Did you know?
Stress prior to defoliation (70% open or 4 Nodes above Cracked Boll (NACB)) can cause a reduction in yield and fibre quality.
Cotton is in the Ayr, as the first commercial harvest of cotton is underway in the Burdekin. With an abundance of water and a well-established agricultural industry, the Lower Burdekin region is already home to thriving enterprises including sugar cane and horticulture and for the first time will be adding cotton to the list.
According to Dr Paul Grundy of QDPI&F and the Cotton Cooperative Research Centre the 2008 Burdekin season saw growers plant 900 hectares of cotton and hopes are high to increase this by at least 400 hectares for 2009.
“Yields are already looking extremely positive so far with results we have the potential to rival the production rate in southern cotton growing regions”.
“The Burdekin could definitely become a big player in the Australian cotton industry as the climate suits and water is available”, said Dr Grundy.
