Cotton threads into the rice and corn mix

Cotton has found a fit as an ideal rotation crop for rice and maize growers in New South Wales’s Murrumbidgee region.

Speaking on CSD’s Web on Wednesday broadcast, Cotton Catchment Communities CRC industry development officer James Hill said improved cotton varieties and access to biotechnology traits gave the crop an ideal fit in the region.

“Roundup Ready has a great fit for weed management”, he said.

CSD extension and development agronomist Bob Ford said the Roundup Ready Flex technology, which allows Roundup herbicide to be applied over the top of the crop all season, has reduced the necessity for residual herbicides which were often implicated in delaying crop maturity.

“Since people have moved away from residual herbicides there’s been far fewer problems with delayed crop maturity and the Roundup Ready herbicide gives great control of the big weeds down there such as Bladder Ketmia and Barnyard grass” he said.

Mal Pritchard, Twynams agronomist at “Merrowie”, near Hillston confirmed the benefits of reducing residual herbicides at planting time.

“With the usage Roundup Ready herbicide we are able to use the herbicides that we once used as pre-emergent or planting herbicides as lay-by sprays which allows small plants to get off to a strong start. We then come in after our Roundup Ready sprays, when needed, and use a lay-by Cotagard to clean up the rest,” he said.

James Hill said interest in cotton had escalated in southern New South Wales due to improved cotton prices, good cotton yields, lower returns for rice and corn and a greater availability of irrigation water.

“We’ve had interest from as far south as Jerilderie and as Far East as Narrandera – with the current varieties there’s no reason why it can’t be done.”

“Water wise, there’s definitely an improvement this season – while dams are only at the same levels as they were last season, the recent inflows into Menindee Lakes has taken the pressure off the Murrumbidgee to supply water to Adelaide – freeing more water up for irrigation,” he said.

According to James Hill, southern New South Wales growers have become very good at adapting a crop with a relatively long growing period into the short growing season of the region.

“The growers here have a good attitude to risk – using plant growth regulators to cut the crop out in mid January and allowing them to pick in mid April.”

“Plant establishment is very important – you can’t get away with a gappy stand down here.”

“Every irrigation has to be done on time – its different to what people think – it’s very hot down here at the peak of the season so keeping the water scheduling tight is one of the key issues,” he said.

Cotton, a tap-rooted plant, is able to forage far deeper into the soil profile than grass crops such as rice and maize, which according to Bob Ford is allowing growers to recover fertiliser washed through the soil through irrigation.

“Cotton will send its roots down 150cm into the soil – probably double that of maize and rice so its able to pick up nutrients and water that has washed out of the reach of the grass crops.”

“Another thing that growers down here are appreciating is the indeterminate growth habit of cotton offering a different risk profile to the more determinate crops such as rice and corn. Cotton can lose fruit or get damaged and then recover where these grass crops are less able to do so.”

Bob Ford believes cotton is likely to remain in the long-term crop rotation for many southern New South Wales growers once they have tried cotton.

“One of the biggest attractions is the options and flexibility with marketing the crop – you’ve got six companies wanting to buy your cotton and the ability to market your crop three years out,” he said.

“While there are people worried about some of the logistics such as the availability of harvesters, these things are sorting themselves out. At the recent CSD info meeting held in early July an open panel of growers, researchers, picker contractors and industry personnel covered many of the questions and issues arising from growing cotton for the first time” Bob Ford said.

23 July 2010

Further Information

James Hill 0408892317
Bob Ford 0428950015

Above: James Hill.