Excerpt
Soil conservation measures are critical to any cropping industry to minimize soil erosion and maximize the crop yield and quality. In Australia, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production is one of the most successful cropping industries with an annual gross value of AUD$2 billion (Roth 2014). Until the early 2000s, the Australian cotton industry was in the spotlight for its environmental impact due to the use of agricultural chemicals. However, with the introduction and adoption of improved cotton cultivars with genetic modification in conjunction with improved soil, water, and crop management practices, as well as the support of Australian state and federal government agencies, the Australian cotton industry now leads the world in producing high-yielding, environmentally sustainable cotton. Cotton (lint) yield (kg ha−1) in Australia is 2.5 to 3 times higher than the global average (Cotton Year Book 2015). Nevertheless, there are still opportunities for improvement in sustainable cotton production practices being used by Australian growers.
COTTON PRODUCTION IN AUSTRALIA AND MYBMP In Australia, cotton production is concentrated in two eastern states (New South Wales and Queensland). The main cotton producing regions include the Central Highlands, Darling Downs, St. George, and Dirrabandi in Queensland; and the Macintyre, Gwydir, Upper Namoi, Lower…
- © 2016 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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