CottonInfo: Crop to Top
29 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago -CottonInfo is the Australian cotton industry’s joint extension program.In the Crop to Top podcast, we bring you conversations with the program's Regional Extension Officers and Technical Leads, as well as researchers and cotton growers connected to CottonInfo with a story to share.
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Episodes
The value of attending Irricom with Lou Gall
February 10, 2024 23:00 - 10 minutes - 7.01 MBIrricom 2024 - CottonInfo’s third irrigation forum - will take a deep dive into understanding the Water Use Efficiency of siphon-less and bankless designs. Tune in to hear more from CottonInfo’s Technical Lead for Irrigation Lou Gall on the value of attending this event on Feb 27th in Narrabri. More details & RSVP here: Irricom 2024, Narrabri | CottonInfo
IPM learnings, lessons and the future: a conversation with Richard Sequeira.
January 23, 2024 03:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBWelcome to Season 3 of Crop to Top and the first podcast episode for 2024. This episode was recorded on site in Emerald, Central Queensland and features a conversation between our CottonInfo Tech Lead for IPM Paul Grundy and QDAF Principal Research Scientist, Richard Sequeira. When Richard arrived in Central Queensland in 1996, the local cotton industry was in the grip of a Helicoverpa problem, then, five years later, Silverleaf whitefly exploded. In this episode, hear about Richard's ex...
Update on the Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration with Elsie Hudson
December 01, 2023 05:00 - 11 minutes - 8.08 MBLast year the Australian Cotton Disease Review was completed by the Centre for Crop Disease Management at Curtin University in WA and out of that … the Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration (ACDC) was been given the green light from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) board. CRDC’s Innovation Broker leading the project is Elsie Hudson and she joined the CottonInfo podcast to explain just what ACDC is and how the process to building it is shaping up.
New guidelines for managing retention in Bollgard 3 crops
November 04, 2023 20:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MBThis podcast features a (virtual) round table discussion between CottonInfo’s IPM Tech Lead Paul Grundy and three CottonInfo REOs (Kieran O’Keeffe, Amanda Thomas & Janelle Montgomery) talking with Megan Woodward about the surprising trial results that formed the basis of the new guidelines - and how to best apply them. Other resources: Watch a new CottonInfo video on the research behind the guidelines - showing just how resilient cotton can be here. Access the guidelines via p9-10 of the ...
Using the WAND system with grower Hamish Clark
October 20, 2023 00:00 - 9 minutes - 6.89 MBThe Weather And Networked Data (WAND) network of towers is a joint project between CRDC, GRDC and GoannaAg that launched late 2022. The network allows growers to see the latest weather readings from their local tower, and predicts whether a hazardous inversion is current or likely to occur in the next 2 hours. CottonInfo's Megan Woodward caught up with Hamish Clark, an early adopter of the WAND system, on his property near Boggabilla to get his take on being involved with the network and a...
CottonInfo Podcast EXTRA: Planting Prep
September 24, 2023 18:00 - 14 minutes - 9.77 MBSuccessfully planting cotton takes careful planning and good preparation. In this CottonInfo Podcast EXTRA, Cotton Seed Distributor's Chris Barry has a chat with grower John Cameron - a winner of the CSD Fast Start Award - about his approach to planting and some tips on achieving high establishment rates. This podcast recording has been developed alongside a CottonInfo YouTube video which can be viewed here: Cotton conversations: Planting - YouTube
Aphids, mites & Group 1 resistance with Dr Lisa Bird
September 24, 2023 05:00 - 12 minutes - 8.36 MBThe new season is upon us and aphids are back on the radar and mites have been difficult to get on top of - so we thought there was no better time for an explainer of the season that was and gain an overview of what growers & consultants can do when it comes to aphid management in the months ahead. Dr Lisa Bird is a Senior Research Scientist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and joined the CottonInfo 'Crop to Top' podcast to offer her knowledge on the topic, as well as dive into...
CottonInfo Quick Chat: the power of grower groups with Kieran O'Keeffe
September 16, 2023 22:00 - 5 minutes - 4 MBAt the Australian Cotton Research Conference in early September, CottonInfo REO for Southern New South Wales, Kieran O'Keeffe gave a great presentation around the power of grower groups when it comes to the adoption of best practice. Kieran reported on some of the learnings of two pilot cotton grower groups that were formed in the 2021/22 season in Whitton and Coleambally - and Megan Woodward caught up with him between Conference sessions for a quick chat about the successful outcomes of th...
Taking action on disease at a grassroots level with Amanda Thomas
September 15, 2023 03:00 - 12 minutes - 8.49 MBMegan Woodward caught up with CottonInfo Regional Extension Officer for the Macquarie Valley, and newly appointed Extension Technical Lead for Disease, Amanda Thomas, on site at the Australian Cotton Research Conference in Toowoomba at the start of September. Amanda's been heavily involved in the Cotton Disease Action Research Initiative over the past 12 months. It's a new project that's supported by CSD, CRDC and Crown Analytical through the Richard Williams Initiative, with a focus on Bla...
Importance of 'clean slate' crop hygiene with Dr Murray Sharman
August 13, 2023 05:00 - 11 minutes - 7.6 MBDr Murray Sharman is a Principal Plant Pathologist with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, based in Brisbane. Murray reports that while no actual losses were reported due to Cotton Bunchy Top in cotton growing valley's last season - there was a much higher rate of occurrence of CBT, especially through northern NSW and on the Darling Downs in Queensland. In this podcast, Murray offers an overview of the 22/23 season from a plant pathologist point of view, and doubles do...
CottonInfo Quick Chat: Gross Margin risk analyses with George Revell
August 05, 2023 14:00 - 8 minutes - 6.15 MBGeorge Revell is a Principal Economist for AgEcon who specialises in investment impact assessments to support improved investment decision making. George is a regular contributor to CottonInfo, most recently developing two new Gross Margin risk analysis fact sheets specifically for cotton growers - one regarding nitrogen prices and NFUE, and the other regarding water use efficiency. In this episode George gives a succinct overview of the key takeaways of both fact sheets and main elements ...
Water Advanced Sensing with Andrew McKay
June 23, 2023 03:00 - 13 minutes - 9.19 MBIn this episode we catch up with CottonInfo REO for St George, Dirranbandi & Border Rivers - Andrew McKay. Andrew has played a critical extension role to the CRDC-supported Bankless Irrigation Optimisation Project carried out by the University of Southern Queensland. As part of the research, Andrew's been involved in the water advanced sensing aspect and he's full of great tips & observations for cotton growers who might interested in applying it on their farm. Further resources: Water Ma...
Securing an engaged and adaptable workforce with Dr Nicole McDonald
May 26, 2023 01:00 - 13 minutes - 9.31 MBDr Nicole McDonald is a Senior Research Officer with CQ University and she’s also the lead on a project called SHIFT, which is part of a CRDC funded action-research project officially known as ‘Delivering Best Practice for Management of Future Workforce Skills.’ In this episode we talk about the SHIFT Workforce Solutions Unconference taking place online on June 6th and 7th 2023 Unlike traditional conferences where a program is designed separate from the attendees’ needs and often delivered...
CQ Update with Kim Stevens
May 06, 2023 23:00 - 12 minutes - 8.61 MBIn this episode we catch up with CottonInfo's Regional Extension Officer in Central Queensland, Kim Stevens. Kim offers an update on an extremely busy end of April/start of May in her district, including the latest on cotton trials in Monto, the recent Xtend Flex field days in Theodore and Springsure, and how the 22/23 season in shaping up locally.
Crop hygiene & winter clean-up with Paul Grundy
April 29, 2023 00:00 - 12 minutes - 8.77 MBPaul Grundy is CottonInfo’s Techical Lead for Integrated Pest Management and works for Qld DAF. In a season that started cold and soggy, Paul reckons that to ensure a decent 23/24 season the time is now to start prepping for a ‘Winter Clean-Up’ after a particularly challenging season on the pest management front. In this episode we talk 'breaking the green bridge' and the importance of destroying aphids, mealybugs and Cotton bunchy top as a matter of priority.
CottonInfo Quick Chat: Nitrogen Management with Jon Baird
April 19, 2023 01:00 - 10 minutes - 7.04 MBJon Baird is CottonInfo’s Techical Lead for Nutrition and works for NSW DPI. He’s been on the road a lot during the first quarter of 2023, both across the cotton industry and with the grains industry. The topic everyone wants to chat to him about is nitrogen management – and that’s what we nabbed him to talk about, too. In a spare 10 minutes in his very busy schedule, Jon offered an overview of the season that was, and the big-ticket nutrition considerations for the season ahead.
Fibre Quality with Rene van der Sluijs
March 20, 2023 20:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBIn this episode we speak with Rene van der Sluijs - he's the Principal Consultant at Textile Technical Services and for the past decade he’s been CottonInfo’s Technical Lead for fibre quality. He's fresh off the road from presenting at the 2023 Marketing and Fibre Quality Workshops in Goondiwindi and Mungindi where there was excellent patronage - which suggests this is something growers and extended industry stakeholders are very keen to hear more on. So if you didn't get the chance to bre...
CottonInfo Feature Interview: Warwick Waters
March 06, 2023 00:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBAfter a hiatus, the CottonInfo 'Crop to Top' podcast is back for 2023! In this feature interview, CottonInfo's Megan Woodward speaks with Program Manager Warwick Waters - and they cover a lot of ground in just 20 minutes. Consider this your refresher course in all things CottonInfo! Listen now to gain some great insights into the power of the CottonInfo program and an overview of key focus areas for 2023 and beyond.
Bats on cotton farms - how these tiny mammals can help you
July 20, 2022 22:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBYou might not have seen them – but there is a fair chance that they are on your farm. In this episode of Crop to Top, Brad Pfeffer talks with Professor Stuart Parsons about bats and how they fit into the bigger picture of farm biodiversity and pest management. This research, which involved cutting edge technology such as acoustic sensors and artificial intelligence, occurred as part of a project within the National Landcare Program’s Smart Farming Partnerships initiative. Funding and supp...
Talking defoliation with Don Biffen and Mike Bange
June 10, 2022 01:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBIn this episode, Brad Pfeffer is talking defoliation with industry experts on the topic: Don Biffen and Michael Bange (CSD). If you're looking for more information on defoliation CottonInfo has plenty of useful resources for you. Blog (what do the consultants say): Defoliation: What do the consultants say? | CottonInfo Videos: Growth and development - YouTube And the Australian Cotton Production Manual: 2022 Australian Cotton Production Manual | CottonInfo
Herbicide resistance: Lessons from the United States
May 04, 2022 23:00 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBPalmer Amaranth has a reputation of being a superweed. In this episode, Eric Koetz from CottonInfo talks with Stanley Culpepper from the University of Georgia about the experience in the United States in dealing with herbicide resistance in this weed, the lessons learnt, and how cotton farmers in Georgia are taking an integrated weed management approach.
Reducing contamination at picking (Part 2)
April 05, 2022 03:00 - 9 minutes - 6.73 MBIn the second part of our series on reducing contamination at picking, in this episode we talk with the CottonInfo Technical Lead for Fibre Quality, Rene van der Sluijs on the topics of natural contamination, seed coat fragments, and sticky cotton.
Reducing contamination at picking (part 1)
March 25, 2022 00:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBThis is the first of a two-part podcast looking at the issue of contamination at picking. In this episode, we talk with the CottonInfo Technical Lead for fibre quality, Rene van der Sluijs, and St George grower Scott Brimblecombe.
Jumping in boots and all to a four metre wheel spacing
February 25, 2022 04:00 - 7 minutes - 4.9 MBIn this episode, Brad Pfeffer sits down with Dalby cotton grower Dan Hayllor to talk about the work that the family has done to reduce compaction from machinery. One of the big changes that they have made in recent years is converting their cotton picker to a four metre wheel spacing. With all their machinery on 4 metres, it has allowed for a seamless transition between their irrigated country and dryland country.
Effective spray application: Cotton grower perspectives
February 07, 2022 03:00 - 7 minutes - 5.08 MBIn this episode of Crop to Top, Brad Pfeffer with CottonInfo talks with two growers on the topic of spray management and reducing drift. We meet with Delungra grower Charles Boileau to talk about his practices in a dryland farming system and we talk with Chris Hardy from Colleambally about his observations on the importance of managing drift from an environmental perspective.
Grower perspectives: Bankless channel irrigation and automation
January 19, 2022 02:00 - 10 minutes - 7.1 MBIn this podcast we hear from St George growers Craig Saunders and Lucas Wuersching about their experience with (automated) bankless channel irrigation with tailwater backup. Craig and Lucas talk about the benefits in water savings and labour as well what they hope to learn from a trial with CottonInfo in the 21/22 growing season. This trial is assessing the efficiency of the system. This work is funded by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation and Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase...
The cotton industry workforce: A chat with Dr Nicole McDonald
September 22, 2021 00:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBCottonInfo's Sharna Holman interviews University of Central Queensland researcher, Dr Nicole McDonald, about her research into the cotton industry workforce.
Irrigation benchmarking
February 03, 2020 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBIn this podcast, CottonInfo's Sharna Holman interviews the NSW DPI water benchmarking team.
Andrew Bate: Swarm Farm Robotics
February 01, 2016 14:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBIn this podcast, we speak with farmer and agronomist Andrew Bate who has a vision to use robotics to revolutionise the way we farm. Andrew and Jocie Bate farm “Bendee” near Emerald on the QLD Central Highlands where they grow dryland crops such as chickpea, wheat, mungbeans and sorghum. They also breed, fatten and feedlot beef cattle.