Dear Grower,,

Welcome to December’s Balonne region outlook report. The lead into December (as well as Christmas) has been notable for its heat. As it stands now on Dec 1, 2025 this is the hottest start to a cotton season in over 10 years, largely driven by the day degree units accumulated in October. November returned to a more average season in terms of temperature. Rain has been sparce outside of those lucky enough to get under a storm. Keep an eye on soil moisture and temperature as the season continues to ensure the best growth management. 

Seasonal Focus: December in the valley  

First flower

First flower is a critical milestone in cotton production and plays a pivotal role in determining crop performance, yield potential, and final harvest outcomes. The first flower stage is when the crop transitions from predominantly vegetative growth to reproductive development. A target is to have 9+ squaring nodes (9 NAWF) at first flower to ensure flowering can take place for as long as possible.   

Having a plant conforming to first flower ideals ensures that, regardless of seasonal conditions, you give the crop the ability to cope and/or rebound from stress. Cotton crops deficient in nitrogen or moisture stressed during early flowering can rapidly lose canopy vigour, reducing both the production of fruiting sites and yield potential. The CSD tool STEFF can be queried at any time via any device with an internet connection. It is simple to operate, only requiring the user to select the nearest location and the date of seed imbibition – often this is the day of planting if the seed was planted into moisture, or the day of watering up. The tool will then return an estimated date of first flower.   

Day degrees 

As mentioned before, this season has seen the hottest start to a cotton season in 10 years. Below are some figures to illustrate this. Day degrees are important as a reliable way to predict and monitor crop development, based on temperature accumulation. For example, in a season such as the current one, first flower may be reached at an earlier date than expected, as heat units have readily accumulated.  

Irrigation

While storms have been popping up this season, many have missed the Balonne region, meaning crop irrigation has been vital. The flowering period is one of the most critical stages for water management in cotton production. During this time, proper irrigation scheduling is essential to maximise yield and maintain crop health. Cotton is most susceptible to water stress during a 50-day period from first flower to approximately 10 days after cut-out. This is when up to 90% of the crop yield is set, making it paramount to ensure the plant remains actively growing and healthy throughout this period. It is important to monitor soil moisture levels, crop growth, and weather conditions to schedule irrigations that meet crop demands and avoid plant stress. 

Pests and diseases

Pest and disease pressure has been light and hopefully that continues into December and further into summer. There have been a few reports of mirid pressure rising though not widespread, the pressure from thrips was relatively light in the Balonne, when compared to some other regions.   

- Larissa

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