr Paula Jones Cotton Industry’s Researcher of The Year

Dr Paula Jones, a social researcher from the Cotton CRC at Narrabri, received the Cotton Seed Distributors 2012 Researcher of the Year Award, which was presented by CSD’s Steve Ainsworth.

Paula was recognised for her work in pulling together the widespread community research component of the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC.

Among her key achievements was the coordination of the Stubbs Report which played a pivotal role in the understanding of the social and economic impacts of the proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and the Wee Waa Drought study, which highlighted the economic devastation long-term drought can have on irrigation dependent communities.

Convener of the selection panel, Cotton Australia’s Greg Kauter said that Paula made a tremendous contribution to our understanding of the social and economic contribution of the industry to the community.

The other finalists were Dr Stuart Gordon, Research Group Leader, CSIRO Materials and Science Engineering, Geelong and Dr Jeff Werth, Senior Research Scientist, Queensland DAFF, Toowoomba.

Darling Downs Grower Recognised with Cotton Industry Service Award

The prestigious Cotton Australia Service to Industry Award was presented by Queensland Agriculture Minister John McVeigh to Darling Downs grower Jeff Bidstrup.

Jeff has contributed to the industry at local, regional, state, national and international levels.

He has served on the Cotton Research and Development Corporation Board, the Darling Downs Cotton Growers Association for 25 years, and in more recent years has focused on finding ways to protect quality farming land from the impacts of the energy sector.

Convener of the judging panel, Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay, said Jeff had contributed at almost every level of the industry.

“He has been a long-term trial co-operator, served on the CRDC board, been a strong advocate for bio-technology for which he is internationally recognised, and in more recent years has been at the forefront to lobby for legislation to protect high quality agricultural land from mining in Queensland,” Adam said.

“He is one of those quiet achievers – if he is told something is not possible, he will find a way to make it happen.”


Dr Paula Jones.

Jeff Bidstrup.

Award recipients from left: Mat Stott, Jamie Iker, Nigel Corish and Jeff Bidstrup (Dr Paula Jones was absent).

AFTER two record seasons in the Australian cotton industry, it was not surprising that the 16th Australian cotton Conference was also a record. There were over 1500

registrations for the Conference held at the Gold Coast on August 14–16.

The big crowd was informed by some great speakers, including many from overseas. The program was an intelligent mix of research and marketing with some ‘left-field’ topics thrown in as well.

Another record was set in the support shown by Trade Exhibitors, with a good ‘buzz’ in the trade area at all times. Above all, the Conference was a great networking opportunity and a chance for a break before next season.

Coal seam gas and mining session attracts a packed house

Delegates to the Conference flocked to the Coal Seam Gas and Mining session to hear whether genuine co-existence is a possible or an impossible goal.

Dalby based lawyer Peter Shannon told the audience that while ‘co-existence’ was the buzz word, for a lawyer like himself it was all about the impact on property rights.

“The energy industry stands to make billions, but landholders can at best only break even,’ Peter said.

Peter said that he felt the law needed to change to ensure landholders where fairly compensated, and also that fair compensation would lead to a much more positive business relationship between the landholders and the resource companies.

James Baulderstone from CSG producer Santos agreed that it was important to develop a positive business relationship with landholders.

“We have to be able to come back onto properties to service the wells, and that relationship is not going to work if the

landholder is looking daggers at you all the time,’ he said.Referring to Santos’s recently announced compensation

package which included a $30,000 upfront payment, James said while there could be a discussion around whether it was enough, it was also important that resource companies brought something to the community, like highly skilled jobs.

“We are the new kids on the block, and we must bring something to the table,” James said.

This feeling was echoed by Queensland Resource Council CEO Andrew Barger who said the mining of resources must have a positive legacy for communities.

“As an industry we need to talk less about the billions of dollars involved, and more about agronomy,” he said.

“What can we do to help you increase your yield on your land that we are not impacting on,” he said.

But while the audience agreed that mining had to give something back to the community, statements from the floor indicated that despite the reassuring words of the resource


16th Cotton Conference roundup

Panel members for the coal seam gas session.

companies, the reality was that the energy sector was negatively impacting on the community.

Fairfax Agricultural Media Canberra Bureau Chief Colin Bettles told the session that his visit to the Powder River Resource Basin in Wyoming earlier this year had highlighted an ambivalent attitude to the energy industry by landholders.

He said many had made a lot of money, but there had also been a major environmental and production cost paid, primarily due to the inadequate management of the salty waste water.

Colin said if there was a lesson to be learnt for Australia it was the need to manage the waste water, and not to just rush into development.

Andrew agreed. “If the answer is anything like what has happened in the Powder River Basin, then you would be crazy to go there,” he said.

Forward contract forum sparks debate

The Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) proposal to adjust the base grade from the existing middling to the higher quality strict middling, attracted plenty of interest and discussion at the Australian Cotton Conference.

Speaking at the Forum, Gordon Cherry (Louis Dreyfus Commodities and ACSA member) noted that 60 to 70 per cent of the Australian cotton crop was forward sold up to three years ahead of the crop planting and of those forward sales, 90 per cent were for the strict middling quality.

“Currently the higher quality strict middling cotton is priced too closely to the current base grade middling cotton and so the strict middling quality cotton is subsidising the middling,” he said.

“Or in other words, the linkage between the two means that the middling is limiting the potential for the strict middling quality to achieve a higher premium.”

Gordon cited research which has found that Australian growers have consistently produced higher amounts of the strict middling quality cotton. More than double the amount of middling over the past 10 years.

Growers at the forum expressed concerns regarding the ability of the Australian cotton industry to supply the higher grades of cotton on a consistent basis.

Andrew Parkes of Moree queried if, due to dry years and perfect growing conditions, the industry had created an unrealistic expectation by the export markets of the quantity of higher level cotton that could be produced.

“Environment plays the largest part in the quality and colour of the cotton crop,” he stated.

“Weather and especially rain can play havoc with an existing premium crop; factors which we the growers have no control over,” Andrew said.

“Generally, growers can be assured of returning a middling quality crop so why is this current base grade not the focus of our marketing and selling efforts?”

The desire of China, Australia’s key importer of cotton, to purchase only the higher grade of cotton from Australia was cited as the answer.

Gordon said, quoting a Chinese buyer:“I buy from Australia for the higher quality strict middling

quality cotton. If I wanted the lesser quality middling I would look to the less expensive markets of Brazil, the US and India.”

Hendra Ho, a cotton buyer with Coorom based in Sydney, attended the forum and agreed that it was a difficult situation for the growers, marketers and buyers.

“It is always a problem when the quality that has been purchased cannot be delivered,” he said.

“Our milling clients in Asia specifically want the higher grades of cotton, and have limited use for the lower graded middling.”

Sex sellsJust like for the opening address, the auditorium at the

Conference was packed as delegates gathered to hear Dr Rosie King, sex therapist speaking on Managing Intimate Relationships.

In line with the agricultural theme, Rosie focused her amusing presentation on pollinating, suggesting that “sex is good for you.” A statement that brought applause from the audience!

Rosie provided conference attendees with several pearls of wisdom for increased well-being, stress release and longevity.

Her first key message was for everyone to get their Vitamin T, a minimum of a seven second hug every day for well-being.

Her second message was to ensure everyone gets skin on skin time from your partner, a massage or even a pet.

Ironing is foreplay was a message applauded by the women in the audience and ‘The more you smoke, the less you poke’ was greeted by nervous laughter by some in the audience.

The second keynote speaker of the session was Todd Sampson, CEO of Leo Burnett and break-out star of ABC’s The Gruen Transfer.

Todd had all enthralled with his message of creativity, courage and overcoming fear. All appreciated his message that the most spectacular leaders are not braver than the average person – they are just braver for five minutes more.

Todd used his experiences as an instigator of ‘Earth Hour’, an initiative that commenced in Sydney and is now a global phenomenon in which 135 countries and one billion people participate.

Todd recalled his meeting with Sir Edmund Hillary after simply looking up his phone number in the white pages, and his subsequent second meeting with the renowned mountaineer at the Mount Everest base camp.

Sensing some anxiety in Todd as he prepared for his unassisted Everest climb, Sir Edmund inspired him with “Todd, don’t be afraid,” a message that Todd passed on to conference attendees.


Gus McClymont, Neek Morawitz and Tracey Leevan at the Cotton Conference.

Delegates may have found out more than they really wanted to know as Todd shared his experiences of bodily functions at high altitude – reinforcing his message of not letting fear limit your creativity.

Dr Jason Fox provided a humorous close to the conference with his comedic and cartoon take on the information sessions of the previous three days, ending the formal workshops of the conference on a high note and with laughter.

Cotton industry environmental assessment

Initial findings of a third independent assessment of the Australian cotton growing industry’s environmental management and performance were outlined by Jane Trindall of CRDC.

The 2012 assessment represents the continuation of a 21 year commitment of the cotton industry in undertaking comprehensive independent environmental assessments, a process unique in agricultural industries in Australia.

The story of the modern Australian cotton industry is a truly positive one, with significant environmental improvements having been achieved over the past two decades. This was in response to previous assessments in 1991 and 2003, alongside an ongoing R&D program, increased responsibility and commitment to managing environmental impacts and the introduction of the industry’s myBMP program to extend priority R&D and support adoption by growers.

The third assessment has recognised the key achievements of the industry in the past decade, including a substantial reduction

in the use of chemicals for cotton growing, major gains in water use efficiency (40 per cent improvement), major advances in land and water management on-farm and active engagement in landscape and catchment wide natural resource management.

Growers, industry and external stakeholders hold the environmental performance of the industry in high regard.

The process has articulated future priorities and challenges for the industry, recognising an increasingly complex operating environment. Recommendations address the need to communicate the industry’s successes around environmental management and performance, ensuring RD&E strategies are in place for continuous improvement, and recognising the importance of evidence-based reporting and demonstrating outcomes of on farm and industry success.

Efficiency in the management of inputs and resources (water, fuel, and nutrients) are top priorities identified by growers.

Future industry effort needs to take into account how society accesses information now – information gathering and the media world is changing rapidly, with prevalence of online news and social media.

Strategies and actions for meeting increasingly demanding global market needs will remain highly important for the cotton industry. These include aspirations of retailers, the values held by consumers and wider public perceptions of cotton growing.

Small focus groups undertaken as part of the process indicate that perceptions of cotton growing in metropolitan areas are out-dated, but that there is interest in understanding innovations in agriculture, and cotton’s place in the environmental and social stewardship of agriculture.


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Carbon and energy costs – a better bottom line

The ‘Carbon and Energy Costs – A better bottom line’ session of the Australian Cotton Conference showcased four diverse speakers covering carbon farming, and energy and input efficiency in productive cotton farming systems.

Speakers included current industry and leading national researchers: Dr Jeff Baldock, CSIRO, Francois Visser of University of Qld, Dr Lance Pendergast and Prof Snow Barlow of the University of Melbourne.

Optimising inputs and managing cotton farming systems for productivity present ‘win-win’ solutions for growers, in terms of cost savings, productivity and profitability, and potential benefits from the government’s new Clean Energy Package and voluntary Carbon Farming Initiative.

More work was needed though, particularly in providing information on the economics around changing practices, to help growers decide on the potential.

Dr Jeff Baldock reiterated the potential for carbon accounting in Australian soils, but its variability means there won’t be one solution.

He said it was important for farmers to understand requirements before engaging in carbon markets, and potential constraints which included implications on land values and uncertainty in carbon value.

Francois Visser of the University of Queensland has been working on carbon footprint accounting for cotton farms, which was particularly important given the rise of sustainability labelling globally and the fact that it was increasingly being pushed back through the supply chain to the grower.

He said the industry had an opportunity to use the cotton Best Management Practices (BMP) system to take Australian BMP cotton to the market – as ‘carbon light cotton’.

Lance Pendergast of QDAFF presented case studies from his Irrigation Systems Energy Benchmarking work. One case study saw a grower make a $64,000 annual saving after investing in a pump efficiency upgrade.

Lance sees potential for upgrades across the industry, in undertaking irrigation energy efficiency measurements and using benchmarks to help realise cost and labour savings.

Prof Snow Barlow ended the session by providing a broad perspective, reminding the audience of the government’s

bipartisan commitment to reduce GHG emissions.Projected climate changes in cotton growing areas will see

temperature increases and potential increases in land sown to cotton, especially in the south. There is uncertainty around water availability.

Snow reminded listeners to not get distracted by the prospect of making big money from carbon credits, “see it within your farming business, working synergistically with productivity and input efficiency gains.”

Snow focused on highlighting potential mitigation opportunities through reductions in nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertiliser under the CFI.

This R&D will ultimately help cotton growers manage increasing costs of production, a real challenge particularly given the introduction of the carbon tax and rising energy costs. The cotton myBMP Energy and Input Efficiency module provides a great resource of current relevant industry information.

Session chair Hamish McIntyre of Cotton Australia reiterated that the industry looks forward to future farming systems that incorporate carbon and energy management, and provide farmers with an ability to offset cost of production and get recognition for good land stewardship.

Moving round bale pickers presents a challenge

With an estimated 80 per cent of this year’s cotton crop picked with the John Deere 7760 round-bale picker, there was plenty of interest in the conference session that focussed on this technology.

Cotton Australia’s Field Policy Manager James Houlahan outlined the efforts Cotton Australia had made to gain permits and exemption for the road transporting of these machines that exceed the standard dimension and mass limits.

James leads the cotton industry transport supply chain program and reported on the success of negotiations with the state transport authorities in achieving special permits for the ‘walking’ and ‘floating’ of the large John Deere 7760 round bale picker.

Cotton Australia has been able to successfully negotiate with both Queensland and NSW transport authorities for special permits with strict operating conditions that allow the round bale cotton pickers to be safely transported on roads during the cotton harvest season.

The safe loading, restraint and transport of the round cotton modules was also the focus of James’s presentation. There has been a significant amount of work been undertaken to test and assess load restraint systems for the safe cartage of round modules on semi-trailers.

In a related session, Andrew Vanderstock, Operations Manager with Namoi Cotton and current Chair of the Cotton Ginners Association told the conference that contamination issues – in particular the plastic wrap on the round modules was an area that needs to be carefully managed so that plastic does not find its way into the ginning process and contaminate the lint.

A growers panel of owner/operators of the John Deere 7760 round bale pickers provided the audience with the benefit of their varied experiences in using the new cotton harvesting technology and also some valuable comparisons of the differences between the older conventional picker technology versus the new round bale picker.


Rob Holmes (left) congratulates new Cotton Australia Chairman Lyndon Mulligan and wife Davina.

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There has now been a long history of resistance monitoring for both aphids and mites from Australian cotton with much of this being done by our team at NSW DPI.

MitesUp until 1980, both bean spider mite and two-spotted mite

were collected and tested for resistance, but for 30 years bean spider mite disappeared from Australian cotton. This is unusual because normally bean spider mite will displace two-spotted mite. The reason probably relates to two-spotted mite’s ability to develop resistance. For instance, bean spider mite resistance to the OP monocrotophos never exceeded about 10 fold, yet two-spotted mite resistance to the same chemical was often hundreds of fold (Figure 1).

This gave two-spotted mite a huge advantage over bean spider mite in heavily sprayed cotton and bean spider mite disappeared. Jump forward a few decades and the cotton ecosystem is dominated by Bt cotton and the sprays are all but gone. Now bean spider mite again has the advantage over two-spotted mite and in theory it should start to displace it. Anecdotally this is exactly what seems to be happening with mite samples collected by myself in Queensland invariably containing bean spider mite while two-spotted mite is more abundant in NSW.

The reason for this NSW preference is not clear, as two-spotted mite is still quite resistant to some chemicals, but fortuitously not to its mainstay control Comite (Figure 2). The bean spider mite resurgence is complicating the laboratory based resistance testing because bean spider mite will displace two-spotted mite in the lab prior to testing being done.

Additionally, if it happens that again bean spider mite needs to be tested for resistance, the chemicals used in cotton are now different to what they used to be. reference baseline data for newer chemicals is not available and this baseline information would have to be generated. Finally, the damage done to cotton by bean spider mite looks different, less severe. Bean spider mite is likely a whole new management ball game.

AphidsAphid problems in cotton up until the mid 1990s were

little more than deciding what to spray. At the end of 1998 a resistance issue developed in cotton aphid with resistance detected to all registered chemicals used for its control.

The biggest loss to resistance was the IPM friendly chemical Pirimor. In laboratory tests with high level resistant aphids, the product could surround and cover aphids like snow but do nothing.


The changing face of aphids and mites in Australian cotton

■■ By■Grant■Herron,■Senior■Research■Scientist,■NSW■DPI,■Camden

Figure 1: Monocrotophos resistance detected in two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) and bean spider mite (Tetranychus ludeni) between 1976 and 1994

Figure 2: Percent strains of cotton aphid containing propargite (e.g. Comite) resistant individuals between 2004–05 and 2011–12.

NB: No strains tested in 2009–10.PhD student Kate Marshall with PhD supervisor grant Herron testing neonicotinoid resistant cotton aphid.

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The reasons for this are complex but again in partly due to the introduction of Bt cotton. The reduction in sprays, and particularly endosulfan, caused aphids to require more tactical targeted control with Pirimor or an OP so exacerbating resistance. From the early 1990s, sustainable cotton aphid control quickly became an industry priority with the recovery of Pirimor considered most important.

An IPM based resistance management strategy was developed that did eventually recover Pirimor (Figure 3). The recovery of

Pirimor is again complex and multi factorial but in part due to the introduction of new group of insecticides known as the neonicotinoids. This group of insecticides containing products such as Cruiser, Shield and Confidor was initially very effective but again cotton aphid showed its resilience and developed resistance.

resistance was not restricted to one product but all the neonicotinoids used against it. resistance was initially only detected in two strains at low frequencies but within a season resistance had dramatically increased in both level and abundance with resultant control failures (Figure 4). resistance then increased up until season 2010–11 when nearly all strains tested were neonicotinoid resistant but last season resistance was less frequently found (although all testing is not yet complete).

The reasons for this are again complex because the amount of neonicotinoid seed dressing used has not diminished and a higher rate product called Cruiser extreme was made available. I consider it likely that the foliar use of neonicotinoids against pests other than aphids has changed and aphids are not receiving the same concurrent selection they once did (i.e. being in the wrong place at the wrong time when another pest is sprayed).

The development of neonicotinoid resistance in cotton aphid is a blow to the industry because it is both cost effective and efficacious. A possible solution to the evolution of neonicotinoid resistance forms part of a PhD study being undertaken by Kate Marshall with funding by the CrDC.

One of the initial tasks undertaken by Kate is to ascertain the practical implications of neonicotinoid resistance with respect to seed dressings and to investigate alternatives. Kate achieved this via two separate greenhouse based trials that firstly investigated neonicotinoid seed dressings challenged with neonicotinoid resistance aphids (Figure 5). Secondly a separate trial is planned with no insecticide seed dressing but rather a Thimet soil granule that was challenged with Pirimor/dimethoate resistant aphids.

It is clear from Kate’s study that Cruiser will not control neonicotinoid resistant aphids. The higher rate Cruiser extreme product worked better than Cruiser but still survivors were evident at the second 14 day post sowing challenge. Additionally, Kate reports she did see a survivor against Cruiser extreme at day seven in an earlier preliminary trial. If Kate’s second trial is successful and Thimet can used as an alternative to a neonicotinoid seed dressing, foliar use of neonicotinoids for aphid control may again become a reliable option.

So aphid control in Australian cotton has now come full circle in about a decade. IPM friendly Pirimor that was once lost to resistance is now again a mainstay control. The neonicotinoids continue to be at risk but their resistance profile is improving. Bean spider mite all but vanished from Australian cotton but now seems to be making a resurgence.


Figure 3: Per cent strains of cotton aphid containing Pirimor resistant individuals between 2000–01 and 2011–12

*13 out of 37 strains complete in 2011–12.

Figure 4: Per cent strains of cotton aphid containing neonicotinoid (e.g. Cruiser or Shield) resistant individuals between 2004–05 and 2011–12

*11 out of 37 strains complete in 2011–12.

Figure 5: Average number of live neonicotinoid resistant aphids per plant on untreated (control) or neonicotinoid treated (350 or 600 g/L) cotton 7–49 days post sowing (destroyed seven days post each challenge)


CRAIG and Sharon Saunders own and run three irrigated cotton, dryland wheat and grazing properties in the St George area. The original property “Ford Park” has been

in the Saunders family for more than 40 years, with Craig and Sharon taking over management in the 1990s.

Four years ago Craig joined forces with Justin Schultz

of WaterBiz to investigate alternatives to traditional siphon irrigation. As a result Craig and Justin designed and constructed a siphon-less watering utilising pipes through the bank (PTB) with variable rates of flow. Each pipe waters 11 furrows or 12 metres and is designed to suit the 12-metre machinery in use.

Saunders Farming also operates a centre pivot machine irrigating 89 hectares with a system capacity of 10.1 mm per day. This machine is located on Craig’s marginal country, irrigating red hard setting soils.

Motivator for changeIt was initially thought that the main motivator for change

four years ago was water savings, and a 25 per cent water saving has been achieved. But looking back, the team has realised that the real motivator was actually labour. The team have not only achieved this water saving, but have also had a labour saving of 50 per cent and yield increase of 20 per cent.

Justin has found that the main water savings are not a result of the pipes but by optimising the flow rate and the run times. In the 2010–11 season the traditionally lowest yielding farm actually

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Case study: Pipes through the bank ■ Nikki Pilcher and Mary Philp, Queensland Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry

sAunders FArming Pty ltdOwners: Craig and Sharon Saunders

Location: St George

Total area: 3000 hectares

Cotton area: 647 hectares

2010–11 yield: 11.25 bales/ha

2010–11 water: 7.2 ML/ha

Field length: 500 to 1700 metres

FIGuRE 1: Cross-section view of PTB irrigation system

Cotton being irrigated with pipe through the bank system.


out yielded the original farm for the first time. This improvement was associated with reduced water logging as they are now able to get water on and off fields quickly.

The evolution of designSaunders Farming initially started working with Olive Hood

more than seven years ago, using the Irrimate tool which confirmed that the only real option for efficient watering was to run the system with higher flow rates (due to run length and soil type). But higher flow rates needed an increased number of siphons and hence the labour to start them. Therefore the team investigated options for retro-fitting the existing irrigation infrastructure so it was easier to maintain, reduced labour, allowed uniformity of application across the farm and increased water use efficiency.

Then four years ago, Craig told Justin he was “sick of changing siphons – so we’ve got to come up with a better way to irrigate.” Since then the farm has progressed from using 1.5 inch siphons on 1000-metre row lengths for 24-hour waterings, to three-inch siphons on 1000-metre rows taking 12 hours, to the first pipe through the bank (PTB) system.

Initially flexible fluming was installed inside the head ditch. While working really well for two hours it then blocked up with short lengths of grass stopping the water flow completely. Undeterred, the team then tried through-the-bank pipes made

from recycled milk bottles (Green Pipe), set at 12-metre spacings and watering 11 furrows each. This system uses adjustable flaps to control water flow. The team attribute the ability to either adjust the flap, or adjust the head on the head ditch to achieve an optimum water output, as a key to the system’s success. The variable system has meant cotton fields could be watered according to the crop’s specific requirements at the time, with rates adjusted during the watering based on extensive data from C-Probes, Irrimate and the new SISCO (Surface Irrigation Simulation Calibration and Optimisation) tool.

The 2011–12 season will see the entire cotton irrigation area being watered with the PTB pipes and one centre pivot machine.

uniformity between rowsThe use of PTBs within the cotton industry is not new,

although they fell out of favour with many growers as it was difficult to obtain uniform flow into each furrow. Saunders Farming and WaterBiz have overcome these issues by narrowing the spacing between the pipes to 12 metres. The diameter of the pipes is also smaller than trialled in other areas, allowing finer control of discharge.

Uniform flow down each row is obtained through a trough across the top of the rows in the launch bay area (Figure 2). Water comes out of the PTBs and fills this depression before rising up and evenly flowing down the furrows.

The other important factor affecting uniformity between the rows is the high flow rate being used. This flow is much higher than that used by most other irrigation properties. Justin believes

FIGuRE 2: Aerial view of PTB irrigation demonstrating pipe outlet situated in guess row away from wheel tracks

Launch bay area, notice the depression (trough) along the top of the rows to ensure even water distribution between rows.

Irrigating with PTB system, St George.

“We’ve gone and identified whatever the design constraints are and then we built a system around that… I think if

you were to follow that procedure, you would end up with a great result as

well.”


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that “because of the amount of water we’re pushing down the rows, we have to get uniformity, there’s just no other way for it to happen.”

While wheel tracks are still an issue, the pipe outlets are located in the guess rows (Figure 2). Therefore water has to move to the edge of each launch bay area before it flows down the wheel tracks.

A system evaluation, conducted by Justin Schultz, has found: ■ Distribution Uniformity of 90 per cent or better (how evenly water infiltrates along the furrow length);

■ Application efficiency of 85 per cent or better (the total water infiltrated as percentage of total water applied); and,

■ Requirement efficiencies of 100 per cent (the percentage of deficit filled at an irrigation).

BenefitsSaunders Farming has found a number of benefits of using the

PTB irrigation system, including: ■ Water savings ■ Labour savings ■ Increased yields due to less water logging and better water management

■ Easily adaptable to existing siphon systems

■ Optimising irrigation to eight-hour shifts

■ Simpler irrigation

CostCraig Saunders has found the cost of retro-fitting pipes

through the bank on a traditional siphon furrow field is about $500 per hectare. This cost includes both the cost of the pipe and the earthworks required. They have found a cost effective source of pipe in The Green Pipe company. Each length of pipe costs approximately $450 with the adjustable valve attached. Saunders Farming fabricates their own handles which they then attach to each of the adjustable valves.

Craig believes that maintenance is somewhat similar to that of a conventional siphon system. While there are no rotobucks and less repairs with shovels, the PTB system does require the trough area to be graded to drop it about 100 mm. They have found there is less maintenance required on the head ditch each year as they can be built bigger than normal because their size is not restricted by siphons. At this stage, the Saunders Farming team have not had any maintenance issues in relation to the adjustable valves and pipes as they have only been installed a short time. They envisage though that maintenance will be required for the valves and mechanism that seal the pipe down the track, which could be done between seasons.

Where to now?Saunders Farming is heading towards total automation of

their system with the help of in-row sensors. When water hits these sensors it sends a signal to the head ditch which opens and shuts the appropriate gates. Although still a few years away, it is progression towards watering without leaving the office.

Acknowledgement: The More Profit Per Drop team would like to acknowledge all of the information provided by Craig Saunders, Saunders Farming Pty Ltd and Justin Schultz, WaterBiz in the development of this case study.

This is one of a series of Case Studies prepared by Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as part of the Healthy HeadWaters Water Use Efficiency (HHWUE) project. This project is managed by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines and funded by the Australian Government as part of the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program under the Water for the Future initiative.

This case study was published in The Australian Cotton Water Story.

Water savings: 25 per centYield increase: 20 per cent Labour savings: 50 per cent

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carbon trading initiatives, they will need to target and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, especially N

2O emissions.

We have set out to examine the relationship between N fertiliser application rates and the goals of achieving maximum lint yield and with minimal N

2O emissions in an irrigated cotton

system at Narrabri.

Monitoring N2OGHG monitoring equipment was installed in an existing

nitrogen fertiliser rate experiment. We measured nitrous oxide (N

2O), carbon dioxide (CO

2) and methane (CH4) concentrations;

this allowed us to determine GHG emissions on an hourly basis. We commenced measuring GHG emissions from the cotton phase of a cotton-faba bean-fallow system in September 2011. The N

2O data presented here are up to the time the field flooded

in late January 2012.We monitored N

2O emissions from a randomised field trial

where urea was applied at four rates (0, 120, 200, 320 kg N/ha).

The 0, 120, 200 N rates represent the range of optimum N rates determined for this rotation in the past three years, whereas the 320 N rate is more typical of the N fertiliser management in some commercial cotton crops.

Twelve automatic chambers, coupled to a gas chromatograph, were used to measure emissions from the field. Three replicate chambers were installed in each N fertiliser treatment.

An emission factor (EF) was calculated which indicates how

much N2O is emitted per unit of fertiliser N applied*.

In this case the 0 fertiliser rate plots were used as the control. The cost of the emission per hectare was calculated assuming the carbon dioxide equivalent (eCO

2) price of $23 per tonne. In a free

market situation this price will fluctuate according to demand.

N2O emissionsThe amounts of N

2O measured at each N fertiliser rate are

shown in Table 1.The emissions factor indicates that relatively more N from the

fertiliser is lost as N2O as the N fertiliser rate increases. So, not

only does the total N loss increase, so does the proportion of N

2O, relative to N

2.

The point at which lint yield was maximised was about 200 kg N per hectare, i.e. the economic optimal N fertiliser rate. Similarly, crop N uptake was maximised at this level of N fertiliser. There was no agronomic benefit to apply more N fertiliser than the optimal 200 kg N per hectare.

Nutritionfeature…

Impact of nitrogen fertiliser losses from cotton

■ By Ben Macdonald1, Tony Nadelko2 and Ian Rochester3

TABLE 1: Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions at four N fertiliser rates, the emissions factor and cost of those emissions from a cotton crop

N applied N2O lost Emission factor $/ha

0 0.47 na 3.22120 0.59 0.10 4.04200 1.03 0.28 7.06320 4.07 1.13 27.90

in brieF…We measured the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) from

irrigated cotton that had been fertilised at four rates of N.Cotton that received N fertiliser applications at or below the

economic optimum for lint production emitted relatively small quantities of N2O.

Excessively high N fertiliser application increased N2O emissions exponentially.

Chambers deployed in the spring of 2011. In the background is the trailer which houses the gas chromatograph and computer system used to measure the GHG concentrations in the chambers.


Figure 1 shows that N2O emissions did not increase above

the background emission level until approxiamately 170 kg-N/ha which is below the agronomic optimum N fertiliser rate.

Excessive N equals large emissionsThis research confirms the idea that excessive N fertiliser

application results in large emissions of N2O. This is costly in terms

of wasted N fertiliser and damaging to the environment. Further work is needed to validate the optimum fertiliser rate to minimise N

2O emissions under different environmental conditions.

Additionally once the eCO2 is measured from the complete crop

rotation it will be possible to calculate the gross margin and the economic optimum N fertiliser application.

The economic optimum N fertiliser rate is quite readily estimated by soil analysis prior to fertiliser application, and adjusted through the season where tissue analyses indicate deficient levels of N in the crop.

Over use of N fertiliser is common within the cotton industry and profits are reduced because of reduced production and wasted N fertiliser. Under current policy settings N costs are likely to rise as energy costs increase and this will result in further economic penalties due to inefficient fertiliser use.

Nitrous oxide emissions increased after each irrigation or rain fall, so management of irrigations to minimise water-logging and promote better drainage will reduce those emissions.

To sum upExcessively high N fertiliser application exponentially increases

N2O emissions.Those crops that have received N fertiliser applications at or

less than the economic optimum N fertiliser rate emit relatively small quantities of N

2O.

*Emissions factor equation:

E = N

2O.N (treatment) – N

2O.N (control)

Fertiliser applied kg (N/ha)

This research was funded by the Cotton CRC and CRDC.

1CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra, ACT, [email protected] Land and Water, Narrabri, NSW, [email protected] Plant Industry, Narrabri, NSW, [email protected]

Nutritionfeature…

Monitoring N2O emissions.

TABLE 2: Crop N uptake (kg/ha) and lint yield (kg/ha) measured at four N fertiliser rates

N applied Crop N Lint yield 0 148 2570

120 201 3110200 244 3120

320 239 3100

FIGuRE 1: The potential optimum fertiliser rate which minimizes N2O production and maintains lint yield

N2O emissions increase after irrigation.


Trials in the Murrumbidgee and Namoi Valleys this season have demonstrated that BioAg’s biotech nutritional pro-grams for cotton have produced yield increases of 8-9%.

At prevailing prices, this represents an extra $3-400 per ha.

Murrumbidgee Valley TrialsCotton production in the Murrumbidgee Area (NSW) has grown from a few thousand hectares in the early 2000s to an esti-mated 35,000 ha in 2012, and is forecast to increase to more than 40,000 ha in 2013. The growth prompted a local group, headed by brothers Roger and Tim Commins, to commission a gin at Whitton in the centre of the area, in time for this season’s harvest.Major cotton growers in the valley and long-time customers of BioAg, the Commins brothers, conducted trials this year on the impact of our liquid biotech nutrients on part of their crop. The paddocks for the entire crop were prepared with BioAgPhos®, and 3-4 ha trial plots were treated with Soil & Seed® just before emergence. Balance & Grow®, and Balance & Grow plus Soil & Seed®, were applied to the trial paddocks at flower induction (30-45 days after sowing), and Fruit & Balance® at boll matura-tion a month later.

The ResultsIn both trial plots, there was a significant increase in boll counts and in yields. The lint and yield increase in each case was 9% (0.9 bales) over the control plots. The cotton plants were more compact, with the spacing of the first and second fruiting nodes closer to the plant. The soil after picking was more friable.

Commins Trial Boll CountsVariety: 74BRF Count Date: 7th May 2012

Trial Paddock 1 Trial Paddock 2Control BioAg

TreatmentControl BioAg

TreatmentAv. Boll Count 113.3 145.3 121.7 143Increase 28.2% 17.5%

Commins Trial Harvest ResultsVariety: 74BRF Harvest Date: 6th July 2012

Trial Paddock 1 Trial Paddock 2Control BioAg

TreatmentControl BioAg

TreatmentArea (ha) 3.80 2.97 3.07 3.07Total Vol. (bales)

37.0 31.4 30.2 32.7

Av. Yield (bales/ha)

9.7 10.6 9% increase

9.8 10.7 9% increase

Lint Wt (kg) 8,049 6,833 6,570 7,130Lint Wt kg per ha

2,119 2,301 9% increase

2,140 2,323 9% increase

Namoi Valley TrialTamworth Rural Consultants agronomist Russell Ison conducted replicated trials on a 5 ha site on the Breeza Plain in the Namoi Valley (NSW), comparing BioAg’s cotton nutritional program with district practice as a control on Sicot 71 BRF cotton. Each trial was designed as a randomized complete block design. Planting took place in October 2011.

There was a significant difference in post planting vigour between the BioAg treatment and the control. The Leaf Area Index was 12% higher in the BioAg plot and 8% difference in plant height four weeks after planting. Although there was less vegetative growth on the BioAg plants, the root system was more developed. The plants in the BioAg plot were more compact with reduced node spacing. The Leaf Area Index was similar and the boll counts were higher in the BioAg plots.At LEF (end Feb.), there was one extra boll per BioAg treated plant, equating to a theoretical yield advantage of 0.33 bale per acre. The average boll weight was also 15% higher at this time, and there appeared to be less incidence of “parrot beak” in second position fruit in the BioAg plot.

The BioAg treated plants were more mature at defoliation time, and there was less vegetative growth. Had it been practical, the BioAg treated cotton could have been defoliated 8-10 days before the conventionally treated plants. The reduction in rank growth saw an improved defoliation result in an area where cold weather causes problems.

The ResultIn this independent trial, the BioAg treatment produced a yield increase of 8% in lint yield and bale harvest (0.7 bales) over the conventially grown cotton.

More DetailsFor more details on the Murrumbidgee Valley trial, contact BioAg’s Technical Director, Jep Gates, on (02) 6958 9911, and on the Namoi Valley Trial, Russell Ison on 0428 654 487.

Local Trials Show BioAg’s Biotech Nutritional Programs Produce Big Yield Increases

(ADVERTORIAL)

Control

BioAg

ExTENSIVE plant nutrition knowledge built up by specialist liquid fertiliser manufacturer SLTEC is now finding its way into the hands of cotton growers and consultants.

Until now the company’s main focus has been on the intensive production systems found in various dairy, broadacre, horticultural and glasshouse environments.

It’s gained a reputation across the south-eastern states for providing in-depth agronomic advice which complements its extensive range of liquid fertiliser solutions.

Director Jamie McMaster came to the company with wide experience in the Australian fertiliser industry. He had also previously conducted a major global consulting project for Unilever focusing on sustainable agriculture.

“Right from the beginning I’ve made sure that we have highly skilled agronomists on the team because in one sense developing a range of specialised liquid fertiliser is the easy part.

“The really important bit is providing our clients – and their advisers – with detailed advice on plant nutritional requirements. They have to apply the right fertiliser at the right times to get the right results.

“The intensive crops that we have been dealing with require very careful attention to fertiliser requirements. You really need to understand the soil and the climate along with the plant and its nutritional requirements,” he said.

“Cotton is similarly demanding when it comes to plant nutrition, so it’s been a logical move to apply our knowledge to cotton growing.

“We’ve been doing quite a bit in the southern part of the zone for a while now.”

Jamie said SLTEC Fertilizers had established a growing client base of cotton growers in the Riverina through reseller MIA Rural.

“Roy Hosking covers a very large area from his Griffith base but we also work through resellers up as far as Gunnedah and a bit beyond.”

New tool for agronomistsAs part of its campaign to provide growers with better advice,

SLTEC recently developed an innovative software package called Balanced Agronomy.

It’s based on Jamie’s observation that analyses and advice based on point in time data isn’t very helpful.

“A major part of Balanced Agronomy’s power is its ability to provide trend analyses. Understanding trends allows you to give much better advice than when you just look at one lot of data.

“It’s web based, and it’s very quick and flexible. Take the example of a cotton grower at Forbes — he could be looking at his trend data while his agronomist and one of our specialists have the same screen in front of them.

“They could be hundreds of kilometres apart and yet quickly arrive at a decision on fertiliser application,” Jamie said. “It also has spraying and fertiliser diary modules, and the data can also be exported into many other applications.”

SLTEC’s regional sales manager for New South Wales and Queensland Phil Peterson, said the company’s Balanced Agronomy software package was readily available to consultants and growers in the cotton industry.

“We are very happy to work with the industry to share knowledge on plant nutrition, and to provide them with another tool in their quest to improve productivity,” he said.

For further information on SLTEC’s specialist cotton fertilisers and Balanced Agronomy software call Phil Peterson on 0407 317 713 or email [email protected]

Nutritionfeature…

30 — The Australian Cottongrower August–September 201230 — The Australian Cottongrower August–September 2012

Nutrition knowledge and software aids cotton growers

Jamie McMaster says SLTEC can provide extensive nutritional advice as well as a range of specialised liquid fertilisers.

SOIL organic carbon (SOC) is an important indicator of soil fertility. Improved water holding capacity, greater microbial activity and better soil structure are associated with soil

having higher SOC. Most of our cropping soils have declining SOC due to the management practices that have operated during the past few decades. To improve soil health, build and sustain high agricultural productivity, we need to reverse this trend and increase SOC.

Measuring SOCSOC was determined in a field experiment at ACRI, Narrabri.

This experiment (Experiment 1) was managed with minimum tillage and permanent beds, and the stubble from each crop was incorporated into the topsoil to 10 cm depth.

A further experiment (Experiment 2) was done in pots in a

controlled temperature environment to investigate the impact of tillage and stubble incorporation on SOC. Cotton or vetch stubble was either incorporated into the soil or left on the soil surface;


feature…Nutrition

to prevent soil crusting &poor germination this season,

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Increase soil carbon by managing stubble

■ By Ian Rochester, Kellie Gordon, CSIRO, Narrabri, NSW,

in brieF…In most cotton-growing soils, soil organic carbon (SOC)

has declined during the period that these soils have been cultivated. But changes in the way soil and crop stubbles are managed can bring about substantial changes in SOC levels. Importantly, reducing tillage operations (using permanent beds) and incorporating crop stubble are shown to increase SOC. Increased SOC is closely linked to improved soil health and crop production.

control (no stubble) treatments were included. The incorporated treatments and a control were tilled weekly prior to all pots being irrigated to near field capacity.

Results

Field study (Experiment 1)SOC increased in the 0–30 and 30–60 cm depths of soil, but

no significant change was apparent below 60 cm (Figure 1). Between 0 and 60 cm depth, SOC increased by about 1.24 tonnes C per hectare per year (or 4.4 tonnes of CO

2 equivalent (eCO

2) per

hectare per year). The increase in SOC was much greater in the 30–60 cm depth in the soil profile.

Controlled environment study (Experiment 2)SOC was slightly lower where the soil was tilled compared

with no tillage (Figure 2) – but the three treatments were not statistically different. Had the tillage operations been more vigorous, deeper or more often, or the experiment continued for a longer period, the loss of SOC may have been greater.

At the end of the experiment, only 22 per cent of the stubble-C applied to the soil surface was retained by the soil, compared with incorporating the stubble, where 54 per cent of the stubble-C was retained.

Also, of high importance is the effect of stubble addition on soil micro-organisms which use the carbon from the stubble as their energy source. The soil microbes that can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere (outside of the legume/rhizobia association) do so using the energy released as they decompose crop stubble.

Incorporated stubble supported a greater amount of free-living N fixation compared with the surface stubble treatments. About 20 per cent of the stubble-N was lost where the stubble was applied to the soil surface stubble treatments, but total soil N increased by more than 50 per cent where the stubble was incorporated.

Over three drying cycles, water loss was 10 per cent lower in

the surface-applied stubble treatment, compared with the stubble incorporation treatments, as the soil was disturbed. Water loss averaged 2.5 and 2.7 mm/day for the respective treatments.

DiscussionSignificant increases in SOC can occur where management

practices encourage retention of the stubble-C added to the soil,

Nutritionfeature…


FIGuRE 1: SOC at two profile depths

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and minimise the loss of stubble-C. To achieve this, tillage needs to be minimal (and shallow), with soil disturbed only when necessary to apply fertiliser, to destroy pupae and to incorporate stubble.

Dryland farmers may choose to retain stubble on the soil surface in order to retain more soil moisture, but they do so at the expense of long-term soil health and SOC levels.

In the control treatment with no stubble addition, tillage roughened the soil surface which may have promoted water loss to a small extent. The mulch effect provided by the surface-applied stubble appeared to slow water loss.

Field experiments indicate that soils managed with minimum tillage (permanent beds) and with stubble incorporation can sequester substantial amounts of atmospheric CO

2.

Incorporated stubble retained more than twice as much stubble-C than surface applied stubble (54 per cent 22 per cent).

While a small amount of N contained in surface-applied stubble was lost, the incorporated stubble promoted substantial biological N fixation.

Stubble applied to the soil surface reduced water loss by almost 10 per cent.

These results help to explain the rates of C sequestration reported in previous experiments where all stubble was incorporated. This research helps to define better management practices that will assist growers to improve soil health and

enable their cropping systems to be more resilient, profitable and environmentally responsible.

Acknowledgment: Funding provided by the Cotton CRC and CRDC.

Contact Ian Rochester E: [email protected]


feature…Nutrition

FIGuRE 2: SOC in soil subjected to regular tillage compared with no tillage in Experiment 2

The Key to Effective & Safe

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WORLD COMMODITY WATCH

USHarvest in the lower Rio Grande Valley and Corpus is winding down and some gins are finished in the Corpus area. Harvest is ramping up in the Upper Coastal region and Central Texas. The Corpus Classing office has classed a total of approximately 33% of their production and early indications point to short staple (1 inch). The Rains in West Texas have been a blessing. Some too little, and too late for a big percentage of the dryland acres but it will have a positive effect on irrigated ground and some of the late planted dry acres. Those in the trade are still questioning USDA crop size projection, particularly around the production numbers in Texas. Insurance will begin their evaluation (boll counts) of cotton acres on September 15 when we will see a substantial portion of the dryland acres released for destruction.

BrasilClear and sunny weather continues and harvest activity is progressing well. Estimations on harvest activity are roughly 75% complete in Mato Grosso and pushing 100% in Bahia. Growers are beginning to finalise new crop planting decisions ahead of the upcoming soybean planting window. The Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics forecasts new crop corn acreage at 2.9 million hectares (an increase of 17% and a record high) while soybean acreage is forecast to experience a 12% jump; to 7.8 million hectares (also a record high). Not all of this increase will be at the expense of cotton, but it does make it easier to understand why the general consensus is for a drop of 25% minimum in cotton acreage.

Queensland Cotton has the longest supply chain in the Australian cotton industry.

From the field to the shirt you wear, Queensland Cotton is at every step.

WORLD COMMODITY WATCH

AustraliaInformation exchanges at the Cotton Conference confirmed sentiments around decreased dryland acreage for next cotton crop in Australia, with early dryland acreage estimates suggesting a 55% drop year on year. Irrigation cotton acreage may too be slightly down for the upcoming crop, with the biggest decreases being forecast in Central Queensland, the Darling Downs and Southern NSW. North-western cotton growing regions of NSW remain relatively committed to cotton given the full profile of water storages and lack of gross margins and yields in alternative crops. All being said, at this early stage we look set to produce another healthy sized crop, around 3.8–4 million bales.

* Ex-gin price bids and basis for middling 1 1/8 inch cotton

ChinaRumours continue to swirl around the possible additional release by the Reserve of 400,000 million tonnes of processing quota. This quota would take the form of an export incentive and be available to mills only (not trading companies). Downstream demand from mills remains slightly weak to stable, but most in the trade still feel the potential for further downward revisions to the USDA’s Chinese consumption figure. The 2012–13 Reserve Procurement Program is scheduled to commence again in September at a 4% price increase over last year.

IndiaSpeculation around the possibility of another export ban continues as a government official crop numbers are released in August which may provide insight into a likely policy change. With delayed monsoonal rains, there has been much conjecture over this nation’s production. Various sources indicate a crop of 31–32 million (170 kg) bales, but concerns persist around the ongoing dry conditions prevalent in the state of Gujarat.

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THE period since the end of May (when last we commented in these pages) has been characterised by a degree of stability in world cotton prices – following the sharp

downturn that we described in our last contribution. The international market (as measured by the Cotlook A Index) lost over 18 per cent of its value during the month of May. For most of the period since then, prices have remained within a trading range in the low to mid 80s, rather more familiar territory than that explored over the past couple of years. The Cotlook A Index dipped below the 80-cent level for just a single day – the value (77.65) recorded on June 6, proved to be the lowest of the 2011–12 (August–July) season. The high point of the season had been reached as early as last September.

The welcome stability prompted a gradual return of mill buying confidence during the course of July and, by the end of the month a broad range of import markets was daily enquiring for raw cotton to fill their short-term requirements. But demand remained almost exclusively of a hand-to-mouth nature. The market volatility of the past couple of years continues to cast a long shadow, and has instilled an aversion to risk that is evident in the behaviour both of mill buyers and international trade sellers.

A glance at the prevailing world supply and demand fundamentals would also tend to argue in favour of a patient

raw cotton purchasing policy. At the end of July, Cotton Outlook’s estimates continued to show a surplus of supply over demand during 2011–12 in excess of five million tonnes – an unprecedented addition to world stocks – and a further increase, of more than 1,700,000 tonnes, is forecast for 2012–13.

But the location and ownership of this apparently daunting surplus supply repays some scrutiny. As has been well


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The World Cotton Market ■ By Michael Edwards, Cotton Outlook

FIGuRE 1: Cootlook A Index since January 2012

documented, the Chinese state reserves absorbed over 3.1 million tonnes of raw cotton from the domestic 2011–12 crop between September 2011 and March of this year, to which must be added import purchases by the same organisation estimated at well over one million tonnes. Thus, an amount equivalent to over 80 per cent of the surplus is effectively in control of the Chinese government.

Its intentions in respect of this huge accumulation of cotton are thus of paramount importance to the dynamics of global supply and demand, and the direction of prices. Both the domestic and import purchases were concluded at prices well in excess of those currently prevailing on the local market, which in turn are well above world values. When the current policy was unveiled in March 2010, international prices were above $2 dollars per lb, and the authors of that policy could doubtless not have foreseen the radical shift in price relationships that ensued.

An intractable problemIn pondering its next policy initiative, Beijing has thus faced

an intractable problem in seeking to reconcile the interests of all its cotton ‘stakeholders’ – especially if one includes the national exchequer in that category. The predicament of the domestic spinning industry appears particularly acute, as mills struggle to compete with mills abroad that enjoy raw cotton replacement costs far below those with which they must contend.

Cotton yarn imports have risen strongly in recent months, and may exceed an unprecedented one million tonnes this year. The government may be wary of undermining the local market: it is interesting to note that even the supportive intervention policy in

place during 2011–12 could not prevent a reduction in the area planted to the 2012–13 cotton crop. Moreover, only a month or so remains before the government is committed to begin buying of the domestic 2012–13 crop, at an intervention price that is still further above the current local or international parities.

At the time of writing, in early August, speculation is rife as to government intentions for the disposal of a portion of its accumulated reserves on the domestic market, perhaps in conjunction with an additional import quota for use by export-orientated spinners. The eventual release of cotton is presumed to have bearish implications for the international market, simply because it implies a commensurate reduction in Chinese import demand during the 2012–13 season.

As the market awaits confirmation of Chinese intentions, crop developments are under scrutiny in the major Northern Hemisphere producing countries, where cotton is approaching maturity. The United States Department of Agriculture’s August crop report (the first of the season based on field surveys) is expected to reveal the scale of abandonment in West Texas, where relief from the prevailing hot, dry conditions has been limited in recent weeks. Elsewhere, the principal focus of attention is upon India, where deficient monsoon rains have brought sowing to a standstill in some key producing regions, and threaten to undermine yield potential.

India’s recent position in the international market, as the benchmark against which asking prices for competing origins must be measured, is thus not assured. The announcement in June of quite substantial increases in next season’s Minimum Support Prices for seed cotton may also prove of significance


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to Indian cotton’s export competitiveness during the campaign ahead.

The sharp retreat of cotton prices during May, and the recent strong performance of other soft commodities such as corn and soybeans, are already casting considerable doubt on planting intentions in parts of the Southern Hemisphere. The most pronounced reaction has thus far been noted in Brazil, where soybean prices are likely to provide a compelling argument for a shift away from cotton, when planting takes place around the year-end. Our current forecast of 1,400,00 tonnes would mark a reduction of about half a million tonnes, or more than 25 per cent, in comparison to the crop currently being picked.

Some signs of a moderate improvement in consumption have also emerged of late, notably in markets such as India and Pakistan, whose spinners have benefited from China’s current appetite for imported cotton yarn. But on a global scale, neither the shift away from production, nor the revival of mill use, has thus far been sufficient to bring world supply and demand back into balance.


marketing

ICA arbitrations remain high

AT the half year stage, the International Cotton Association (ICA) has received 135 requests for arbitration and, as we move into quarter three, the pace does not seem to be

slowing down.With continued market volatility, the industry is seeing more

and more parties failing to honour their contractual obligations. This is having a direct impact on the number of disputes brought for arbitration at the ICA.

By its own admittance, the ICA arbitration system has struggled to cope with the number of arbitrations this past year. In 2011, the Association received a staggering 242 requests for technical arbitration – over five times its normal yearly average.

As the pace continues, the ICA has been working hard to implement a series of improvements to reduce the cost and the time taken for arbitrations. It also plans to increase the quality and effectiveness of its awards procedure by introducing a pool of professional ‘ICA Chairmen’, who will monitor the costs and time of arbitrations and also the quality of arbitrators in order to produce more enforceable awards.

“The continued market uncertainty is creating a lot of challenges for us, but the situation has given rise to a number of new initiatives,” said Antonio Esteve, ICA President. “Enforcement of awards is still a big problem in some countries. The challenge here is to strengthen the effect of our default list. We aim to do this by making better use of “ICA Advisory Notices”. The notices inform our members about firms that have a direct link to companies on the default list either through legal, family or individual connections. We are now actively gathering intelligence to uncover these links and to find out who is trading with whom and where they are buying and selling their cotton.”

Antonio believes that a common complaint about the ICA is that its default list is ineffective. Part of the reason is because defaulting firms are able to set up and trade through “phoenix companies” or use trading houses. The ICA’s new approach aims to highlight the firms involved in these practices and reveal the trading links with defaulters.

“The situation we find ourselves in now highlights the importance of taking consistent and positive action towards promoting contract sanctity and a safer trading environment”, said Antonio. “If the cotton community sticks together to reinforce our efforts then we may be able to reduce the stress being placed on the cotton supply chain and improve its economic sustainability.”

Antonio Esteve.

China cotton training goes interactive

THE 2012 China International Cotton Trade Training Course in Qingdao has successfully concluded, with 110 delegates from 13 different provinces and regions taking part.

The training was developed specifically for the Chinese cotton community and focused on areas currently impacting on China’s international cotton trade and the global cotton market. The three day interactive course was jointly organised by the International Cotton Association (ICA) and Beijing Cotton Outlook Consulting (BCO).

The presentations comprising the following modules – each conducted in Chinese and delivered by a leading industry expert:

■ Fundamental knowledge: World cotton market and import/export; major cotton export countries and their characteristics.

■ Trading issues: Risk management; contract making, banking and insurance, futures and options; shipping and logistics; cotton controlling and testing.

■ Trading rules and dispute resolution: International trading rules, arbitration agreement; arbitration procedure; arbitrators training.

For more information, please contact Robert Jiang [email protected]

The Qindao class of 2012.


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AUSTRALIAN cotton is viewed as a quality product with little or no contamination and is usually purchased (at a premium) to produce high quality, fine count ring spun

yarn. Spinners indicate low contamination is one of the most favorable properties associated with Australian fibre quality.

The advent of new cotton harvesters that produce wrapped modules on the harvester has reduced harvest costs. But the plastic that encases these modules is a serious contamination risk. Evidence over the past two seasons indicates that not all plastic wrap is removed in the module feed area by operators or the mechanised systems used to remove the wraps. The consequence of this is that the yellow plastic has contaminated Australian export bales.

The ginning industry led by the Australian Cotton Ginners Association (ACGA) has initiated a project with CSIRO, the CRDC and Loptex Italia to develop systems that detect and remove contamination from cotton during ginning before baling. The

aim of the project is to have sensors for Australian cotton gins that detect and remove fragments of the plastic wrap in the gin process.

The project, which commenced in April 2012, is developing sensor systems to detect and allow removal of contaminants at two positions in the gin; in the module opening bay and between the gin stand (after the Super-J Cleaner) and the first lint cleaner (see Figure 1).

The first position is at the module hood and the sensor is a camera that captures clear images of the module beaters, giving ginners the ability to see whether or not any contaminant is caught on them. Linked to the relay controlling forward motion of the module into the gin, the system has been tested in four gins this season, each operating different module wrapping removal systems. The system will be developed further in the next few months to provide continuously live images to the ginner and analysis of the captured images to automatically alert ginners if plastic has entered the gin process.

A sensor detection and removal system is also being developed


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Detecting and removing contamination in Australian gins

■ By Andrew Krajewski, Stuart Gordon, Scott Barnes, Andrew Abbott, David Fox, Ian Redknap and Neale Gibbons – CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering

Round modules with plastic wrap.

FIGuRE 1: Cross-section of modern gin process showing position of contaminant sensor systems

Sensor system positions

for the position between the gin stand and lint cleaner. In this position the system is designed to detect and remove smaller pieces of module plastic from the air and material flow. This second system is based on commercially successful detectors originally developed by CSIRO and commercialised by Loptex Italia, that have been available to the spinning industry for many years.

The detectors in these systems are typically arrays of photo-optic and acoustic (sonar) sensors that cover the full width of the duct – in this case the duct that links the gin stand with the lint cleaner. Low material flow density across this position means small pieces of contaminant are more easily detected and removed. An array of air valves across the duct work after the sensors allows the contaminant to be removed from only that section of the duct in which it was detected. This second position system will hopefully allow ginners and growers to be very confident that even small pieces of contaminant do not reach the bale.

At this point in time a prototype system for this second position is currently being built at CSIRO in collaboration with Loptex Italia. It is envisaged this system will be commissioned in an Australian gin for testing in the 2013 season. Successful development of this initial research will allow ginners to understand how much and what type of contamination is potentially being incorporated into Australian export bales, and particularly how long it takes for large pieces of (plastic) contaminant caught in the module feed area to be degraded and broken into small pieces.

The two sensor systems being developed by the ACGA and CSIRO put the Australian cotton industry at the forefront of contamination free ginning quality. The module feed sensor (camera) system is relatively inexpensive and easy to incorporate into most gins. It provides ginners with a warning (and evidence) of large plastic sheet contamination entering the gin process.

But this system is unable to alert ginners of small contaminants embedded in both round and square conventional modules that enter the gin. Indeed this is the issue for Australian cotton; any contaminant delivered in premium cotton bales creates a terrible and lasting impression with spinners. To provide assurance against this situation a system like that being developed in the second position is required. The system for the position between the gin stand and lint cleaner, albeit more expensive, is hoped to provide the ultimate guarantee of contaminant-free cotton.

For more information on these contamination detection systems please contact Dr Andrew Krajewski on 0417 320 181 or Dr Stuart Gordon on 0407 779 322.


Cotton Trade DeskMatthew BraddScott Biffin

Shipping and Logistics ManagerMonique LewisHead OfficeSuite 801, Level 815 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2001GPO Box 29 Sydney NSW 2001Ph: 02 9223 3631Fax: 02 9233 6206

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Namoi Valley, Gwydir Valley & Macquarie ValleySteve DaltonAgVantage Commodities Pty LtdPh: 02 6792 2962MacIntyre ValleyGeoff WebbAgVantage Commodities Pty LtdPh: 07 4671 1225

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St George & DirranbandiKelvin BellaOur-Tek Pty LtdPh: 0428 717 284

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Picture showing first position contamination sensor on module hood

COTTON and cane have so far had a rocky relationship with waterlogging and overcast conditions being major difficulties for the expansion of cotton into the Burdekin

Irrigation Area.Since 2007–08, plantings in the BIA have dwindled away

due to several contributing factors and agronomist Matthew Holding predicts that very little, if any, cotton will be planted in the Burdekin for the 2012–13 season. The trial expansion that began in 2004 to test the feasibility of growing cotton early in the dry season (February–July) seems to have run its course for the moment and not met the expectations of growers.

“Overcast, rainy weather in February–March resulted in significant problems and the crop may or may not have enough time to recover in the drier months as the season also gets cooler,” said Matthew. “Of course every year is different, so some years will not have this effect and the crop could potentially achieve great yields. But, over time it is be expected that average returns may not be economical, particularly with high freight costs.”

Year Ha Yield bales/ha Bales2011–12 est. 350 est. 7 est. 24502010–11 350 7.1 25002009–10 700 7.1 50002008–09 790 6.8 54002007–08 830 7.7 6400

But the Burdekin was not the first coastal area in Queensland to test the viability of cotton growing. When the cotton industry

in the US failed during the American Civil War, Australia saw an opportunity to fill the gap. In 1859 the Maryborough and Wide Bay Cotton Growing Association formed and successfully grew cotton on up to 22 hectares for six years. Plagued by various difficulties, the company folded in 1865. Cotton made way for sugarcane, which went on to be the mainstay crop for the area.

Over 150 years later, a commercial cotton harvest is again underway in Maryborough. Jeff Atkinson and Des Morris have grown a total of 40 hectares of cotton in rotation with their cane crops and although rain has played havoc with the harvest, the commercial trial has been deemed a success.

“So far we have been able to harvest about half the crop and the yields have been worthwhile,” said Jeff. “We grew a very small area of cotton a few years ago but the only way to find out if the crop would grow successfully here was to plant a significant trial area.”

The wet conditions throughout the growing season have presented the growers with an almost worst-case scenario to test the feasibility of the crop. “We have learnt a lot about the requirements of the crop, particularly its nutrient needs,” he said. “We have had 1000 mm of rain fall during the season and so have not needed to apply any irrigation but cotton will certainly be easier to manage and harvest in drier years.”

The crop has so far yielded around six bales per hectare, which has given the local growers confidence that the crop will be an option for them in coming years. “We plan to continue planting trial crops over the next two to three years and then evaluate the value of cotton in our rotation,” said Jeff.

To be able to grow a commercial trial of cotton in the Maryborough area Jeff and Des have needed to invest in essential second-hand machinery, including a cotton picker and module-maker.


After 150 years, cotton returns to southern Queensland coast

■ By Amy Claireton

Maryborough grower Jeff Atkinson is pleased with the first commercial cotton crop grown in the Maryborough area since the mid–1800s.

Jeff Atkinson and Des Morris have purchased this second-hand picker to harvest the crop because it is not feasible for contractors to come to Maryborough from the Darling Downs.

Cotton is more expensive to grow than soybeans but can potentially offer greater financial returns while still providing a break crop response in the cane.

“The BollgardII/Roundup Ready cotton offers a chance to use glyphosate to clean up any weeds from the cane while the cotton is growing,” said Jeff. “This is a small cost saving in chemical and has potential to improve cane yields.”

The trial has been aided by the experience of Jeff’s son, Kepler,

who has worked in the cotton industry on the Darling Downs in previous harvest seasons and local agronomist Andrew Dougall has assisted with agronomic and pest control advice.

If the growers are able to harvest the rest of the crop they expect to market five or six cotton modules. The modules will go to the gin in Dalby and the growers will receive the all-important yield and quality information they need to determine the feasiblity of growing cotton in the Maryborough region.


The trial crop has yielded around six bales per hectare. Jeff is pleased with the yield and quality of the cotton, particularly after such a wet growing season.

Kepler Atkinson’s experience with operating cotton machinery has been valuable, particularly given the difficult conditions.

Jeff is yet to see if the cane will respond well following the cotton crop but he expects the cotton to provide an effective crop break.

THE Murray Darling Basin (MDB) is a prime agricultural region of southeastern Australia. It accounts for half of all water used for irrigation in Australia. But there are increasing

pressures on irrigators to improve water use efficiency (WUE) owing to increasing demands on water for environmental flows, new mining industries (such as coal seam gas production) and in some instances to manage shallow water tables. In addition, climate change modeling suggests that not only will rainfall decrease but it will also become more variable in the MDB.

One way to improve WUE in irrigated areas is to reduce deep drainage (DD). This is because DD is synonymous with the network of prior stream channels that characterise the Riverine Plains of the MDB. The most accurate way to measure DD is to use a lysimeter. But these are expensive to install and require significant time to equilibrate. More commonly, DD is estimated using chloride mass balance (CMB) models.

Despite this advantage, the labour in the field and laboratory time and expense of gaining estimates of DD means the spatial variability across a district scale is usually still not attainable. Electromagnetic (EM) induction instruments are useful in value-adding to the limited number of estimates. This is because an EM instrument measures many soil properties that can affect the rate of DD (such as clay content).

In this research project, we explored the use of a CMB model coupled with EM34 data to map the spatial distribution of DD across the predominantly irrigated cotton growing area around Wee Waa. The main features of the valley are the clay plains, prior stream formations, the Pilliga scrub and a coarse-textured dissected flood plain (Figure 1).

EM Survey, CMB modeling and calibrationEM34 measurements were made on an approximate 1 km

grid, with a total of 1869 sites visited (Figure 2). In order to complement this data, a soil sampling scheme was developed from the EM34 data and approximately 36 soil sample locations were selected across the study area. At each site soil samples

were obtained at one metre depths and to a maximum depth of 9–18 metres across the study area.

The soil samples were analysed for chloride ion concentration. The data was then entered into a simple CMB model along with other information obtained from previous research. This included an estimate of the concentration of chloride in irrigation water and rainfall, an estimate of irrigation water application (i.e. 600 mm/year) and the average annual rainfall (i.e. 584 mm/year) around Wee Waa.

Figure 3 shows the relationships between DD and EM34 data. The relationship can approximately be described as curve-linear. Using a slightly more statistically rigorous analysis of this relationship (for example, we log transformed the estimates of DD), we used the subsequent relationship to estimate DD from the EM34 data.

Map of estimated DDFigure 4 shows the spatial distribution of estimated DD (mm/

year) generated from our calibrated EM34 data. The largest estimates are associated with the Pilliga Scrub (around >450 mm) which is located to the south of Wee Waa. Some caution is required with these estimates of DD because only one soil sample location was collected in this area. Nevertheless, estimated DD is consistent with the fact that few irrigated cotton growing farms have been developed for furrow irrigation here.

Where fields have been developed for furrow irrigation, the length of the field is short (about 300 metres). More commonly, irrigation is limited to sprinkler or trickle irrigation and for the purpose of vegetable (e.g. potatoes) or horticultural (e.g. table grapes) production, respectively. The former is grown under centre pivot irrigation.

In terms of physiographic units upon which fields have been developed for irrigated cotton production, the largest estimates of DD (350-450 mm/year) correspond with the low dissected floodplain west of the ACRI and either side of the Spring Plain road. Here, the irrigated fields are small – the length of the


Mapping estimated deep drainage in the lower Namoi Valley

■ By Alice Woodforth and John Triantafilis

FIGuRE 2: Location of EM34 measurement sites and soil sample locations

FIGuRE 1: Map of physiographic units

(Stannard and Kelly, 1977)

furrows can be only a couple of hundred metres.In the few instances where water storage reservoirs have been

constructed they are small. This is similarly the case with respect to the more extensive prior stream channel which extends to the northwest and due west past Wee Waa and Merah North.

Conversely, and on the clay plains proper, estimated DD is small (less than 150 mm per year). This includes the clay plain between Spring Plain and Bald Hill Roads. This is also the case at the northern end of Doreen Lane. In these locations, irrigation runs are consistently much longer between 600–800 metres. The reason for this is because of the swelling nature of the Vertosols and the alluvium appears to be thicker in these areas.

In addition, these areas are more commonly used to site large water storage reservoirs. This is the case at ‘Auscott’ where two

adjoining storages have a combined approximate dimension of 1one square kilometre.

The relationship between EM34 and DD changes most rapidly where DD ranges between 150–350 mm per year. Whilst the spatial distribution of this DD range lies adjacent to the prior stream channels, these areas represent for the most part soil of the second and third terraced fan of Namoi alluvium. Irrigated farms such as ‘Apple Trees’, ‘Glenarvon’, and ‘Beechworth’ fall within these areas. Estimates of this magnitude also characterise irrigated farms in The Gardens, north of Merah North and Wee Waa and to the east of and including the ACRI. This suggests WUE results collected from a lysimeter installed and commissioned at the research station are most applicable to these areas.


FIGuRE: 3 Relationship between EM34 and a) estimated deep drainage (mm/year), and b) log estimated DD

FIGuRE 4: Spatial distribution of estimated deep drainage (mm/year) using the EM34 calibration shown in Figure 3

AGRICULTURAL Research Service scientists in Georgia and Mississippi are helping cotton growers deal with the double-barreled threat posed by two nematode species

that lurk in their fields. The root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) thrives in the sandy soils throughout much of the southern United States and can cause crop losses of up to 10 per cent worldwide. The reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) is limited to warmer regions of the cotton belt, but its range is expanding. It causes an estimated $130 million in losses each year to the US cotton industry. In some areas, crop losses caused by the reniform nematode are as high as 75 per cent, depending on weather conditions. Losses are greatest under drought stress that typically occurs from midsummer to early fall.

Plant breeders have struggled to develop resistant lines in part because cotton has a diverse and complicated genome – some plants have two sets of chromosomes and some have four – making it difficult to cross ‘wild’ resistant germplasm with commercial cultivars and come up with a hybrid that will produce

seed. Developing lines resistant to root-knot nematode has been particularly challenging because resistance is a multi-gene trait, and that makes developing a resistant cultivar time consuming and extremely expensive.

ARS efforts have attracted support from cotton growers looking for environmentally friendly ways to repel soil pests. “Our best hope for future management of nematodes is to achieve through plant breeding much of what we are now doing with chemical treatments,” says Robert Nichols, senior director for Cotton Incorporated, which is funding much of the work.

The research has taken on a sense of urgency because a pesticide widely used to control nematodes in cotton fields,


The search for nematode-resistant cotton

■ By Dennis O’Brien, Jan Suszkiw, and Sharon Durham, USDA–ARS

A juvenile root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, penetrates a tomato root. Once inside, the juvenile, which also attacks cotton roots, causes a gall to form and robs the plant of nutrients. (Photo: William Wergin and Richard Sayre)

Geneticist John Erpelding cross-pollinates Gossypium cotton flowers to develop new populations. (Photo: Stephen Ausmus)

Temik, is in short supply and is scheduled to be discontinued in the years ahead because of health and environmental concerns. The phase-out of the pesticide, also known as ‘aldicarb’, is “prodding everyone working in this area to step lively,” Robert says.

Eliminating undesirable traits in cotton is a team effort in which researchers essentially ‘pass the baton’ to plant breeders to develop commercial varieties. Scientists use molecular tools to link nematode resistance with certain patterns in the plant’s DNA, and those patterns are referred to as ‘markers’. Researchers provide new cotton lines with those markers to plant breeders and they use them to screen for resistance based on the markers, crossing plants that have them with adapted commercial lines. This process eventually leads to lines with both resistance and the desirable traits inherited from commercial varieties.

ARS researchers are making it easier for breeders to develop commercially acceptable materials by transferring resistance genes from wild plants into cotton cultivars and releasing the resulting lines as breeding tools. They are also developing molecular markers to speed up identification of key nematode-resistance genes. Much of the research is focused on upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), which is native to Mexico and Central America and is one of two principal types of cotton, making up more than 95 per cent of US production.

“Finding genetic markers is critical if we want cotton breeders and private companies to get involved and begin developing commercial varieties with nematode resistance,” says Richard Davis, an ARS plant pathologist at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia.

Richard and colleagues at the University of Georgia have released a root-knot-nematode-resistant line for breeders to work with, and they are hunting for additional genetic markers that will open pathways toward development of commercially viable resistant lines.

Richard has been focused on combating nematode resistance for years. In 2006 he and Peng Chee, his University of Georgia partner, published a paper that identified areas of the cotton genome where root-knot resistance genes are likely to reside. They have since refined the search by mapping portions of the chromosome where the resistance genes are located and identifying “flanking markers” that lie on either side of the genes themselves. These results, published in Theoretical Applied Genetics, will be critical in the search for the specific genes that confer resistance to nematodes.

Their new line is the result of several years of field trials where researchers evaluated crosses among cotton plants, some raised in fields inoculated with the nematode and others raised in fields free of it. The new line is susceptible to the reniform nematode and is not intended as a commercial cultivar. But it is an excellent tool for breeders and provides a source of resistance to root-knot nematode, along with yields higher than and quality superior to a breeding line released in 1989 and still used in many field trials as a research standard. Richard released the new line in a recent report in the Journal of Plant Registrations.

“What makes this release significant is that it has extremely good fibre quality, it resists the root-knot nematode, and it can grow all over the southeastern US,” Richard says.

Developing cotton that resists both nematodesAt the Crop Genetics Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi,

ARS plant pathologist Sally Stetina and plant geneticist John Erpelding are conducting a program to insert genes for reniform nematode resistance into cultivated upland cotton varieties.

Those resistance genes will come from several distant relatives: G. aridum, G. arboreum, G. herbaceum, and G. barbadense.

But crossing cultivated cotton with its distant cousins isn’t easy, mainly because of chromosomal incompatibilities.

“Upland cotton is tetraploid – meaning it has four sets of chromosomes – and most of the related species with reniform nematode resistance are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes,” explains Sally. “When you cross these directly, you get a triploid hybrid, a plant with three sets of chromosomes that is sterile; it will not set seed, and the resistance you moved in will never be passed to the next generation.”

The researchers’ solution was to create an intermediary cotton strain, known as a ‘bridging line’, using a series of complicated procedures, including embryo rescue and chromosome doubling. Its express purpose is to serve as a bridge between species so that genes for reniform nematode resistance can be passed from cotton’s distant relatives into cultivated varieties or germplasm lines used to breed them. But says Sally, “When you bring in


Plant pathologist Sally Stetina (left) and technician Kristi Jordan examine cotton roots with a microscope to determine the level of infection by reniform nematode. By comparing infection levels in resistant test lines to those in susceptible controls, they can identify lines with the most resistance. (Photo Stephen Ausmus)

Agronomist Jack McCarty (left) and geneticist Johnie Jenkins study one of the cotton lines that resist root-knot nematode. In ongoing studies, this resistant line is being crossed with other cotton plants to transfer resistance. (Photo: Russ Hayes)

resistance from the related species, you can introduce undesirable traits such as smaller bolls, limited flowering, poor fibre quality, and poor performance under typical US crop conditions. That’s why additional crosses with adapted lines that have desirable agronomic traits are critical to getting the right combination of resistance and crop performance.”

Markers provide an important tool to track resistance over multiple generations of crossing to ensure successful transfer, John adds.

John and Sally aim to develop markers associated with reniform nematode resistance in G. arboreum and G. herbaceum and make them available to breeders. Markers are already available for reniform nematode resistance from G. longicalyx, G. aridum, and G. barbadense sources. These were developed by teams of researchers from ARS, Texas A&M University, Mississippi State University (MSU), Cotton Incorporated, and Monsanto Company, Sally says.

Depending on the field in which it is grown, cotton can be attacked by many different nematodes, so varieties with resistance to two or more nematode species can be beneficial. In Mississippi, reniform nematode and root-knot nematode are the biggest challenges to profitable cotton production.

Sally and John have teamed with MSU researchers Peggy Thaxton and Ted Wallace to develop cotton varieties with resistance to the two nematode species by using marker-assisted selection. Offspring from crosses are first selected based on the presence of markers for resistance. Plants that are found to have multiple sources of resistance are directly challenged with the nematodes to confirm the resistance. Advanced lines of upland cotton that resist one or both of the nematode pests may be ready for release in two to four years.

A pest for the past 100 yearsAt the ARS Genetics and Precision Agricultural Research Unit

in Mississippi State, Mississippi, geneticist Johnie Jenkins and his colleagues have also made significant strides in coming up with nematode-resistant cotton lines.

Root-knot nematode has been recognised as a cotton pest for the past 100 years, according to Johnie. “Since the 1930s,

scientists have been looking for resistance to nematodes. In the 1960s, ARS started research in root-knot nematode resistance in cotton,” says Johnie. Raymond Shepherd, a retired ARS scientist, was instrumental in using root-knot nematode resistance in a line of wild cotton from Mexico to develop resistant germplasm, he says.

Johnie and his colleagues found patterns of DNA associated with root-knot nematode resistance and key genetic underpinnings that confer resistance to reniform nematode. The markers they developed for resistance to root-knot nematode in upland cotton – found on chromosomes 11 and 14 – should be useful in selecting plants with resistance. They also found that resistance to reniform nematode in a wild G. barbadense line is governed by more than one gene, and they have identified markers linked to these genes on chromosomes 21 and 18. They published separate articles on the root-knot nematode work and the reniform nematode work in Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Former post-doctoral researcher Osman Gutierrez (currently a plant geneticist in ARS’s Subtropical Research Station in Miami, Florida) was the lead author on the paper. Co-authors included Genetics and Precision Agriculture Research Unit colleagues agronomist Jack McCarty, molecular geneticist Martin Wubben, plant physiologist Franklin Callahan, and retired ARS scientist Arin Robinson.

Commercial breeders had steered away from efforts to breed root-knot resistance into upland cotton lines over the years because it was governed by more than one gene and seemed so costly and time-consuming, says ARS agronomist Jack McCarty. But the research contributions from Johnie and his colleagues may change that due to the use of marker-assisted selection.

“This research has sparked interest from some plant breeding companies in trying to develop high levels of resistance to root-knot and reniform nematode in upland cotton,” he says.

This research is part of Plant Diseases (#303) and Plant Genetic Resources, Genomics, and Genetic Improvement (#301), two ARS national programs described at www.nps.ars.usda.gov.To reach scientists mentioned in this article, contact Dennis O’Brien, USDA-ARS Information Staff, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-5129; (301) 504-1624.“The Search for Nematode-Resistant Cotton” was published in the July 2012 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.


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Tractor driving ain’t what it used to be! Stating the obvious? Certainly.

But let’s be honest. Climbing up into the cloistered confines of a modern tractor, adjusting the rake of the luxuriously upholstered arm chair, selecting the filtered air-conditioned temperature of choice, swivelling the armrest control consul to the most comfortable position, slipping an Elton John CD into the quad-speaker player, feeding the data into the satellite guidance system and then pushing the engine start button – can hardly be termed rugged, dirt under the finger nails, hard farm yakker.

While I certainly rejoice that this is the lot of today’s tractor drivers, and I am not for a moment suggesting a farmer is not entitled to such modernity and comfort of advanced tractor design whilst enduring long hours at the controls, I do however confess to harbouring just a wee bit of envy.

Possibly such fallacious thoughts are because during my farming days, out on the broad black soil plains of the Walgett Shire, our first tractors consisted of a Chamberlain Super 90, a Canadian Massey Ferguson also labelled a Super 90, an ageing Kero fuelled Case LA, a Lanz Bulldog, a Fiat dozer and a Massey Ferguson loader/backhoe.

The ChamberlainThe Chamberlain Super 90 was our pride and joy. It was

considered a powerful muscle machine with its GM supercharged two stroke diesel and nine speed gearbox. Being the boss cocky, it was appropriate that this was the machine I drove. But subjected to endless 14 hour days, bouncing around in the open cockpit and being exposed to the torturous howling of the big two stroke diesel, is the reason that today I suffer from stiff joints

and am more than half deaf. The wearing of ear muffs would have been considered sissy in the extreme, back in these ‘good old days’.

Potentially even more damaging to my health than the constant jarring and the noise factor – was the dust! While working the black soil paddocks I was constantly enveloped in a cloud of fine powdery black dust. It caked in my ears, nose and throat. The only escape was if there was a decent crosswind. Even the engine air cleaner cartridge of the Chamberlain had to be removed and blown through with compressed air each day.

Of course every farmer will appreciate the monotony we each experience when obliged to spend what seems like a lifetime, sitting in a tractor, hour after long hour, driving round and round or back and forward in a paddock which stretches endlessly towards the distant horizon. One tends to almost hibernate behind the wheel and enter a sort of dream world. But for me, there were two regular occurrences which were guaranteed to jolt me back into the real world.

The first was if I spotted a wriggling red belly black, or a brown, or better still a king brown (snakes to those uninitiated in such things) desperately trying to get out of the path of the 22 disc plough. Without apologies to my conservation friends, I can state categorically that I hate snakes! For the record I also hate rats and, possibly to a lesser degree, frogs. But I deviate. Back to the snakes. I took great delight in pouring on the coals and careering off in hot pursuit of the loathsome creature, until finally the sharp plough disks chopped the thing into dozens of obscene wriggling sausages. I then of course had to navigate back to the furrow and sedately carry on, but greatly cheered by my achievement.

The other experience that occurred not infrequently when working a paddock, was when Jim (my next door neighbour) was aloft in his Stuka divebomber (or whatever) and spied me


The joys (or otherwise) of tractor driving!

■ By Ian M. Johnston

CLASSIC TRACTOR TALES

The Chamberlain Super 90. This is one of five of these magnificent Chamberlains owned by the author and used on his different properties. The straight front axle indicates it is a Series 2 Super 90 with the higher performance G.M. supercharged two stroke three cylinder diesel engine. The Super 90 is considered by collectors as being the ultimate Chamberlain! (Photo M Daw)

The Chamberlain Super 90 shown pulling a 22 disc plough, which it handled with ease. It consumed a mere 1.5 gallons of diesel per hour. (Photo M Daw)

innocently and diligently ploughing the soil like any normal well adjusted farmer. He would execute a broad turn and an almost vertical hair raising dive before levelling out at zero altitude, then line me up in his sights and come screaming head on towards the Chamberlain. At the last possible moment, by which time my heart rate had gone off the Richter scale, he thankfully wrenched back the controls of his airborne contraption and zoomed inches over the Chamberlain’s canopy.

This dive bombing would continue for around ten minutes until Jim tired of the ‘fun’ or noticed his fuel was running low. Phew! I guarantee I would not return to my trance-like meditative state that day.

I actually went to the expense of having a special AWA 12 volt radio mounted on one of the Chamberlain’s mudguards. It came complete with a set of headphones and I was keenly anticipating being able to listening to John Laws, in order to while away the time and ease the monotony of the never ending rotations of a thousand acre paddock. Sadly, even at full volume, John

Laws’ golden tonsils were thoroughly drowned out by the super charged two stroke diesel. Even when transferred to the Massey Ferguson, the radio proved useless.

The Massey Ferguson Super 90The Massey Ferguson Super 90 was equipped with an after-

market Gason cab, which resembled a cross between a tomato grower’s glass house and an outback dunny. You see the front and side windscreens were virtually louvre glass windows comprising scores of these panes of non-safety glass which could be opened parallel to each other by a series of levers. There was no rear window – just an open space. So the dust was sucked into the cab via the exposed rear end and coated the inside of the louvres thus effectively blocking out vision, resulting in the ‘windows’ having to remain open irrespective of the weather.

Then there was the noise! The Perkins diesel engine is noted for its low decibel output. But in the case of the Massey Ferguson Super 90, the din reverberating down from the tin roof and ricocheting around inside the cabin, magnified the engine sounds to a deafening cacophony.

The CaseThe Case LA served really no purpose except as a nostalgic

memory of one of the tractors I drove in my jackeroo days. The orange tractor was originally designed to run on power kerosene, following a warm up on petrol, but power kerosene was no longer available, which meant it had to be fuelled entirely with petrol. Which was ok, except that it consumed the entire contents of a 44 gallon drum in a ten hour day whilst only pulling a 12 foot scarifier! Accordingly, it spent most of its time parked under the pepper tree.

The Lanz BulldogThe Lanz Bulldog D1706 was not one of these belching

monsters that had to be started with the aid of a blowlamp. Instead, this was one of the new technology Bulldogs (still with only a single cylinder two stroke semi-diesel engine) but utilising an ingenious starter motor with a reversible solenoid, that enabled the piston to be rocked in a pendulum motion, as distinct from ‘turning it over’, until it fired into life. Although being only a diminutive tractor (in fact the smallest Lanz ever sold


The LA Case was used as a spare back-up tractor, but could handle only the smaller implements. It proved to be extremely reliable and trouble free. Even the old fashioned chain drive transmission worked perfectly. (Photo IMJ)

The Fiat 70 CI Crawler was used exclusively for scrub clearing and the maintenance of the property’s roads. It was capable of work way beyond what its size would suggest. (Photo IMJ)

The Lanz Bulldog D1706 was a brilliant little utility tractor, equipped with down thrust three point linkage, independent front suspension and a passenger seat. Its semi-diesel (11 to 1 compression ratio) single cylinder valveless two stroke engine could work all day on a mere one pint of diesel. (Photo IMJ)

in Australia), when it finally erupted into life, the shotgun-like explosions were routinely accompanied by bolting horses and disappearing dogs, and could also create heart murmurs in the aged.

But the little Bulldog was blessed with an unparalleled characteristic which endeared it to my heart. Its fuel consumption! It would work all day pulling a trailer, or a grain auger or empty mobile grain bins at harvest, and consume around a mere two cups of diesel – all day! And there is more! Owing to the fact that being a low compression semi-diesel and therefore unable to burn all the fuel passing through its combustion chamber, there was a detachable little cup-sized bowl that collected the unburnt fuel, rather than have it emitted through the exhaust stack. This was drained, if one remembered, and poured back into the fuel tank. Now that is what I call recycling!

The FiatThe Fiat 70 Ci crawler was equipped with a rugged dozer

blade and although not a big machine, was capable of work far beyond its size would suggest. It was used to push over and clear around 200 acres of scrub and thus convert relatively useless land into high yielding wheat country.

But there was one problem with the Fiat. The steering was by two hand clutch levers and two foot brake pedals – and I simply could not reach the pedals! My legs were too short. Even with cushions at my back, I could only tippy toe the pedals and was therefore unable to exert the considerable force required to apply the turning brakes. However the problem was quickly solved. Stuart, the elder of my two sons, had long legs – and he just loved that Fiat!

The Massey Ferguson loader/backhoeWhich leaves the Massey Ferguson loader/backhoe. How any

farmer can run a property without owning one of these versatile machines is beyond me. It was used for everything, including handling bulk grain, pressing steel posts into the ground, grading

the trails, burying dead livestock, digging pits for garbage disposal, loading gravel, carting fuel drums, lifting things to heights in lieu of a crane, raising me onto the roof when leaks were discovered, straightening gate posts, and it was ideal for blocking cattle ramps when Jeffrey our bull exhibited amorous intentions towards our neighbour’s heifers.

But it too had a problem. I observed one day from the homestead kitchen window, the loader/backhoe being driven flat out, indeed recklessly, with my younger son Grant at the wheel, rushing along the road and obviously in a hurry to knock-off for lunch. As he crossed the ramp near the house – well he didn’t! The edge of the front bucket collided with the corner post bringing the flying missile to an instant halt. Stuart, who had been grimly holding himself onto the rear backhoe seat, did not come to an instant halt! Instead he continued on his journey, doing a respectable interpretation of Peter Pan flying through the air, that is until he landed some twenty feet ahead of the stricken rig.

Surprisingly, Stuart picked himself up with only a minor scratch. Grant was similarly OK but his self esteem went into a steep decline. The Massey Ferguson was the one that suffered. The main loader frame was twisted and out of plumb by several inches and would have required the services of a giant press to


The Massey Ferguson loader/backhoe was indispensable on the property, being able to perform a myriad of labour saving tasks. (Photo IMJ archives)

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straighten, which we did not have. The entire unit leaned to one side, rendering it impossible for the bucket to sit level on the ground.

But, utilising a considerable degree of ingenuity, with which we Aussie farmers are credited, the problem was instantly solved. So for the rest of its days, the loader/backhoe went about its business with 40 pounds of air in its nearside tyres and 14 pounds of air in its offside tyres, and the bucket once again sat flat on the ground.

The John DeereWith two consecutive bountiful cropping seasons under our

belt, I felt it was time for an indulgence. We added to our fleet a John Deere 44-30. What bliss. A Soundguard air conditioned cabin that had me wiping my feet before entering. There was even a tape player enabling me to lose myself in the delights of a Beethoven symphony or two.

The SuzukiWe intalled two way radios connecting the John Deere to the

homestead and Margery’s Suzuki jeep. Trouble was – Margery spent hours discussing scone recipes and pudding mixes over the radio with Mary, who shared our channel. My urgent requests for a fuel delivery or the procurement of a set of filters, or some other pressing matter, would routinely be blocked by the two merrily chattering away, oblivious to the managerial necessities of running a rural property. But I forgave them. Margery’s scones and puddings were and are nothing less than gourmet, indeed surpassing the CWA’s highest standards.

The John Deere was an excellent tractor and made the others seem quite archaic. But it is a fact that at the end of a long shift, I would scramble down from the cabin feeling half crippled.

Certainly I was as clean as when starting off in the morning. On the other hand, despite being filthy following a day in the dust, I never suffered the same aches after dismounting from the Chamberlain Super 90. I can only put this down to the fact that the Chamberlain had a softly sprung front axle. But I recall both tractors fondly.

It is therefore perhaps understandable that I do envy the modern tractor driver surrounded by all his high tech doo dahs. But at least with the good old Chamberlain Super 90, I never had to concern myself with problems relating to air conditioning, dust sealing, the accuracy of the Satnav or even the power steering or powershift transmission!


The diminutive Suzuki Jeep was an incredibly capable vehicle. Powered by a tiny petrol fuelled three cylinder two stroke engine, apart from climbing trees the little vehicle could literally go anywhere. Its narrow lugged tyres, coupled to its lightweight, rendered it the only vehicle on the property that was unstoppable in the black soil in wet weather. Rather absurdly, on several occasions it was used to recover our bogged Range Rover. (Photo M Daw)

iAn’s mystery trACtor QuiZQuestion: Can you identify this tractor?

Clue: It shares its name with a breed of Scottish cattle.

Degree of difficulty: Outrageously difficult, in fact near nigh impossible, as none came to Australia and only one example (this one) remains today.

Answer: See page 64.

The John Deere 44-30 replaced the Chamberlain Super 90 as the flagship tractor on the property. But despite having around 30 per cent more horsepower than the Chamberlain, and of course the luxury of the Soundguard cabin, its drawbar pull was only marginally greater than that of the Super 90 and surprisingly, at the completion of a 14 hour shift, it proved more fatiguing. (Photo IMJ archives)

IN this edition we address the question of what to do when cotton prices are lower than expected. Over the past six months there has been a correction in the cotton price, from

the highs of last season ($1000 per bale) to the lows of mid May at $350 per bale.

This has a number of implications for this year’s crop. Around 35 to 40 per cent of the new season crop has been sold at prices between $470 and $550 per bale. This has meant that overall irrigation area should be similar to last season’s record hectares. Having water in all the major storages has allowed growers to forward sell bales not just for the new season crop but two to three years out.

The major issue lies with dryland acreage which could be lower. Many dryland growers do not forward sell their crop for two major reasons. One, they must have planting moisture to get the crop planted. So many will wait until the crop is in the ground and sell bales based on what contracts are available from the merchants. Secondly, as the cotton price falls, other crops may become more attractive for dryland growers.

The question of soil moisture at planting is an important one but even more importantly is not to lock yourself out of the opportunity to plant cotton by placing herbicides down that are not compatible with cotton. Price over time fluctuates greatly and can move quite dramatically as we have seen over the past year. Keeping your options open allows you to move in or out of a cropping option quite late in the cropping window.

Other things to look at are the long term performance of dryland cotton over other commodities. We know that since the introduction of Bollgard II and RRFlex technology that cotton

has been made a lot simpler which has allowed growers to concentrate on other management implications throughout the season which has lifted yields. Farmers have been able to adopt dryland systems incorporating stubble retention, minimum till and wider row configurations that have helped maintained fibre quality and helped with yield consistency over time.

Of course yield in dryland cotton is dictated by rainfall. CSIRO has shown over 15 years that variety yield increases are tracking irrigated yield increases at around 0.1 bale per hectare per year. This work was conducted by looking at the specific rainfall for the 15 years and comparing that to variety performance to work out what gain had been made from breeding. The result can be seen in Figure 1 which shows long term variety yield increase as portrayed in bales per mm.

Further, variety breeding and adaption to dryland production has meant that fibre quality has improved. A good example of this is with the CSD award handed out for the best fibre quality in a trial, known as the Dr Norm Thompson Shield. This year is a close competition as seen in Table 1. Interestingly, these growers are not irrigators – they are all dryland growers (still waiting on final results).

The improvement in fibre quality has meant that growers can be confident that even in hot dry years their fibre length will hold up. Furthermore, growers, due to improved fibre length varieties, have been able to reduce the width of the skip row, particularly in regions that have reasonable seasonal rainfall, giving them better overall yield potential.

Similarly, if we look at yields over the past few years there have been outstanding results in dryland which shows the vast improvement over varieties that were around a decade ago. This is evident when we look at the contenders for the CSD Alan Brimblecombe Shield, which is awarded every year for outstanding results in a CSD dryland variety trial.

Yields over the past three years have been outstanding in dryland and this has mainly been on the back of the performance


GerminatingideasBy CSD Extension and Development

Team

FIGuRE 1: Rainfall use efficiency over time calculated as bales/mm of summer rain – each point represents the average rainfall use efficiency for all the regions

TABLE 1: Candidates for the Dr Norm Thompson Shield for best fibre quality in a CSD trialGrower Variety Length Strength MicronaireIan Gourley Narrabri, NSW

Sicala 340BRF

1.31 (42) 33.8 4.2

Ben Coulton North Star, Qld

Sicala 340BRF

1.30 (42) 34.3 4.4

Andrew Gill Narromine, NSW

Sicala 340BRF

1.32 (42) 33.8 3.7

Angus McClymont Goondiwindi, Qld

Sicala 340BRF

1.29 (41) 33.2 3.9

of Sicot 71BRF and Sicot 74BRF. Both these varieties have shown strong performance in most regions in dryland.

Comparisons of the two varieties show they are of very similar yield but vary slightly on regional fit. The quality of both varieties over 43 trials has been good with grades for length of 38 and 39 and premium micronaire and strength. For further regional results visit the CSD website and use the Variety Performance Comparison tool.

When assessing cotton’s competitive advantage over other crops we find that it doesn’t take much, in terms of a price increase, to change the total dynamics of the gross margin. For example; a change from $400 per bale to $450 per bale in a 3 bale/ha double skip crop has an effect of a 35 per cent increase in profitability as seen in Table 3.

When comparing the performance of cotton up against sorghum over six years it is hard to go past cotton in terms of its consistency to deliver on the basis of yield, fibre quality and overall gross margin.

In years where the cotton price is low, growers need to ask themselves a number of important questions:

■ What has been my most consistent dryland crop in terms of gross margin?

■ What does the cotton price futures say for the next 12 months? ■ What soil moisture profile have I got? (cotton will require ¾ to full)

■ Have I put down any herbicides that may affect cotton? and, ■ What are my long term goals for dryland farming and does this involve cotton?

For further information in relation to any of the topics mentioned in this article please contact your local CSD Extension and Development Agronomist or visit the web site www.csd.net.au


TABLE 3: Dryland cotton gross margin (GM per ha) sensitivity analysisSingle skip Bale and post ginning seed price

combinedYield (B/ha) $400 $450 $500

2.75 $265 $402 $5403.25 $433 $596 $7583.75 $602 $789 $977

Double skip Bale and post ginning seed price combined

Yield (B/ha) $400 $450 $5002.5 $259 $384 $5093.0 $427 $577 $7273.5 $595 $771 $946

Super skip Bale and post ginning seed price combined

Yield (B/Ha) $400 $450 $5002.0 $173 $273 $3732.5 $341 $467 $5923.0 $510 $660 $810

TABLE 4: Dryland cotton versus sorghum gross margin6 year average Cotton SorghumYield 3.1 b/ha 3.9 t/haPrice $469 bale $210 tonneVariable costs/ha $876 $448Gross margin/ha $584 $354Note: Cotton on double skip. Sorghum on solid row configuration.

FIGuRE 2: Comparison of Sicot 74BRF and Sicot71BRF in CSD dryland trials, all regions (43 CSD trials over three years and six regions)

TABLE 2: Candidates for the Alan Brimblecombe Shield for outstanding result in a CSD dryland variety trialGrower Variety Bales/

haBales/acre

Row configuration

Rob Blatchford Gurley, NSW

Sicot 74BRF

6.85 2.77 Double

John Cameron Bongeen, Qld

Sicot 74BRF

7.11 2.88 Single

Angus McClymont Goondiwindi, Qld

Sicot 71BRF

6.22 2.52 Double

David Ronald Spring Ridge, NSW

Siokra V18BRF

6.85 2.77 Solid




















WITH the increased adoption of Bollgard II cotton in recent years, higher levels of pale cotton stainer (PCS) infestations have been reported from different areas.

PCS cause damage to bolls by inserting their long proboscis to feed on developing and mature seeds. This feeding activity causes black spots on the boll, warty growths inside the boll wall and brown coloured lint. Feeding on seeds results in tight lock, preventing the lint from fluffing out as the boll opens.

In Australia there are no insecticides registered for the control of PCS and they are often incidentally controlled by broad-spectrum insecticides such as synthetic pyrethroids, carbamates and organophosphates that target other pests. As an occasional pest, PCS received very little attention with regard to insecticide evaluation. To date, only one trial has been conducted to identify effective insecticides for PCS (see The Australian Cottongrower 29(2) 2008, pages 41–42). But it is essential to identify which insecticides are effective against this pest whilst also compatible with existing IPM.

In cotton, PCS infestation occurs late in the season when large numbers of whitefly and aphids are also common. Therefore insecticides that are effective against PCS, as well as whitefly and aphids are highly sought after. Pegasus is recommended for both whitefly and aphids (see Cotton Pest Management Guide 2011–12) and was therefore used in this trial to test its efficacy against PCS.

The broad aim of this study was to identify insecticides that were effective against PCS.

TrialThe trial was conducted at the late boll stage of Bollgard II

cotton (variety Sicot 71BRF) at the Kingaroy Research Station. The trial comprised 10 treatments, each with three replications in a randomised block design. Treatment details are given in Table 1.

Trial plots were five rows wide by 15 metres long. There was a buffer row between each replication to facilitate spray equipment and to minimise insecticide drift between plots. The insecticides


Evaluation of insecticides for controlling pale cotton stainer bug

■ Moazzem Khan and Kristy Byers, DAFF Queensland

FIGuRE 1: Per cent corrected mortality to PCS for different treatments trialled in Bollgard II cotton

TABLE 1: Insecticides used in the trialTreatment Formulation (g/L) Rate (mL/ha)Pegasus 400 Diafenthiuron 500 SC 400Pegasus 800 Diafenthiuron 500 SC 800Pegasus 400+salt Diafenthiuron 500 SC

+ NaCl400 + 10 g/L of water

Shield 125 Clothianidin 200 SC 125Shield 250 Clothianidin 200 SC 250Shield 125+salt Clothianidin 200 SC +

NaCl 125 + 10 g/L of water

Danadim 300 Dimethoate 400 EC 300Danadim 500 Dimethoate 400 EC 500Danadim 300+salt Dimethoate 400 EC +

NaCl300 + 10 g/L of water

Control Untreated —

were applied with a Kubota B7100 highboy boom sprayer at 110 L/ha with 3.5 bar pressure. The sprayer was fitted with xL 01 non drift nozzles, three per row (one each side of the row on droppers and one over the top of the row on a rigid frame).

Pre-treatment assessments were made the day prior to treatment application. Post-treatment assessments were made at four, nine and 14 days after treatment (DAT). Pest and beneficial numbers were determined using a beat sheet at 3 x 1 metre row sections per plot.

PCS mortality was corrected by using the Abbott (1925) formula. The data was subjected to analysis of variance and mean results were compared using Tukey’s family error rate.

Pre-treatment populationThe pre-treatment cotton stainer population was two to seven

per metre, 99 per cent of which were adults. Only two groups of beneficials, brown smudge bug (BSB) and spiders, were present in the trial. The population of BSB was 2 to 5 per metre and spider numbers were five to eight per metre.

Effect of insecticides on PCSPercent corrected mortality of PCS for different treatments

are presented in Figure 1. These results show that Pegasus consistently outperformed the other treatments, by reducing the PCS population by 70 to 87 per cent at 4 DAT, 71 to 83 per cent at 9 DAT and 56 to 78 per cent at 14 DAT.

While Shield at a low rate plus salt reduced the population by 75, 66 and 70 per cent at 4, 9 and 14 DAT respectively, Shield at full rate and low rate alone had very little effect.

Danadim reduced the population by 53 to 70 per cent only at 4 DAT with efficacy diminishing thereafter. The results also show that when salt is mixed with a low rate of Pegasus and Danadim, efficacy did not increase. But when salt is mixed with a low rate of Shield, efficacy increased significantly (by up to 50 per cent) compared to a low rate of Shield alone.

Impact on beneficialsThe brown smudge bug population was reduced by more than

60 per cent across the treatments after spraying, but also in the control plots. BSB numbers never recovered and therefore this data was not analysed any further.

The impact of the insecticides on spiders is summarised in Figure 2. The terms ‘very low’, ‘low’, ‘moderate’ and ‘high’ used in this document were adopted from the Cotton Pest Management Guide 2011–12. The results show that the impact of all rates of Pegasus on spiders was high (>50 per cent reduction) and that of Danadim was low to moderate (12 to 27 per cent reduction). The impact of Shield on spiders was very low to low (0 to 18 per cent reduction).

ConclusionsPegasus provided a high level of control of PCS up to 9 DAT.

Thereafter effectiveness was reduced, but provided more than 50 per cent control (see Figure 1) suggesting that residual effect of Pegasus against PCS was adequate. Shield provided control only when mixed with salt. The Shield and salt mixture also provide good control of mirids (see The Australian Cottongrower 30(4) 2009, page 37–38). Danadim provided little effect on PCS suggesting that this insecticide may not be suitable for PCS control.

Given the fact that PCS usually infests cotton late in the season when whitefly and aphids are also likely to occur, the use of Pegasus for the control of all these pests will give an added advantage to growers.

We would like to thank Scot Campbell of DAFF Queensland, Kingaroy for his assistance with spraying and Kate Charleston of DAFF Queensland, Toowoomba for valuable suggestions. This work was funded by The Cotton Research and Development Corporation.

Disclaimer: Please note, there are currently no insecticides registered for control of pale cotton stainer in cotton. Always read and follow label directions.


FIGuRE 2: Impact of different treatments on spiders in Bollgard II cotton. Error bars indicate the standard error of the mean

NEW Holland’s most powerful tractor, with outputs as high as 669 of maximum engine horsepower, is available in two versions: a standard ‘Row Crop’ and a heavy duty

‘High Power’ chassis to satisfy all farming needs. The standard ‘Row Crop’ chassis has been developed with tight-turning, row crop producers in mind following in-depth customer consultation. The heavy duty ‘High Power’ chassis models are the most powerful four wheel drive tractors on the market and are perfect for extensive small grain growers, owner operators and large arable farmers.

Thanks to New Holland’s soil-friendly tyre offering, the T9 range gives a significant advantage in terms of agronomy courtesy of reduced soil compaction and scaring.

The ultimate operator environment featuring SideWinder II and whisper quiet cab

New Holland undertook extensive research with current users before designing the new T9 cab. The resulting best-in-class cab makes the T9’s impressive proportions shrink around the operator.

The cab is packed with ingenious features that make farming easier. One example is the multi-award winning SideWinder II armrest that offers the ultimate in ergonomic operation, as all controls naturally fall to hand. The CommandGrip is used to control all of the primary functions with simple one touch operation.

The T9 range can be factory specified with New Holland’s integrated IntelliSteer auto-guidance precision farming system. This complete and integrated package ensures the ultimate in ease of operation.

The system is managed courtesy of the IntelliView touch screen colour monitor, which also gives operators access to a whole range of operating parameters for constant monitoring and adjustment to ensure optimum productivity and efficiency.

The Integrated Control Panel (ICP), which is positioned to the right hand side of the operator, enables users to regulate or fine tune a host of tractor parameters during working for maximum productivity and efficiency. Features such as Engine Speed Management and Terralock Traction Management can be controlled through the intuitive panel to ensure the T9 range always works at peak performance to guarantee the very highest outputs, and again a one touch interface without the need for complex menus or proceedures.

New Holland’s trademark sloping bonnet design has been integrated to further enhance visibility when manoeuvring, and the 360° lighting package ensures that even in poor light conditions, there is no loss in productivity. One of the industry’s quietest cabs offers a spacious and relaxing operating environment, courtesy of the quiet running Cursor 9 and 13 engines.

Powerful FPT Cursor engines use ECOBlue SCR technology to offer lower operating costs

The ECOBlue SCR technology offers significant performance advantages. Cursor 9 and 13 SCR engines benefit from increased power of between 390hp - 669hp courtesy of New Holland’s Engine Power Management System.

With up to 40 per cent torque rise, the T9 range is able to tackle tough conditions with the most demanding wide implements without downshifting, to offer customers the ultimate in productivity and efficiency.

Best-in-class hydraulic performance The new T9 range offers the best hydraulic performance

in its segment courtesy of up to eight rear-mounted hydraulic remotes. It makes light work of even the most intensive hydraulic applications.

Ground speed management for precision speed control

In order to offer optimised productivity and fuel efficiency, New Holland have developed the Ground Speed Management (GSM) concept for the T9 range. Similar in operation to a CVT transmission, the operator sets the ideal working speed and then the engine rpm and the gears are automatically calibrated to ensure the most efficient operation.

Improved tyre offering for reduced compaction and maximum traction

All T9 ‘Row Crop’ chassis models can be fitted with extra tall RCI 50 tyres for reduced soil compaction, whilst improving the traction performance due to the longer tyre footprint. A wide offering of dual or triple tyres provides tailored performance through true power to ground traction with a large footprint for reduced soil compaction and additional floatation.


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New Holland’s T9 range: Large scale farming with ease


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New cotton technology makes life easier

STEPHEN Perry is an old hand at growing cotton. A third generation farmer from Brookstead, Queensland, he farms a 1200 hectare cropping operation on land bought by his

grandfather in 1956.This season he planted 500 hectares to Sicot 71, Sicot 74,

Sicot 75 and Sicala 340 – all Bollgard II varieties stacked with Roundup Ready Flex. Remaining arable land is planted to corn and sorghum.

“The new technology certainly makes life a lot easier,” Stephen said.

“Cotton-wise, Bollgard II stacked with Roundup Ready Flex is brilliant and it means we’re not out spraying all year.”

This in turn frees up labour and Stephen estimates they have saved the time – and cost – of one person since using the technology.

“That’s been our greatest benefit on farm – reduced pesticide use and the freeing up of time.”

The use of Roundup Ready Flex cotton has also shifted the pressure away from the timing of herbicide applications, as it provides a greater window for application and Stephen can target the weeds at the most optimal growth stage.

“When we were using pre-emergents it was a bit hit-and-miss, particularly if we didn’t receive follow-up rain after spraying.

“We achieve far better results with over the top Roundup applications, given we’re actually able to spray straight onto the weed.”

By growing a cotton variety with Bollgard II, insects are less of an issue and more time can spent managing some of these other issues.

“We used to spray 12 to 15 times during a season for Heliothis but haven’t needed to for some years now.

“Bollgard II tends to kill the grubs and keep heliothis out of our cotton crops and is saving us a lot of time and money.”

Caltex appoints precision oils sales manager

CALTEx Australia has announced the appointment of Michael Knight as National Sales Manager for the range of Caltex Precision Spray Oils.

Michael is an experienced sales and marketing professional, skilled in technical sales, customer focus and working with distributors and resellers to create mutually profitable partnerships.

He has significant technical experience in agricultural inputs and processes in a variety of fields and industries nationally and internationally including Australia, the US, Canada and South America.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) from Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga and has previous experience at Caltex, Cyanamid and Schering with territory and product management roles in Central Western NSW, Adelaide and Sydney, prior to relocating to the United States in 2001.

Whilst working overseas, Michael was based in the south of the US in Atlanta where his role included mentoring of agricultural supply companies in the irrigation sector on attitudes, values and the professionalism required for key account management and building customer relationships.

Michael will be based in Queensland and travelling throughout Australia assisting resellers with Caltex’s premium range of Precision Spray Oil products including Canopy, D-C-Tron Plus, D-C-Trate and Broadcoat in the cotton, broadacre and horticultural markets.

Michael has hit the ground running, manning the Caltex booth at the recent Australian Cotton Conference on the Gold Coast, and is looking forward to bringing several new products to market in the coming months.

Michael fills the role previously held by Stuart Paterson and will work closely with Caltex Precision Spray Oils Technical and Marketing Manager, David Johnson, and the technical and sales support team.

Michael can be contacted on: 0407 810 684 and email [email protected]

Michael Knight.


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Students visit cotton districts

CALROSSY Anglican School Tamworth and McIntyre High School Inverell Year 12 Agriculture students joined forces for their third annual trip around the cotton district of

Narrabri, Wee Waa and Boggabri.Students visited the Cotton Research Institute, Cotton Growers

Services, Cotton Seed Distributers, Auscott Gin and finally Carrigan’s cotton farm at Milchengrowrie, Boggabri to enhance their understanding of the many facets of cotton production and expose them to career opportunities in this innovative industry.

“Our year 12s gain a much greater understanding of concepts such as plant production, sustainability, GM technology, best practice and the dynamics of a family farm through memorable experiences as part of the tour” said Bronwyn Nielsen, Head Teacher Agriculture, Calrossy. “It’s a great way for our students to learn collaboratively and exchange ideas. They are challenged and inspired in an environment where they are exposed to switched on, passionate people in various sectors of the cotton industry from plant breeders and agronomists to brokers and agribusiness analysists and innovative producers”.

Through the enthusiastic assistance and hospitality of the Carrigan Family, Calrossy students began touring nine years ago, “It was so interesting, informative and rewarding for our students we have returned each year and McIntyre High joined us in 2009,” said Bronwyn.

Through the generosity of the Carrigan Family, students get to ride on spray modules, pickers, buggies and pack tarp modules after safety training is undertaken.

Students are now starting to apply for cadetships and undertake bug checking as holiday jobs, considering careers in the cotton industry as a serious option.

Students inspecting a cotton picker at Milchengrowrie.

Innovative solution to agricultural need

WELL known tarpaulin manufacturer Polytex of Leeton has again come up with an innovative solution to an agricultural need – the Round Bale Ratch-e-tarp.

With the explosion of cotton being grown in Southern NSW and the completion of the new cotton ginning complex at Whitton, Polytex has responded quickly to satisfy a need of cotton growers, not only in the Riverina – Polytex also supplies the Australian cotton Industry with covers from north to south.

With the advert of the new round baler picking machines the needs of cotton growers have swung from the traditional module covers to a new problem being experienced by growers and gin sites, damage to the round bale film cover which happens in the normal handling of round bales.

When film damage occurs, the best practice is to cover the bale with an emergency Ratch-e-tarp to stop the film from continuing to come apart with the possibility of completely letting go, which then requires the arduous process of hand feeding the cotton back through the picker. The Polytex Ratch-e-tarp is placed over the bale and is ratcheted up tight, holding the cotton in place so the bale can be transported without further problem.

Polytex services the agricultural industry widely with requirements like grain bunker, hay and cotton covers, dam liners and shelter covers, also the pig and poultry sector with their special requirements as well as feed lot shade sails systems. Transport and mining industries are also serviced with covers, liners, shelters and a unique range of noise control products.

Polytex specialises in production manufacturing of poly textile product using ‘state of the art’ technology to design, manufacture and service the right product Australia wide on time at a competitive advantage to their customers.

Being situated at Leeton the cross roads of major transport links between Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane is ideal for the quick supply of product to the Australian Market.

Ratch-e-tarps can repair damaged round bales.

VOMAx Instrumentation, the Australian manufacturer of moisture measuring instruments for the cotton industry, has released the model 760 moisture meter to measure

the moisture content of the cotton as it is picked with a John Deere 7760 cotton picker.

Not a newcomer to the cotton industry, Vomax has supplied the cotton ginning industry with instruments to measure moisture in cotton bales and cotton modules for the past 16 years, using microwave technology designed and manufactured in Australia. Their products can be found in just about all gins across the Australia cotton industry as well as in the US, and Europe.

The Vomax 760 instrument mounts on either side of the Handler at the rear of the picker, and scans the round module from one side to the other, taking a moisture reading across the entire width of the module.

The instrument works automatically, has an alarm for high moisture cotton, and displays the moisture level of the latest module picked as well as the average moisture and the peak moisture for the previous few modules on a monitor mounted in the picker cabin.

The science behind this Vomax instrument is that moisture molecules have a drag effect on the microwaves, absorbing energy and slowing them up as they pass through the cotton. The instrument sends microwaves from one side of the module to the other, and measures the energy lost and the time the signal

takes to arrive. The higher the moisture, the more microwave signal is absorbed and the longer the time it takes for the signal to reach the other side. The power and frequency of the microwave signal used is similar to Bluetooth.

Because the system does not rely on making contact with the cotton, the instrument remains completely stable and does not require expensive re-calibration, which may be the case with other technologies. More importantly, the instruments are not affected by changes in ambient temperature the way some hand held instruments are – they lose their accuracy once the temperature starts to drop at night, at the most critical time to know when to stop picking.

The first instruments sold were rolled out on a small scale and installed late in the 2012 picking season. They operated in all the major production areas of Emerald, St George, Moree, Narrabri, Warren, Trangie, Griffith and Hay, with a variety of users from contract picker operators to growers and grower ginners.

By far the greatest benefit was the time saved by operators who no longer had to stop their pickers to take hand samples in the field during picking. Pickers were able to start earlier and finish later in complete confidence that they were not picking wet modules. This equated to more cotton picked in less time with no penalties for quality at the gin. The cost benefits were enormous and the improvement to fibre quality will be demonstrated by those growers using these instruments in the coming seasons.


news & new products

Moisture meter for JD7760

Measuring moisture on the go can give growers control of their fibre quality.


Central QueenslandThe wet start to the winter certainly held up a few growers,

who were already behind due to the wet pick. Yields and quality certainly didn’t improve at the tail end of the crop.

While early picked cotton (before the 6 inch March rain event), generally yielded quite well in both Central Highlands and Dawson Callide, the later crops were rain and weather affected, with yields down by more than a bale per acre. This late rainfall on open cotton also affected quality with significant grade discounts being received. The bulk of the dryland cotton seemed to get through the worst of the rain and yields and quality were generally quite good.

With cotton prices holding on the lower end, a reasonable area was committed to winter cropping. Chickpeas have been a bit sluggish and there is some concern yields will be reduced. At this stage, cotton planting in Central Highlands is estimated to be a bit lower than in recent years, but 17,000 hectares of irrigated cotton is still anticipated.

Dawson/Callide will not have a large variation in planting area, with about 6000 hectares expected. Delays in field workings due to rain, has meant that farm hygiene, particularly control of volunteers and ratoons has been below par for a number of farms. Growers and consultants are concerned about pest issues, especially mealy bugs, causing early season issues. It is hoped a large last minute effort makes a difference.

There has already been a number of incidents of spray drift damage on chickpeas in the region this winter. With the finishing winter crop, as well as a larger planting of corn, growers should be very careful with herbicides regardless of the crop and communicate with neighbours as to where sensitive crops are planted.

Susan Maas August 23, 2012

St George and DirranbandiAs with other valleys, the Lower Balonne region is still madly

fertilising country after a few wet weeks in May and June. The upside of this is the fact that the trash from last year’s crop is breaking down nicely and certainly doesn’t appear as though it will be the headache it was for us during last year’s planting.

Another benefit from all the rain is the fact that the country has great soil tilth the larger clods left over from the centre busting operation have brocken down.

With the wet winter that the Darling Downs experienced, the St George and Dirran growers benefited from their allocation of Big N though the greater majority of growers had worked in a large percentage of country being applied with Urea.

Unfortunately the rain has also resulted in some major discounts on quality especially for those late fields picked during May and June. Yields as mentioned previously are down considerably from the 2010–11 season and down on ‘normal’ seasons yields. Average yields have been somewhere between 3.2–3.8 bales per acre with the odd well drained fields/farms averaging 4.0 bales per acre.

All going well, the greater majority of farms well be finished fertiliser within the next two weeks which on the long range forecast appears dry.

Here’s looking forward to another season and a few hangovers at the Cotton Conference.

Dallas King August 21, 2012

Border RiversIt took a while but picking finally wound up in mid June.

The combination of people chasing late bolls, picking capacity stretched to the limit, and several rainfall events throughout picking meant it wasn’t a quick process.

The irrigated yields are more variable than they have been for several years with some farms averaging around seven bales per hectare and some close to 11 bales per hectare. The district average has been estimated at 9.5 bales per hectare.

The lower yields came from a range of factors including farms with limited drainage, late/poor land preparation, inadequate upfront nitrogen fertiliser, and unfortunate irrigation timings. Generally lighter soils and well drained fields performed best this year – usually the worst performing fields in the drought years.

Although there were not many crops grown on fallow fields this year, the rough indication was they were one to two bales per hectare better than back-to-back cotton fields, which comprised a vast majority of the district.

Dryland yields have been very good – ranging from four to seven bales per hectare, even in the western end of the district.

Fibre quality of the earliest picked cotton was the best with a lot of 21s and a few 31s. As the season progressed, 31s became the norm with a reasonable amount of 41s. The staple length, strength and micronaine have all been very good. Leaf has been mostly 2 or 3 but there have been some pockets of 4.

Land preparation is generally more advanced than it was this time last year but it was slowed by some good rainfall events throughout June and July. These events have been very useful for the large winter crop in the district which is looking very good.

Early indications on intentions next year suggest a slight decline in irrigated areas with people taking the opportunity to


District Reports…

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fallow some fields after a season where almost everything was planted. With cotton prices being back a bit, some have been investigating other crops but other summer options are not very attractive at present. The dryland area is more uncertain with many farms not having much good fallow left after two big dryland cotton seasons. Good chickpea prices meant these were planted into some longer fallows and relatively good sorghum prices will mean there will be plenty of this in the dryland summer crop mix this season as well.

In late July, close to 200 people attended the annual Macintyre Valley Cotton Awards Dinner in Goondiwindi. The big winners of the night were Graham and Kylie Cook, ‘Turkey Lagoon’, Boggabilla, who won the Irrigated Crop of the Year as well as Farm of the Year. Sam Dight was busy also, taking home first and runner-up in the Dryland Crop of the Year.

Dryland Crop of the Year1. Sam Dight, Holdfast Pastoral Co, ‘Holdfast’, 8.11 bales per

hectare.2. Sam Dight, Holdfast Pastoral Co, ‘Orton Park’, 6.83 bales per

hectare.3. Shane Boardman, Boardman Ag, ‘Backspear’.

Irrigated Crop of the Year1. Graham & Kylie Cook, Turkey Lagoon Pty Ltd, ‘Turkey

Lagoon’, 12.38 bales per hectare.2. Hugh and Jill Glouster, Rugby Trading Co, ‘Rugby’, 12.78

bales per hectare.3. David & Kim Coulton, Morella Ag, ‘Morella’, 12.2 bales per

hectare

Farm of the YearGraham & Kylie Cook, Turkey Lagoon Pty Ltd, ‘Turkey Lagoon’.

Service to IndustryMark Sankey, Goondiwindi Hydraulics.

Patricia Coulton AwardBarry Goodfellow, Incitec Pivot, Boggabilla.

David Kelly August 1, 2012


District Reports…

Winner of the Farm of the Year plus Irrigated Crop of the Year, Graham & Kylie Cook, ‘Turkey Lagoon’, Boggabilla with award sponsor Paddy Martin, Namoi Cotton, Goondiwindi. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi)

The Patricia Coulton Memorial Award being presented to Barry Goodfellow, Incitec Pivot, Boggabilla by Coulton family representative Sam Coulton. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi)

Service to the Industry Award winner Mark Sankey, Goondiwindi Hydraulics needs some help from colleague Trevor Brown to lift his trophy. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi)

The Dights cleaned up the dryland awards. Jocelyn (left) and Sam Dight (centre) accept the first and second place in the Dryland Crop of the Year award from award sponsor Miles McColl, Total Ag Goondiwindi and awards president Jack Williamson (right), NuFarm, Goondiwindi. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi)

Darling DownsThe 2012 cotton season has become the season that never

ends. Unfavourable weather conditions through June and July has pushed out picking into August. With a significant number of cotton modules and round bales still sitting in fields across the Downs, the season still has a way to go. At a time when most growers are trying to recover from a busy season many are still slashing and pupae busting old ground and preparing and fertilising the 2013 season fields.

Gins have been overwhelmed with the volume of cotton produced this season with estimates of between 650,000 and 700,000 bales being produced. At this stage ginning won’t be finished until late November or even early December.

Irrigated yields have been close to average ranging between 8.0 and 12.0 bales per hectare. Dryland crops, although varying significantly from north to south, have averaged between 3.5 to 5.5 bales per hectare. Dryland yields in the northern Downs have been particularly good. Quality of early crops has also been very good particularly for strength, length and microaire with most crops making base or better. Later crops have had problems with colour and lower strength which you would expect considering the rain that the Downs received later in picking.

Forward estimates indicate that expected 2013 plantings will be significantly down on last season’s record crop. Irrigated crops could be down as much as a third and dryland production could be down by two thirds. Reduced area of available fallow ground, lower soil water profiles, greater winter crop plantings and price pressures (higher grain prices and lower cotton prices) are all impacting on expected plantings.

Duncan Weir August 21, 2012

Gwydir ValleyIt has been an interesting couple of months for cotton

growers in the Gwydir Valley with the picking process dragging on, many still have modules in fields awaiting room at the gins.

Although extremely late, yields have been holding up in both irrigated and dryland crops which is encouraging. The yields look to be about average with a considerable range in yields across farms. Major influences in this result have been the speed of recovery from waterlogging as a result of the two flood events. Dryland yields are above average even when factoring in the amount lost due to extended periods of inundation. Many growers have still made budgeted yields across the entire area due to quite excellent yields being generated on the remaining area. What has yet to be seen is how fibre quality is going to be affected as the gins slowly chew through the modules within yards.

Growers have been battling to turn country around, a combination of a late season and frequent showers have hampered efforts to manage stubble and control pupae. Favourable conditions are needed to allow trafficking on fields without too many adverse effects through compaction. Those planting into back to back situations this season will have less than ideal preparation for the coming summer.

Winter crops have been set up well and another timely fall in late September would be welcomed to finish these crops off nicely.

The general feel in the Valley is that the irrigated area will be up with Copeton Dam being full and many on farm storages in

healthy condition. Reduction in price has many dryland farmers doing their sums to assess their summer cropping program. But it is expected that the area planted to dryland with be significantly reduced this coming summer

James Quinn August 6, 2012

Namoi ValleyPicking of the 2012 crop is virtually complete, with only a few

very late dryland fields delayed by the recent rain. Ginning the current crop continues and most gins in the Namoi will still be operating well into August. Overall yields in the Namoi have been variable. The best irrigated yields were in the western half of the valley. The best crops exceeded 13 bales per hectare with an average of eight bales per hectare. Irrigated yields in the eastern half of the valley were impacted by the cool season and disease.

Dryland yields were very pleasing. Some dryland crops in the upper Namoi achieved over eight bales per hectare and an average of about 5.5 bales per hectare seems likely. Dryland yields in the western half of the valley were also exceptional. Quality has generally been very good but some colour downgrading occurred as the result of rain during picking, particularly on later crops.

Winter crops are looking good following regular falls of rain.Planning and preparation for the 2012–13 cotton season is

well underway. We have had a relatively wet winter but fine dry weather through late July and August has allowed ground prep to be completed. Dryland moisture profiles are in good shape following the wet summer and autumn period. I expect about 62,000 hectares of irrigated cotton will be planted in the Namoi and about 35,000 hectares of dryland.

Surface water supplies are in very good condition. Keepit is full and Split rock is at 90 per cent capacity. This will enable most growers to plant and water a full area. Farm storages on the Barwon are in good shape but growers would like to see further flows to top them up.


District Reports…

As in the past few seasons, most of the crop will be planted using BRF technology. Sicot 74BRF will make up most of the area in the lower Namoi and a significant portion of the upper Namoi, along with Sicot 71BRF.

Cash prices for this year’s crop are at very low levels and this will restrict planting from the highs of last year. Some growers have sold forward some crop at reasonable prices. Perhaps 30 per cent of production has been forward sold. Let’s hope for a few more price spikes during the season.

Overall the coming season looks promising. We just need the price to improve.

Robert Eveleigh August 10, 2012

Macquarie ValleyModules modules everywhere! The forest of modules still in

fields is the most visible reminder of the 2012–13 cotton season. Whether they are conventional blue ones or round yellow ones there are still plenty to go in to the gins. Ginning will continue well into November.

There are reports of cotton still to be picked in the area and other fields that have been recently completed.

Early seed orders indicate continued optimism about the coming season. Full water availability for the next few seasons augers well for good areas to be planted. The current low price is causing some pessimism but it has plenty of upside movement potential.

Fibre quality on cotton picked before any major rain events is holding up well. Later picked cotton is showing weather damage

including some 41 grades and 4 leaf. Some later crops from the eastern end of the cotton growing region have had some low micronaire issues of around 3.5–3.7.

Yields across the valley have generally been good. The valley should average over 10 bales per hectare and up to 450,000 bales could be produced here.

Burrendong Dam has received some very good inflows in early July and is now at 107 per cent. Water is being released at around 8000 ML per day to get it back to just over 100 per cent. There have been several days of supplementary water available.

The Macquarie River Food and Fibre AGM on September 24, 2012 promises to be an interesting one with Senator Barnaby Joyce attending as the guest speaker.

Winter crops in the area are looking excellent with good soil moisture profiles.

Craig McDonald August 1, 2012


District Reports…

Advertiser’s IndexAquatech Consulting ....................26Barcoo ........................................32Barmac .......................................33Bioag ..........................................29BMC Partnership ...........................3Cargill Cotton ..............................36Case IH .........................................9CGS ............................................ IFCCharlton ......................................48Convey-All ...................................17Cotton Outlook ...........................IBCCSD ...............................................7Countryco Training ......................10Dinner Plain ............................ 1, 10Ecom Commodities ......................41John Deere .................................13

Monsanto .....................................19Moree Real Estate .......................36Mr Nozzle ...................................17Namoi Cotton ..............................39Neils Parts ....................................8New Holland .................................5Queensland Cotton ......................37S&G Cotton ................................. 11SMK Consultants............................2Study Tours .................................21Sumitomo ................................ OBCSustainable Liquid Technology InsertThe Appointments Group ...............2Tractorman .................................51Ultimate Agri-Products .................31Valmont ......................................25

Answer to iAn’s mystery trACtor QuiZThe tractor is a 1916 Galloway Farmobile, powered by a 20 horsepower Dart truck engine. The unit was equipped with one forward and one reverse gear and weighed around 2.5 tons. This historic tractor is owned by Kenny Kass of Dunkerton, Iowa, USA. (Photos IMJ)

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