The confirmation of Fusarium wilt in a field north of Moree daring the 1996/7 season jolted the cotton industry.

Traditional methods of generating soil information on the field scale have involved the design and adoption of soil sampling regimes and laboratory analysis.

Although cotton is grown on fertile soils, commonly nutrient deficiencies become apparent due to many factors. Cotton has a high demand for many nutrients which are taken up over a period of weeks (Table I).

The past growing season (1997/98) was the second commercial year of INGARD cotton varieties with some 60,000 ha planted across all growing regions.

The silverleaf whitefly (SLW) Bemisia tabaci B-biotype is a major problem to cotton growers overseas and is a threat to the cotton industry in Australia.