Within highly mechanised agricultural productions systems such as the Australian cotton industry, operational energy inputs represent a significant cost to growers. Overall, it has been estimated that machinery may contribute 40-50% of the cotton farm input costs. In this project, a framework to assess the operational energy inputs of various production systems and the relative performance of a grower within an adopted system is developed. This framework is later implemented and incorporated into a user-friendly energy assessment tool (a Betta version web-enabled online energy calculator, EnergyCalc).

EnergyCalc divides energy usage of cotton production into six broadly distinct processes, which includes fallow, planting, in-crop, irrigation, harvesting and post harvest. This enables both the total energy inputs and the energy usage of each production processes to be assessed. In addition to the default energy use data provided, the software also allows the user to enter their own site-specific data so that they can benchmark their performance with peer farmers and best practices to identify opportunities for reduced energy costs.

Seven case studies are presented. It is found that overall, the total energy inputs for these farms was significantly influenced by the management and operation methods adopted, and ranged from 3.7-15.2 GJ/ha of primary energy, at a cost of $80-310/ha and 275-1404 kg CO2 equivalent/ha greenhouse gas emissions. Among all the farming practices, irrigation water energy use is found to be the highest and is typically 40-60% of total energy costs (wherever water is pumped). Energy use of the harvesting operation is also significant, accounting for 20% of overall direct energy use. If a farmer moves from conventional tillage to minimum tillage, there is a potential saving of around 10% of the fuel used on the farm. Compared with cotton, energy used in the production of other irrigated crops on these farms is generally half of cotton. This is due to less intensive management required for these crops, leading to the lower number of farming operations (passes) carried out (generally about 10, in comparison with 17-18 for cotton) and reduced irrigation requirements.

The opportunities for further work are also identified. EnergyCalc is currently being populated with generalised performance data obtained from various sources which may not be specific and accurate to the Australian conditions. Opportunities therefore exist to further test and improve the accuracy of the model. Wide promotion and use of this tool is also critical. Conceptually, EnergyCalc may also be extended to other Australian rural industries to conduct on-farm energy audits and recommend strategies to reduce energy input costs. This will provide an opportunity for co-investment from these industries for continuing development of the tool.

The commonly used Micronaire value for cotton is related to both fibre fineness and

maturity. 'RDC and the CCC CRC have been funding work at CSIRO Textile and Fibre

Technology to develop new technologies to measure fibre finess and maturity separately

i.e. to overcome the deficiency in the micronaire measurement. One difficulty is that there

are no internationally recognized standard cotton samples that can be used for calibrating

new instrumentation. Researchers at the CSDA and Texas Tech University have tackled this

problem by coordinating the development of a standardised set of cotton samples specifically

for this purpose.

The broad aim of the project is that CSIRO would collaborate with the two US groups and act

as a third independent test laboratory to validate the procedures and results obtained in the

US. This is particularly important as it is envisaged that the set of well characterised cottons

with their assigned values of fibre maturity and fineness will last for in excess of 10 years as

the primary calibration internationally for all other 'new' techniques for measuring cotton

fineness and maturity.

The project has been extremely successful. Working in collaboration with the US groups the

Australian initiative has identified a significant systematic error in the results obtained by the

US groups. The cause of the error has been identified. It relates to the limited resolution of

the techniques being employed to image the cotton fibres. Further an alternative approach

has been identified to overcome this problem.

CSIRO has established an effective breeding program that continues to deliver high yielding and high performing varieties containing transgenic traits for more sustainable and profitable insect and weed control. To stay competitive globally, new varieties must be developed more rapidly and efficiently and this can only be achieved through the adoption of biotechnology and modern molecular marker techniques. Over the last 15 years the Canberra Biotech team has augmented the efforts of CSIRO's breeders to allow the introduction of Monsanto's Ingard, Roundup Ready, and later Bollgard II and Roundup Ready Flex traits into elite germplasm that has had a significant impact on the economics and environmental footprint of cotton. As the conventional variety suite is expanded each new variety must be converted by repeated backcrossing to BG II/RRF (or any new transgenic trait introduced into the program) and this requires extensive molecular screening to follow the traits (all three genes segregate independently) through segregating populations. This is carried out in Canberra by high throughput biochemical and DNA screening methods that detect the Bt protein or site of insertion of the transgene, effectively molecular markers for each of the traits. Molecular markers for disease, yield or quality determinants could be used in a similar way in our conventional breeding to reduce population sizes before extensive field testing is needed and would accelerate CSIRO's output if the right markers could be found. Some markers reportedly linked to good fibre quality have been published, but we need to establish that they are relevant to our germplasm. Yield is also critical to cotton and if we had a better understanding of the genetic determinants of yield we might more effectively select for varieties with both high yield and quality or manipulate yield by GM to keep Australian cotton ahead of its competitors.

CRDC's Annual Operating Plan for 2014-15 (AOP): the second annual operating plan under the CRDC's Strategic R&D Plan 2013-18.

This CD brings together all of the research, publications, tools and key scientific references from thirteen years of work on the National Riparian Lands Research and Development Program onto one handy, easy to access product. The material is organized against eight management issues for those users that want to understand a particular riparian issue and how the science that has been undertaken supports the recommended practical guidelines.

Spinning trials conducted at CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE) has

highlighted the superior fibre properties of a new Long Staple (LS) Upland variety

called Sicala 350 B, produced by breeders at CSIRO Plant Industry. Initial trials

conducted in 2004 showed that Sicala 350 B fibre produces superior Ne 42 (14 tex)

and Ne 35 (17 tex) ring-spun carded and combed yarn, and subsequently fabric

(single jersey) knitted from it. Performance was measured in terms of process

efficiency and quality relative to yarn and fabric produced from standard Upland

cotton. Subsequent spin limit trials conducted in 2005 showed that Sicala 350 B could

be used to process high quality fine count carded and combed ring-spun yarns in the

range of Ne 60 to 70 (8 to 10 tex). The Premium Blends project in 2007 further

highlighted the fact that a 70/30 blend of Pima/Sicala 350 B did not cause a practical

deterioration in yarn quality and processing efficiency when compared with yarn

spun from 100% Pima. The primary advantage for the spinner using Sicala 350 B

fibre is a substantial savings in raw material costs.

Reflections of Mark Mortons person journey and discovery as a participant on the 2009 Australian Rural Leadership Program. Questions and challenges for the industries leaders are a major focus. "Growers are looking for an answer as to how they deal with what is before them; the responsibility of leaders is to identify the opportunity and table strategies to progress that opportunity. It is also a challenge to deal with those who are reluctant to accept that the cotton industry is entering a new phase where the previous structures and practises may not apply."

CRDC's Annual Operating Plan for 2013-14 (AOP): the first annual operating plan under the CRDC's Strategic R&D Plan 2013-18.

2015 marks 25 years of CRDC: 25 years of driving continuous improvement and transformation in our cotton industry. Over the past 25 years, CRDC has invested more than $280 million into RD&E on behalf of the industry, delivering a $1.9 billion benefit back to Australian cotton growers on their farms. In 2014-15, CRDC invested $22.826 million in 239 RD&E projects on behalf of Australia’s cotton growers and the Australian Government, continuing our long-standing commitment to deliver real outcomes for growers and enhance the industry’s performance.

The CRDC Strategic Plan 2003-2008 outlines CRDC's investment priorities and strategy for this five year period.