Updates from our network of E&D Agronomists, provide an update of what’s happened and things to consider going forward.
Bourke
Craig McDonald
An increased cotton area has been planted at Bourke this season. Planting began in mid-September and continued through to early November. Crops were watered up and seed beds, especially in fallow fields, were in good condition.
Soil temperatures have been ideal for germination and establishment. Good plant stands have been achieved, and the crop is progressing well through squaring towards flowering in December. Day degrees so far are up on average and there have been no cold shock days. There have been 12 days above 35°C and two days above 40°C since late September this year.
CSD have a trial of varieties containing Bolgard 3 XtendFlex® established near north Bourke. Growers will have an opportunity to look at this and other varieties during the season.
Sicot 606B3F has been the main variety planted in the area again this year. It has been a reliable performer over the last few years. There is a lot of optimism in the area, and this has been boosted by ideal establishment and growing conditions so far.
Callide and Dawson Valleys
Kim Stevens
As the cotton season progresses, the fields in the Dawson and Callide Valleys are bustling with activity. Most of the irrigated cotton has been planted, with first and second irrigation happening, first cultivation and we are now witnessing the early stages of flowering and boll setting in several crops. Growers are diligently managing their irrigation schedules, balancing the need for water with the scattered storms that have graced the region in November.
This much-needed rain to certain areas boosted the prospects for planting dryland cotton in early December. Reports indicate excellent retention rates in many crops, although recent overcast and cooler conditions may have impacted some fields as they approach cutout.
In the Dawson Valley, we are conducting a trial with four varieties containing XtendFlex® and are hopeful to plant a dryland variety trial by the end of the planting window, pending further rainfall. Data collection from various fields of varieties containing XtendFlex® is ongoing, providing valuable insights for local growers on the performance of these varieties in our region.
Enhanced Efficiency Fertilisers have been applied in some fields, and we are seizing this opportunity to gather data on nitrate release and peak plant access under local environmental conditions. This season has also highlighted early establishment issues, prompting continued research by CottonInfo and QDAF to support growers and develop tools to address these challenges.
Field walks have been conducted in areas where Sunn hemp is being trialled to combat the persistent reniform nematode issue. Early results are promising, and monitoring will continue throughout the season.
Looking ahead to the new year, we plan to host more field walks to assess the varieties containing XtendFlex® and gather feedback from growers on their experiences. As we navigate the season, we remain optimistic and look forward to enjoying some family time during the festive season.
Queensland Central Highlands
Nick Stewart
Crops in Emerald have powered away after being side-dressed, cultivated and irrigated. Fields are quickly approaching second irrigation due to the hot conditions. Ideal growing conditions have allowed crops to outgrow any early jassid or thrip damage. There’s a wide range of crop-maturities with early planted and later planted crops being sown right up until October.
The earlier crops have begun flowering, and some have cut out already. Retention has improved in areas that experienced early mirid damage. Growth regulators have been applied to some crops as they are growing rapidly. New varieties containing XtendFlex® are performing well and look promising in several trials and side-by-side comparisons. Several of these fields have received an over-the-top application of dicamba or glufosinate-ammonium, with good results on weeds.
By January there needs to have been a significant amount of rainfall to sustain the early sown dryland crops and for later dryland plantings to go ahead. The weather over summer will also determine the outcome of many irrigator’s plans for growing their crops-on due to the limited water allocation. An excellent tool for gauging your crops performance is CottonTracka®, which can be found on the CSD website (csd.net.au). Built into CottonTracka® is the BARRY yield prediction model, which is essential for making informed management decisions in traditional and long season crops. Stay posted for upcoming field walks in the variety trials showcasing what they have to offer your operation.
Darling Downs
Larissa Holland
The good planting conditions have persisted on the Downs with soil temperatures pushing well above 20°C since September, and most cotton having no problems pushing out of the ground. There were some cooler nights and cold shock days plus soil drying down quicker than expected, which have resulted in replants. Hailstorms have also added to replant.
There have also been enquiries regarding ‘j-root’, though most plants have grown through the issue with ample day degrees to help it through. For most it has been a great start with good establishment results, and Sicot 748B3F being a standout for many. After a dry October, storm rains have returned which will likely see the dryland growers that held off early get a crack at planting and hoping the trend continues. Thrip insect pressure has been high in the early season with moderate damage to cotyledons and early true leaves.
Looking forwarded into January and February, the wet weather is predicted to continue as are the above average temperatures. These conditions should be beneficial to growing conditions going into first flower, which we should see in late December and into January. Predicting the first flower can be made easier with CSD’s STEFF tool (found at csd.net.au), which gives the grower an estimated date for the first flower. Potentially this season is shaping up to be similar to the last on the Downs which is good news for dryland though can pose some challenges for irrigated cotton if humidity persists. CSD’s CottonTracka® may help in keeping an eye on VGR through height and node measurements with it a predictor if the crop is growing to vegetative and not fruiting up as desired.
Overall, it has been a great start to the season and is shaping up nicely with rainfall and temperature outlooks being positive.
Gwydir Valley
Stuart McFadyen
Planting weather conditions have been terrific this season and as a result plant stands across the valley are strong, and growers have set themselves up for a standout season. Bed preparations were done well this season, winter rain did delay some in field passes but the Gwydir growers’ commitment to preparing a solid well packed hill has paid off so far this season. The exception is the heavier country that has taken longer to water up and held a cooler soil temperature for longer during seed imbibition, which has resulted (as expected) with a reduced plant stand. Replants are isolated to instances where growers chanced establishing the crop on rainfall and were caught out when storm events failed to deliver adequate soil moisture everywhere except the rotor buck areas.
Dryland cotton growers were afforded the opportunity to spread their planting dates this season from late September through to the end of November on the back of favourable soil temperatures and consistent rainfall events. Sicot 619 B3XF has been widely adopted this season, a normal seed density variety that has established some exceptional plant stands which impresses growers and agronomists alike.
The GVCGA awards dinner was held in late November congratulations to Earl Carter (AFF Milo) for irrigated grower of the year and Edward Tomlinson (Myall Plains) for dryland grower of the year. A great night and thank you to all the sponsors for aiding in donations to the Gwydir Medical Scholarship and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
Macintyre
Colin Lye
Since our last update the Macintyre and border rivers planting window has been and gone. Temperatures have been above average with only 2-3 days where we experienced sub-optimal soil temperatures. Our Texas and Bonshaw growers went early on the back of confidence in the FastStart™ Field Forecast. At this stage they are ahead in heat units and looking to build from this. A good majority of the crop down stream of Yetman was planted in the last half of October. Where possible they planted onto available moisture then flushed over the following seven days from Imbibition date. Those that did plant earlier have been rewarded likewise.
The dryland cotton area is down somewhat as growers opted to swap into chickpeas. As I write this it is still being planted. Some chose to get started before winter harvest and others feeling confident waited till post winter harvest. The CSD Try Before You Buy Trial sites for this coming summer have all started well. Focus will be on understanding the growth habits and fibre characteristics of the current varieties containing Xtendflex® and pending possible new varieties. Dates of field walks will be available shortly.
Macquarie
Craig McDonald
Planting continued through late October into early November and soil temperatures have been ideal. Once they warmed up, they continued to be suitable. There was some replanting required, mainly due to field conditions and back-to-back cotton situations. Some parts of fields have had to be ‘spot’ planted to fill in some gaps. Some soil crusting contributed to replanting decisions. Having fields in ideal conditions at planting has again shown to be the best strategy for a strong plant stand.
CSD’s new FastStart™ Field Forecast (found at www.faststartcotton.com.au) has been used across the valley and there have been positive comments about its usability and benefits.
Crop establishment has been good with strong plant stands now growing well. Most fields were watered up, they needed to be flushed to join up with subsoil moisture due to the dry conditions. The winter crop harvest was earlier than usual and clashed with cotton planting in some cases. Yields from the winter crops have been very good. Most crops were ‘set up’ well due to good rain through to August. Dry conditions since then probably limited top end yields and grain protein.
There has been a great uptake of the varieties containing Bolgard 3 XtendFlex® with many growers keen to try the new varieties and the herbicide technology choices for greater weed control.
Several Bolgard 3 XtendFlex® trials and comparison sites have been set up in the valley and there will be opportunities to view these during the season.
There was some interest in planting dryland cotton given the excellent winter rain. Very dry conditions since August have meant that it may not happen but there is still time to plant within the window if conditions improve.
A review meeting with the participants in the Richard Williams Initiative Disease Action Research project was held in early December and the latest findings and results were presented. There is good interest in this program and grower interactions and suggestions have been positive. More work is planned in this space.
Namoi
Natalie Aquilina
The Namoi Valley cotton season started strong, with near-perfect planting conditions across the Upper, Lower and Walgett regions. Many growers capitalised on this window to plant early, avoiding the competing demands of harvest and securing a head start to the season. Early-planted crops are progressing well, with most reaching 5-9 nodes, and some beginning to develop early squares.
Despite good soil moisture at planting for some growers, many fields required follow-up watering due to a rapid rise in temperatures post-planting, which dried out beds quickly. Growth stages vary widely across the region, from cotyledons and two-leaf in later-planted crops to 8-9 nodes in advanced fields. Late November rains have been instrumental in facilitating dryland planting, particularly in the Lower Namoi.
Thrips have caused significant damage early this season, particularly in Walgett and the Lower Namoi. The rain in November has allowed some crops to recover and grow out of the damage, but thrip pressure remains an ongoing concern for many. Additionally, early sightings of mites and mirids in advanced crops, with reports of square damage, emphasises the need for vigilance.
In terms of diseases Pythium, Black Root Rot and Rhizoctonia have been observed across the valley, likely exacerbated by a brief cool period in mid to late October. Despite some isolated cases of replanting, growers and agronomists generally report a favorable start to the season.
As we move into the next phase of the season, the focus will shift toward canopy management and ensuring strong retention of early fruiting sites. As always, effective irrigation planning will be critical to maintain momentum. Continued pest monitoring is essential, particularly for mirids and green vegetable bugs, as early damage to squares can significantly impact yield potential. Mites may also be an issue, with some reports of early numbers in crops throughout the valley and resistance levels from last season on many people’s minds, they will be a pest to keep a close eye on.
CSD tools such as CottonTracka® and STEFF (found at csd.net.au) can be used to assist growers in tailoring strategies for their crop by stage and current conditions, and getting a clear indication of when crops will begin to flower. These tools, alongside insights from last season’s variety trials program, will assist in optimising inputs and understanding variety performance under local conditions.
In the coming months, the Namoi Valley will plan to host local area-wide management sessions, and field walks throughout January and February. These events provide forums to address in-season issues, share regional learnings, and discuss mid-to-late-season strategies. Younger agronomists in particular are encouraged to participate and learn from experienced professionals in the region.
Burnett/Gympie, Frazer Cost, Lockyer, Somerset
Chris Barry
Since the last report, the large majority of cotton has been planted and we have had a good emergence overall. There’s significant less replant this year compared to last. At time of writing, crops are currently emerging or are at around 10 nodes. Flowering in Somerset is predicted in early December. There’s been some noticable thrip damage and an early lay of helicoverpa eggs.
Looking forward our growers will be full time irrigating, may require an early insecticide for sucking pests, and will be maintaining growth using a growth regulator (mepiquat chloride). There will need to be weed sprays around this time as the later weeds post irrigation begin to emerge, particularly bellvine and barnyard grass. Some growers will be looking to side dress or water run urea to give to crop another boost.
For the area it’s recommended to really looking at growth management and preventing excess growth whilst maintaining early fruit retention.
Predominantly growers have been using and enquiring about CSD’s tools such as CottonTracka® which tracks every growth stage, optimise yield, and harness climate insights to confidently manage your crop. We hope to hold a trial variety comparison event for growers in most valleys in early 2025.
Southern NSW
Michael Taylor
Southern NSW has been favoured with an excellent start, possibly the best since 2018. Planting was completed by mid-October, the majority being watered up, with some isolated areas benefiting from rainfall events occurring on October 16 and 17 to start germination.
Replanting has been minimal, with the odd field and isolated rows within fields needing replanting due to crusting.
Despite the good temperatures, consultants have been reporting some fields are showing slow growth, due to the dry and windy conditions experienced through the first three weeks of November. These crops have recently been watered, and reports suggest growth has accelerated.
The most advanced crops are up to 5 Nodes, with the normal density seed varieties Sicot 619B3XF and Sicot 714B3F showing the best establishment and vigour and showing their capacity to establish when growers are dealing with difficult seed beds and crusting soils. This is not detracting from good establishments being seen amongst low density varieties such as Sicot 761B3XF and Sicot 743B3XF
It is estimated that 25% of Southern plantings have been to varieties containing XtendFlex®, predominantly Sicot 619B3XF and Sicot 761B3XF.
With the favourable start, the expectations are for first flower to occur between Christmas and New Year. Growers can use tools from the CSD website such as STEFF, which will estimate time of first flower, based on variety and establishment date. Growers can utilise CSD’s CottonTracka® to track every growth stage, optimise yield, and harness climate insights to confidently manage your crop.
Given conditions are near average from now onwards, crops should be in a good position for cut out to start in the 3rd week of January and be managed for last effective flower by mid-February.