This topic goes to the heart of the current crisis in the Australian cotton marketing system. The cotton industry is currently in a state of shock.

Interest in Integrated Pest management (IPM) and Area Wide Management (AWM) continues to increase within the Australian Cotton industry.

Irrigation in the Australian cotton industry has traditionally been dominated by the use of furrow irrigation practiced almost exclusively on the heavy clay soils associated with riverine flood plains.

This paper is based on my views and experiences from the four Area Wide IP M Groups in the Macintyre Valley. These groups cover the majority of the irrigated cotton from Yetman to just east of Boomi.

Temperature plays many important roles in the growth and development of cotton.

The objective of NFF's trade strategy is to achieve a more profitable international trading environment for Australia's farmers.

Northern Australia has long presented a series of problems in terms of sustainable cotton insect management.

The adoption of biopesticides by the cotton industry in Australia has been impressive.

Plant diseases are currently threatening the productivity and sustainability of the cotton industry.

When David Swallow rang and asked if l would present this paper my first thoughts were &quote;Why would you pick on me?&quote; I'm 54 years old, nearly as old as my farm.

This paper explores some specific short-term impacts of reductions in water available for cotton irrigation. It is noted that longer term impacts are much more difficult to determine.

Glyphosate is the single most commonly used herbicide applied through shielded sprayers for controlling Post emergent weeds.

Pesticides provide essential protection in the production of many agricultural commodities.

The majority of cotton growers in the Australian cotton industry are familiar with an integrated approach to insect pest management.

Many of Australia's broadacre crops have or will have herbicide tolerance traits added in the future.

Cotton is the most important textile crop due to its cellulose-enriched mature fibres, single celled hairs derived from ovule epidermis at anthesis.

The disease black root rot (BRR) is caused by the soil born fungal pathogen Thielaviopsis basicola. This fungus has a broad host range, infecting 137 species, with a worldwide distribution (Honeess, 1994).

Control of Helicoverpa armigera is being forced towards minimising reliance on broad spectrum insecticides.

Two key hormones, ecdysone and juvenile hormone, control metamorphosis and moulting in insects.

The ongoing development and adoption of decision support tools within the Australian cotton industry has led to the need for refinement of several crop data collection techniques.