Happy New Year from Far North Queensland! We hope you had a great break and are ready for another cotton season. It’s been a wild start—December planting went ahead, and then the skies opened up! If you’ve been watching BOM forecasts like the rest of us, you’ll know the wet isn’t done yet.
Season Kick-Off
Planting kicked off early December across the Tablelands and Julia Creek. Then the monsoon rolled in around Christmas, dropping big totals across the region. Some paddocks are soggy, and a few growers are wondering if they’ll need to replant.
Unlike last year’s dry December, the monsoon arrived early this season, bringing significant rainfall from 24 December across the Tablelands, Julia Creek, and Bowen regions. While heavy rain is typical for the tropics, the intensity and duration have posed challenges for established crops and delayed operations.
Wet soils may continue to impact planting schedules and other field activities. Some established crops are now at risk of waterlogging if conditions don’t ease soon. Unfortunately, BOM forecasts aren’t promising for clear skies in early January.
The forecast? More of the same for now—cloudy, wet, and humid.
Current outlooks suggest Queensland has roughly equal chances of above or below-average rainfall, with a slight lean toward wetter conditions from January through March 2026.
Cloudy and rainy conditions can really change how cotton plants grow. Low sunlight and cooler temperatures often lead to bigger leaves, slower root development, and sometimes square shedding because the plant can’t produce enough energy. The good news? When the sun returns, plants usually compensate—provided they have enough water and nutrition.
Key Tips and Considerations for FNQ Growers:
Nutrition & Growth Regulators (Mepiquat): Avoid overusing Mepiquat during cloudy periods—it can limit new fruiting sites. If early squares are shed, taller plants with extra nodes will be needed to recover yield.
Waterlogging Risks: Wet soils reduce oxygen to roots, slowing growth and nutrient uptake. Watch for yellowing and stunted plants. Waterlogging can also increase sodium uptake and disrupt nutrient balance.
Nutrient Management: Waterlogging affects N, Fe, Zn (reduced) and Mn (increased). Foliar N works best just before irrigation under sunny conditions—not during waterlogging. Leaf testing after conditions improve will guide fertiliser decisions.
Irrigation Scheduling: After prolonged wet weather, root systems may be smaller. When soils dry, irrigate more frequently with shorter intervals and monitor with moisture probes if possible.
Vegetative Growth Management: Due to the indeterminate nature of the cotton plant the vegetative and reproductive growth occur in parallel and it is important to keep the reproductive and vegetative growth in balance. Crops that are too tall and rank are difficult to manage and pick, and higher risk of boll rots and will not yield at its full potential, however short determinate crops may be limited in yield potential and can struggle to compensate if fruit loss occurs during future cloudy periods.
Keep an eye on Vegetative Growth Rate (VGR), fruit retention, and boll size. If crops get too rank, consider small, split mepiquat doses. Avoid combining mepiquat with moisture stress to prevent yield loss.
CSD’s CottonTracka® is a very useful tool to help keep your crop on track.
Disease Monitoring: Wet, humid conditions favour fungal and bacterial diseases. Seedling diseases (Rhizoctonia, Pythium) can worsen if waterlogging persists for extended periods. Scout regularly and consider preventative fungicides when practical.
Bottom Line: Cloudy weather and waterlogging can set crops back, but careful management of nutrition, irrigation, and growth regulators will help maintain yield potential.
Thinking About Replanting? Before you pull the trigger:
Check disease pressure (Rhizoctonia, Pythium, black root rot).
Know your yield window—later planting means lower potential and micronaire issues in cooler spots.
CottonTracka® - Monitor crop development and detect issues early.
Here to help
If you have any questions or need support with crop management during these challenging conditions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help you make the most of this season.
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Cotton Seed Distributors, 'Shenstone', 2952 Culgoora Road, Wee Waa, New South Wales 2388, Australia, 02 6795 0000
