A multi-million partnership between industry, government and the university sector is set to benefit Queensland cotton farmers.
The $13 million program involving the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), the University of Southern Queensland and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries aims to safeguard cotton growers against the rising threat of disease and mitigate the economic impacts.
CRDC Innovation Broker Elise Hudson said with disease already having a significant impact on cotton growers and climate change threatening to increase the spread, the CRDC was making its largest ever single investment in a first-of-its-kind approach to cotton disease research through the Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration (ACDC).
“Disease is a critical challenge for Australia’s cotton industry, contributing to significant yield losses which undermine long-term confidence in growing cotton. In extreme cases, disease pressure is forcing some growers to opt out of cotton production,” Ms Hudson said.
She said recent research found that across the cotton industry disease was causing an 8 percent reduction in yield.
“For growers directly affected by disease, they are seeing an average reduction in yield of 12 percent. In some extreme cases, it can be as high as 100 percent.”
Ms Hudson said while the CRDC had invested in cotton disease research over several decades, the impact disease was having on growers’ profitability and productivity was increasing and a new approach was needed.
“ACDC changes the game for growers, delivering a comprehensive coordinated national disease program that will help understand the impact of disease, enhance foundational pathology resources and capability, and deliver tactical management and innovative technical solutions.”
