BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN AUSTRALIAN COTTON

Rick Kowitz, myBMP Manager, Cotton Australia.

SUMMARY

• Australian Cotton and myBMP

• myBMP Partners

• What is myBMP?

• How does myBMP work?

• Best Management Practice in

Australian Cotton .

95%

Irrigated

5%

Rain grown

AUSTRALIAN COTTON AND myBMP

Cotton Growers

1200 farms 495 ha/farm

Early 1990’s 2002 - 2004 2008

Full Program Review

• Integrated Research

• Seed to Fabric

• Whole of Industry

2010 2014

Alignment

BMP Starts 1997

• Pesticide issues

• Voluntary approach

• Alternative to regulation

Broader Focus • Land management

• Water management

• Petrochemicals www.mybmp.com.au

myBMP PARTNERS

Cotton Australia

Management, Administration and Delivery

Cotton Research and Development Corporation

Research and Development

CottonInfo – Extension and Delivery

WHAT IS myBMP?

• Australian cotton industry’s

voluntary Best Management

Practice program

• Continuous improvement

• Online self-assessment

• Accreditation - Third party audit

• Aligned with international

quality assurance programs www.mybmp.com.au

BMP Checklist 1. Legal requirements

2. Industry best practice

3. Innovative practices

Certification

• Third party audit of levels 1 & 2

• Eligible for the Better Cotton Initiative Cotton Australia provides individual on-farm support for cotton growers

HOW DOES myBMP WORK?

Water Management

Soil Health Petrochemicals

Fibre Quality

Biosecurity

Ginning

Energy & Input Efficiency

myBMP

A whole of business approach

IPM Insects, weeds

& diseases

Classing

Human Resources Health & Safety

Sustainable Natural Landscape

Pesticide Management

Biosecurity BMP

Aim: Keep cotton fields free of introduced pests,

weeds and disease

• Come clean, Go clean!

• Signs and staff/visitor communication

• Crop monitoring – pest, weeds, diseases

• Ensure farm inputs are clean

• Inspect all vehicles/machinery entering farm

• Washdown facilities

EXAMPLE - Solenopsis mealybug • No effective insecticides registered

• Biosecurity BMP is the key to prevent further spread

ENERGY AND INPUT EFFICIENCY

Aim: Increase efficiency, reduce costs

• Monitor and reduce energy use

• Well designed pump stations

• Measure irrigation performance

• Alternative energy sources are used

• Tractor efficiency is optimised

EXAMPLE – Well Designed Pump Stations

Pump efficiency of 70% to 85%

• Qualified designers used

• Efficient electronic engines installed

• Correct suction height

• Well designed pipes

• Pump efficiency measured

• Good maintenance

FIBRE QUALITY BMP

• Variety selection – suited to region

• Optimum sowing date, uniform plant stand

• Irrigation - minimise stress at early flowering,

finish crop limiting regrowth

• Cut-out: 4 nodes above white flower (NAWF)

• Manage white fly and aphids

• Harvesters correctly setup and maintained

• Harvesting - Cotton moisture < 12%

• Farm hygiene – avoid cotton contamination

HUMAN RESOURCES and WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY

• All Australian legal requirements are followed

• Correct awards and employment conditions

• Required training and licences for workers

• Good, safe work facilities and conditions

• Farm hazards identified and risks assessed

• Machinery regularly serviced and maintained

• Safety procedures and emergency plans

• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and alarms

• First aid

SUSTAINABLE NATURAL LANDSCAPE BMP

• Maintain and improve natural diversity,

habitat condition and wildlife corridors

• Monitoring and mapping natural

assets

• Improve ground cover and manage

soil erosion

• Manage native vegetation to enhance

IPM – avoid spray drift

• Control pests and weeds in native

vegetation and riparian areas

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT Insects, Weeds and Pests

Pesticide use down 90% using BT Cotton and IPM

• Maintains farm profitability

• Reduces pest & weed outbreaks

• Reduces reliance on pesticides

• Reduces resistance to pesticides

• Minimises risks to human health

• Minimises risks to the environment

IPM - Best Management Practice

• Biosecurity is the first defence

• Correct sampling and identification of weeds, pests and beneficials

• Manage pest life cycles - planting, in-crop, post harvest

• Incorporate Resistance Management Strategies – IRMS, HRMS

• Consider impact on bees and beneficial insects

• Rotate pesticide modes of action

• Use multiple control methods

• Manage volunteer cotton plants and host plants

PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT BMP

• Detailed farm maps and communication

• Training and accreditation for workers

• Safe storage, handling and application

• Safe weather conditions, correct nozzles,

shielded sprayers, GPS, camera sprays

using Weed Seeker technology

• Integrated Pesticide Management (IPM)

• IRMS and HRMS followed

Weed Seeker cameras

PETROCHEMICALS BMP

• Safe storage, handling of fuel and oil

• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Good storage design, suitably located

• Correct signage, fire extinguishers

• Bunds and spill containment

• Emergency procedures and training

• Waste oil storage and recycling

SOIL HEALTH BMP

• Reduced tillage systems

• Controlled traffic systems

• Crop rotations – legumes and cereals

• Regular soil testing, nutrient budgeting

• Precision agriculture - GIS, remote

sensing & yield mapping

• Variable rate fertiliser applications

• Electromagnetic induction surveys

Chickpea rotation

Composted gin trash

WATER MANAGEMENT - Background

• In most years water limits production area

• 95% of Australian cotton is irrigated

• 90% is by surface irrigation systems

• Summer rainfall is important during crop

• 5–7 ML/ha of irrigation water is required

to maximise cotton production

• Largest farm water loss is through

evaporation from on-farm water storages

Lateral move irrigator at Goondiwindi

WATER MANAGEMENT - BMP

• Benchmark WUE - compare with industry

average, aim for continuous improvement

• Objective irrigation scheduling

• Surface-irrigation evaluations

• Storage-efficiency calculations

• Installation of water meters

• Electromagnetic surveys

• More efficient irrigation systems

Drip irrigation system, Goodiwindi

IRRIGATION SCHEDULING

Applying the right amount at the right time!

• 70% industry using soil moisture probes

• EM survey to identify majority soil types for probe

placement

• IrriSAT – weather based scheduling. Remote

sensing provides crop water use information

across large spatial scales

• Canopy Temperature Sensors – plant based

scheduling, indicator of plant stress.

IRRIGATION WATER USE EFFICIENCY UP 40% C

ott

on

yie

ld (

bal

es/h

a) W

ater app

lied (M

L/ha)

Source: Roth et al 2013 Sprinkler drop

WHOLE FARM WATER BALANCE • More room for improvement

Surface furrow irrigation

THANK YOU!