Insects in cotton fields form a diverse and volatile community. Room (1979) collected some 500 species of insect (plus spiders) in Australian cotton fields. Some (the ones we notice most) are pests.

The aim of this research is to define the best rotation/management combination whereby yields and quality of subsequent cotton crops can be maximized and sustained over the long-term.

Australian Rainfed Cotton has been grown with startling results over the last 10 - 15 years.

In 1993 a series of experiments were established in the Namoi and Macquarie valleys to study the effects and benefits of rotation crops for subsequent cotton crops.

Simulations were run to test the sensitivity of OZCOT to varietal differences in developmental characteristics known to influence fruiting dynamics in cotton.

Various parasitoids are active on cotton crops from early seedling growth right through to defoliation.

The distinctive dark glands covering most of the aelial parts of the cotton plant are well known to growers.

Pengelly Farming Pty. Ltd. is a family owned and operated business in the Bowenville area of the inner Downs.

Host plant resistance has long been a focus of the CSIRO cotton breeding program.

Cotton is but one of a number of fibers which the consumer can use to satisfy the need for clothing, household articles and industrial products.

There have been claims that the addition of lime to irrigated heavy textured clays have improved soil conditions and yields.

The first process in facing up to a season without water is to set some rules and make certain assumptions. Assumptions can be based on previous experience, fact or fiction and can incorporate any degree of risk.

The diet incorporation technique has been used to detennine the variability in the baseline susceptible response to Bt in a number of field populations of both Helicoverpa armigera & Helicoverpa punctigera.

Quality of fiber has long been a concern to textile mills. Growing areas such as the San Joaquin Valley in California have historically been paid a premium for consistently high quality.

This CRDC-funded project is studying the effect of repeated wet/dry cycles, with drying by rotation crops, on the structure repair of a black, cracking clay.

With the advent of new molecular genetic techniques, it is now possible to identify the particular pathogen strain in an outbreak of plant disease, to characterise it, and potentially, to isolate genes associated with

The funds requested in the application were for Dr Christian to spend 6 weeks in the laboratory of Dr Art Mcintosh and Dr Carlo lgnoffo in Columbia Missouri, working on aspects of the project "Genetic Engineering

Report on Overseas Travel, June-July 1994 Helen McFadden

OBJECTIVES OF VISIT: (i) To attend and present a paper and a poster at the Sixth International Verticillium Symposium, Dead Sea Israel.

This project commenced on the 1st July, 1993. Since that time the following has occurred