To maximise improvements in work health and safety, it is vital to have the best available evidence available to understand the risks that exist. In turn, this can help to define the best control solutions to reduce these risks and prevent injury. For the cotton sector, such information can be used with confidence by cotton growers to update and modify myBMP (Best Management Practices) information and enhance their health and safety systems/practices.

The aims of this project were to review the National Coroners Information system and workers compensation data to understand the risks that exist on cotton famrs and define the best control solutions to reduce these risks and prevent injury.

2. Are there any comments relevant to continuing research in this area?

The report identified that there were a total of nine fatalities relating to working on cotton farms during the period 2001 – 2013 and an additional 28 cases that could have involved work on cotton farms, however the available data did not specify the cropping situation. In addition to fatalities a number of serious injury claims and short term injury claims were also identified. Ongoing research requirements exist for routine monitoring of data to provide indications of practice change and improvements on cotton farms. Moreover the requirements now exist in improving safety on farm and ensuring best practice reflects dilligence in WHS.

In recent years water use has become an important issue for the cotton industry mainly due to prevailing drought, competition with other water users and environmental concerns. Therefore water use efficiency is a critical issue for the Australian cotton industry and avenues for improving irrigation efficiency (IE) and crop water use efficiency (CWUE) need to be explored. Total water inputs to an irrigated cotton farm come from in-season rainfall, irrigation and stored soil moisture. A integrated management of these water inputs will assist in improving the efficiency of use of irrigation water, reduce salt inputs to the farm and reduce the risk of off-farm movement of agrochemicals. The results of past studies show that crop rotation has a number of advantages particularly in terms of soil moisture conservation. The amount of moisture stored in the soil depends on the water holding capacity of the soils and infiltration capacity. By using appropriate crop rotation and stubble management, a portion of pre-season rainfall can be stored in the soil profile to be used for future cotton crops. Further infiltration capacity of soils can be improved to utilise “in season” rainfall efficiently.

The effect of the previous crop and tillage method on water use efficiencies was investigated using the existing farming system trials. There was no significant difference between treatment for in-season rainfall use efficiency and total amount of irrigation water used for evapotranspiration. Cotton CWUE did, however, differ between cropping systems. Cotton CWUE's were in the order of minimum-tilled cotton-wheat (average of 2.30 kg of lint/ha/mm)> minimum-tilled continuous cotton (average of 2.12 kg of lint/ha/mm)> intensively-tilled continuous cotton (average of 2.07 kg of lint/ha/mm). Highest plant available water was observed in minimum tillage with rotation treatment. There was additional 26mm of plant available water in minimum tillage with rotation systems compared to maximum tillage continuous cotton. These results clearly indicate that the crop rotation and tillage strategy have beneficial effects on water use efficiencies of irrigated cotton.

Cotton farmers need strategies and tools to assist in monitoring and analysing water use with a view to improving efficiency. A standard method for measuring, recording and analysing water use is necessary to make a valid comparison of water use efficiencies between fields, properties and seasons. A user-friendly software tool was developed to assist cotton growers to record, analyse and assess the performance of individual fields and whole farm water use efficiency using readily collected on-farm data. Both production and quantitative water use efficiencies are considered, including the overall irrigation water losses within the farm. This system enables irrigators to identify the fate of water within the farm, identifying points of loss and potential areas for improvement. This system has been integrated into HydroLOGIC software.

Financial analysis usIng comparative statistics helps farmers identify relative strengths and

weaknesses. Accompanying budgets and long term business plans wlll then focus on ways to

overcome weaknesses and build on strengths . In other words, this comparative analysis is a

management tool to implement change and to identify where effort should be directed on a day

to day basis.

ObviousIy, this analysis does not provide all the answers. It is a benchmark or a standard to strive for. It is up to management to develop and implement specific action plans based on their

improved knowledge, to reach new goals set.

These reliable, independent figures are the starting point for farmers to develop "best practise".

In this report, we present an analytical review of the 2002 cotton crop results, a comparison with prior years and comments on emerging trends.

This project was undertaken in response to concerns raised by the NSW goverrrrnent

Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC, formerly EPA) regarding the

potential for the concentration of pesticide residues in cotton gin trash to pose a

"hazardous" risk. The assessment and characterization of waste is stipulated by waste

management guidelines (EPA, 1999), of which one of the 27 pesticides analyzed,

commonly used in cotton production, is characterized.

Monitoring of trash ginned from cotton during the 2002 season occurred over a two year

period at three gin sites from different valley's, including Namoi (Auscott Narrabri),

Wathagar (Namoi Cotton) and Mungindi(Namoi Cotton). In total, 14 pesticide residues

were detected in gin trash; 13 commonly used pesticides of cotton and DDE, a breakdown

product of DDT. The concentrations of these residues were then characterised for risk

using standard risk assessment methodology (Norton at o1. , 1992; ECOFR, A. M, 1999) and

the EPA guidelines (EPA, 1999). The degradation rate of the residues was also measured.

The concentrations of residues in gin trash were not found to pose a hazardous risk. The

nature of these chemical, being strongly bound to organic matter, also indicated that these

residues would not be available to cause toxic action. The total amounts of residues in gin

trash almost disappear except for DDE found only in samples from the Namoi Valley.

Based upon the characterization guidelines for chiorpyrifos (EPA, 1999), cotton gin trash

was found to be "Solid Waste", two management categories lower than Hazardous

Waste". There is no evidence to suggest these chemical residues detected should be

considered a risk of causing toxic action in the future. Furthemore, future classification

would be expected to reduce cotton gin trash to "inert" waste, because of decreased

pesticide use with increased use of Bollgard 11 cotton varieties.

Ultra narrow row (UNR) cotton, is cotton with row spacings of 50 cm or less. The rationale for investigating narrow row cotton production was that it had the potential to reduce season length, provide a better spatial arrangement, and produce the same yield by having fewer boils on a greater number of plants. Early Australian trial work in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area by Low and McMahon (1973), and by Low, MCMahon and Pistillo(1975) did show yield benefits with narrow rows. However, there were several limitations to the development of the system. These included the development of varieties, cultural practices and harvesting machinery adapted to narrow row production.

Five trial results detailed in Final Report.

The question is asked - Why grow Pima in A ustraha? There are different answers. The most obvious is the economic consideration, then there is the challenge of doing something new and different. For the sake of this discussion the economic considerations will be outlined. then the management/agronomy of Pima will be compared to Upland and advantages and disadvantages of Pima will be put forward.

Murata Vortex Spinning is a spinning technology of the future. It differs from previous air-jet spinning in that it can spin 100% Upland length cotton at speeds of up to 400 m/min. Furthermore the yarn quality is comparable to ring spun yarn quality. However, to achieve these outputs the fibre must be long and uniform in length. The aim of this project was to evaluate Australian cotton in terms of short fibre and nep content, and how these properties effect spinning on the Murata Vortex Spinner (MVS) in terms of yarn quality and spinning efficiency.

The 1997-98 cropping season in southern Queensland was characterised by a severe, sustained and damaging outbreak of H. armigera. This situation arose as a result of a combination of factors. Helicoverpa attacks most of the crops grown in the Darling Downs agroecosystem, and successive generations can occur where seasonal

conditions are favourable, and control poor, or ineffective. There is a high dependence on insecticides for the management of heliothis in all crops. This over-reliance on insecticides has led to declining efficacy of registered insecticides because of resistance in H. armigera, resulting in more frequent field control failures,increasing pest densities, and increasing costs of control.

The impact of the 1997-98 season on the economic viability of most crops resulted in a widespread realisation within the fanning Ccommunity that a change in the current approach to heliothis management was needed to ensure a farming future in this region. Under greatest threat was the grains industry because it is highly

dependent on 'old' compounds for heliothis management(eg. carbamates). There were also increasing concerns about environmental and human health hazards associated with increasing insecticide use.

In 1998-99 this project was initiated to develop a regional management approach for heliothis on the Downs.

Reflecting the mixed cropping system of the region, the project was jointly funded by the GRDC and CRDC. After consultation with growers, consultants, researchers and funding bodies, two pilot study areas were defined, and a draft strategy developed. The two study areas were on the limbourfloodplain and the other

between Brookstead and CGcilPlains. The Jimbour floodplain area is predonxinantly a dryland grain production region with smaller areas of dryland and irrigated cotton. The Brookstead-CecilPlains area produces predominantly irrigated cotton and grains with smaller areas of dryland grain crops and cotton. Strong local support for the project was expressed at initial grower meetings in each of the areas.

The regional management strategy for H. armigera is based on the theory that it is a local and recycling population of the pest that drives the spring-sumrner build up in pressure. A strategy that targets bottlenecks in the population development will result in a reduction of the overall H armigera population, reducing pest

densities and the frequency with which chemical control are required. Flowing on from the lowered pest pressure and reduced insecticide use would be a reduction in the level of insecticide resistance in the population, and consequently greater opportunity for the use of biological insecticides (eg. Bt and NPV), and other IPM options.

For many years the insect pest management research conducted by the Entomology Team at QDPI Farming Systems Institute, Toowoomba has relied on makeshift spray equipment for the application of pesticides. The investigations carried out included evaluation of biopesticides (Gemstar and Bt), insecticide interactions with beneficials, insecticide efficacy, pest exclusion studies and spray application evaluation. While the various researchers have achieved a great deal with the available equipment, there is scope for safer, more reliable and time efficient methods to conduct much of this research. This is very important as we strive to conduct our research under practical field conditions, and expand our research program related to the development of Best Practice and IPM in cotton. Insect and weeds researchers at ACRI have pioneered the design and construction of two high clearance multi-spray rigs and identified the most appropriate features for this equipment. Our proposal is to draw on the experience gained in the construction of the previous two spray units, and build a third unit for the QDPI Farmimg Systems Institute Toowoomba based research. The spray rig will be light weight and transportable on a tandem trailer so that it can be readily moved to various research locations on the Darling Downs and elsewhere as required.