Dear

Welcome to November! 

It’s that time of year on the Darling Downs when everything is happening - planters are out, cotton plants are poking out of the ground, while some are checking the forecasts and skies for rain. Elsewhere, in the Lockyer Valley, cotton is much more variable with some yet to plant, some planting and the most advanced fields nearing squaring, after having a punt in early September. With the unseasonably hot and dry conditions experienced throughout October, early crops are racing along, with some requiring an in-crop irrigation already. 

Dryland crops are experiencing some hardships on both the planting front and those that took a gamble and have them in the ground. While there is still plenty of time for planting, we’ll need a decent rain event in the coming weeks to get those paddocks planted. Crops already planted are holding on for rain, although the wall is fast approaching. Winter crop harvest is well underway and moving quickly with the dry conditions this the season. Harvest is prompting the movement of pests such as thrips and mirids into the emerging cotton, something to keep an eye on as we move through November. 

Seasonal Focus: November in the Valley 

Crop stages

Through November, cotton across Southeast QLD will be spread through a range of stages - from emergence totrue leaves and into early squaring, in crops that went in around the start of spring. The season is off to a positive start, despite some hiccups from wind, heat and drying soils, so it has been encouraging to see strong, uniform establishment for many fields. 

Weather Watch 
The Bureau of Meteorology outlook suggests a continued warmer-than-average month, with rainfall expected to sit around average for the region. Unfortunately, the winds that arrived back in September are expected to stick around and will continue to be not so kind, particularly to dryland planting opportunities. Forecasts are hinting at an unstable weather pattern in the form of storms at the start of November, so growers may get the rain needed for further planting. When the rain arrives, it will be a welcome boost for both irrigated crops and those holding out for dryland moisture. 

Irrigation
Traditionally, the Downs can experience cool soil temperatures well into October and due to this, some growers prefer to pre-irrigate to avoid cool shocks when watering. However this wasn’t such an issue this season, with above average temperatures holding for much of September and October. Those that pre-irrigated are looking at early first irrigation, with higher-than-average temperatures and persistent winds drying out plant lines. Watering up is the most common irrigation method on the Downs and this season, fields are taking longer to wet up. Now is a good time to keep a close eye on soil moisture and consider installing moisture probes if you haven’t already. They are a great tool to track water use efficiency and fine-tune irrigation scheduling throughout the hotter months ahead. 

Weed & Pest Watch 
Pests such as thrips and mirids are making themselves at home this season with the wind seemingly the only thing keeping them off plants. Thrip activity has been observed in many early crops as they move out of maturing winter cereals. While thrip damage can look concerning, it is often more cosmetic damage than yield-threatening, as always speak with your agronomist if seed mortality becomes widespread. Be mindful with early insecticide use, as conserving beneficial insects during the early stages of crop growth can help manage pest pressure later in the season. 

This year, we are excited to be involved in a ThryvOn® technology trial with Bayer, which is located near Dalby. Early assessments have been completed at the site and the technology does appear to be beneficial for thrip pressure. The level of damage done by thrips certainly appeared to be reduced when conducting a visual assessment at this site after establishment.

Extension Highlights 
Most of our southern Queensland irrigated trial program is now planted, alongside a couple of dryland sites, although most are waiting for conditions to improve and soil moisture to be topped up. We have a strong line-up of varieties containing XtendFlex® technology, often in direct comparison to the current varieties containing Roundup Ready Flex® technology. , We also have two new experimental lines included in the program across the region this year, both with improved fibre quality characteristics. Fingers crossed for well-timed November rainfall to get those last dryland blocks planted, toensure we can keep delivering local performance insights back to you. 

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