Outstanding dryland cotton prospects at Tamarang

A very successful foray into dryland cotton in the far upper Namoi this season has caused a resurgence of interest in the crop.

Around 25 dryland farmers and consultants from the Tamarang district recently attended a field walk, hosted by Cotton Seed Distributors, at David Ronald’s property, ‘The Point’.

Mr Ronald deep-sowed the crop into moisture in the second week of October, and after a very dry start to the season, the crop has received about 250mm of rain since Christmas. The result, according to CSD agronomist Robert Eveleigh, is a dryland crop resembling irrigated cotton.

Rob Eveleigh said most growers who attended the field day had not grown cotton in the past, preferring sorghum, but the development of more suitable varieties, the Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex technology and seeing success stories like The Point, was making them look seriously at the crop.

“This is a relatively new area for cotton and it’s near the limits on how far south and east you can grow the crop because of the season length – there’s a risk.you’ll run out of season if the crop is delayed for any reason”

“When we were growing conventional cotton it was a high risk prospect because it takes longer to mature but the Bollgard II gives the crop more determinacy – it stacks the fruit on quickly and you can pick it at the right time,” he said.

In addition to the Bollgard II technology, Mr Eveleigh said row configuration and variety selection were also big factors in determining crop maturity.

“The main commercial varieties used here this season are Sicala 60BRF and Siokra V-18BRF – they’re both quick maturing with good fibre quality and they’re looking very good.”

“We’ve also done a large scale variety trial including commercial and experimental lines and it’s really evident that the longer season varieties such as the high yielding Sicot 71BRF are much later, so the results will be interesting,” he said.

“There’s also a trial comparing various row configurations – we’ve got solid plant at 95cm spacings, single skip, double skip, and one in one out, or 190cm solid.”

“In a favourable season like this, the solid is looking the best and maturing the earliest – it’s probably a week ahead of the single skip. In a dryer year, the solid would be more risky.”

Rob Eveleigh said growers in the Tamarang and Spring Ridge districts produced some of the best sorghum crops in the country these same skills would also make them very good cotton growers.”

“The main thing here is to get things done on time – particularly land preparation, planting and so on, but the availability of Bollgard II and Roundup Ready Flex varieties make cotton as easy or easier to grow than sorghum.” he said.

Rob Eveleigh said another field day would be held at the site before defoliation and all would be welcome to attend.

26 February 2010

Further Information:
Robert Eveleigh 0427 915921

Above: CSD agronomist Rob Eveleigh inspects dryland cotton at ‘The Point’, Tamarang