Project overview
Cotton growers in North Queensland operate in some of the most variable production environments in Australia. High rainfall, intense heat, hard-setting soils, and rapid transitions from wet to dry seasons create major challenges for crop establishment, root development, and irrigation scheduling. The soil moisture dynamics in North Queensland project is helping growers better understand how cotton uses water under these unique conditions.
By installing soil moisture probes and canopy temperature sensors across a range of cotton systems, from semi-irrigated pivots to furrow irrigation, dryland skip-row, and drip the project is building a detailed picture of how soil type and management influence crop stress and water use.
The information gathered will help growers make more informed decisions about irrigation timing, skip-row design, and soil management, improving both yield reliability and farm profitability across North Queensland.
Outcomes and achievements
- Installed GoField soil moisture and canopy temperature sensors over two seasons across multiple NQ production systems (Dimbulah, Julia Creek, Bowen)
- Began continuous monitoring of crop water use, stress, and soil moisture dynamics
- Identified key differences in water availability across semi-irrigated, fully irrigated, dryland, and drip systems
- Built strong engagement with NQ growers and agronomists.
Key contributors and partners
Our thanks to the growers and agronomists from the Dimbulah, Julie Creek and Bowen regions in North Queensland who are collaborating with CSD on the Soil Moisture Dynamics in North Queensland project.
Project status
- In progress 40%
Contact
Jodie Pedrana
Extension and Development Agronomist North Queensland
Cotton Seed Distributors
jpredrana@csd.net.au
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