Optimising seedling emergence

A major factor limiting cotton yield in Southern New South Wales is the unpredictably cool start to the cotton growing season. This has a negative impact on growers' ability to establish a consistent plant stand within an optimum planting window that allows sufficient length of season to obtain high yields. This project undertook field demonstration trials and validated previous research. These trials included sowing date, use of bio-films, and plant hormones. This work contributed data towards supporting the potential development of a day-degree calculator better suited to southern growing conditions. The key outcome was that other agronomic management such as soil health, pest and disease pressure and seasonal environmental challenges limited the yield more than treatments imposed to affect establishment.