Interviews
Come Clean Go Clean protocol gets cotton machinery moving
05 Apr '10
5 min read
"In the heaviest mealybug infestations, the Cryptolaemus ladybird which is a known mealybug specialist predator, has had a significant impact on reducing the population.
"Lacewing insects are also playing their role as an IPM management option particularly in areas where the mealybug numbers are lower as lacewings can survive by predating on other pest insect species."
Ms Maas said the immediate adoption of rigorous farm hygiene measures targeting the removal of host weeds plus volunteer and ratoon cotton plants will be imperative for future mealybug control.
On-farm trials to investigate the most effective management approach to remove and destroy post-harvest cotton crop residue will be conducted by Cotton CRC researcher Stewart Addison.
Ms Maas said mealybugs could survive on defoliated cotton so it was essential to destroy harvested cotton fields as quickly as possible. The farm hygiene recommendation was to control all weeds and volunteer cotton in non-crop areas and ensure fallow and cropped fields were kept weed-free.
"To achieve optimum crop destruction, trial work will be assessing three methods - rake and burn; root cut and mulching; and root pulling and mulching," Ms Maas said.
Harvesting of the Emerald Irrigation Area (EIA) cotton began in mid-March but has been brought to a temporary halt by the former cyclone Ului rain influence. Regional growers have been impressed with their first 2010 introduction of the new self-propelled six-row round module cotton pickers.
Three John Deere 17760 round module pickers operated by Burdekin contractor Andrew Keeley were working round the clock at Hamish Millar's farm last week and Mr Millar endorses the round bales as the "way of the future".
Mr Millar said that while the weather-impacted crop yield was about 20-25 per cent down on previous historical crop averages, the impressive performance of the pickers delivered huge operational and safety benefits.
The plastic wrapped 2-2.3 tonne cotton round bales eliminated the need for the labour intensive operations of conventional four-row pickers, boll buggies, module builders, specialised module transporters, tarpaulins and significant cotton spillage and waste.
Soil compaction from the 40-tonne pickers was reduced by the dual wheels to spread the load and the harvesting time had been slashed. The three pickers were comfortably harvesting a combined total of 140 hectares a day.
Ms Maas said that of the Dawson-Callide's 5300ha cotton crop, some 2500ha of the Theodore district's irrigated cotton valued at $7 million was destroyed by the Dawson River flooding together with significant property infrastructure damage.
Of the 16,500 ha Central Highlands cotton, Comet River irrigators lost crops to flooding and constant February rain and cloudy days have resulted in reduced yield and lower quality fibre throughout Central region.
"Lacewing insects are also playing their role as an IPM management option particularly in areas where the mealybug numbers are lower as lacewings can survive by predating on other pest insect species."
Ms Maas said the immediate adoption of rigorous farm hygiene measures targeting the removal of host weeds plus volunteer and ratoon cotton plants will be imperative for future mealybug control.
On-farm trials to investigate the most effective management approach to remove and destroy post-harvest cotton crop residue will be conducted by Cotton CRC researcher Stewart Addison.
Ms Maas said mealybugs could survive on defoliated cotton so it was essential to destroy harvested cotton fields as quickly as possible. The farm hygiene recommendation was to control all weeds and volunteer cotton in non-crop areas and ensure fallow and cropped fields were kept weed-free.
"To achieve optimum crop destruction, trial work will be assessing three methods - rake and burn; root cut and mulching; and root pulling and mulching," Ms Maas said.
Harvesting of the Emerald Irrigation Area (EIA) cotton began in mid-March but has been brought to a temporary halt by the former cyclone Ului rain influence. Regional growers have been impressed with their first 2010 introduction of the new self-propelled six-row round module cotton pickers.
Three John Deere 17760 round module pickers operated by Burdekin contractor Andrew Keeley were working round the clock at Hamish Millar's farm last week and Mr Millar endorses the round bales as the "way of the future".
Mr Millar said that while the weather-impacted crop yield was about 20-25 per cent down on previous historical crop averages, the impressive performance of the pickers delivered huge operational and safety benefits.
The plastic wrapped 2-2.3 tonne cotton round bales eliminated the need for the labour intensive operations of conventional four-row pickers, boll buggies, module builders, specialised module transporters, tarpaulins and significant cotton spillage and waste.
Soil compaction from the 40-tonne pickers was reduced by the dual wheels to spread the load and the harvesting time had been slashed. The three pickers were comfortably harvesting a combined total of 140 hectares a day.
Ms Maas said that of the Dawson-Callide's 5300ha cotton crop, some 2500ha of the Theodore district's irrigated cotton valued at $7 million was destroyed by the Dawson River flooding together with significant property infrastructure damage.
Of the 16,500 ha Central Highlands cotton, Comet River irrigators lost crops to flooding and constant February rain and cloudy days have resulted in reduced yield and lower quality fibre throughout Central region.
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