A new project headed up by Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers is looking into the best methods of developing a sustainable rain-fed cotton industry in the Northern Territory.
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The study will primarily investigate how cotton plants' growth rates responded to the tropical rain patterns present in the NT's cotton producing regions.
CDU researchers will collaborate with scientists from the NT Government's Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (DITT) to investigate water use patterns and the efficiency of the Territory's rain-fed cotton crops.
The idea is to enhance knowledge around yield prediction and bolster the economic value and resilience of the NT's cotton industry.
The study, which will take place over three-year period, will see a CDU PhD student working with farmers to gather critical information and data about rain-fed cotton crops in the Katherine and Douglas-Daly regions where the NT industry is centered.
It is another plank in DITT's overall strategy, in conjunction with the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia's to develop its cotton, cattle and grains which is exploring cropping-systems to find the most suited to the NT's climate and with the potential to deliver sustainable growth.
There has been a buzz around cotton production in the NT for some time, with studies showing immense potential for the crop, however, work needs to be done to develop the frameworks necessary to support the nascent industry.
The NT's cotton industry is expected to expand to 400,000 bales within the next decade creating more jobs and providing an expected net worth of over $200 million for the Territory's economy.
Unlike cotton production in Australia's cotton heartland in northern NSW and southern Queensland, which is based firmly on irrigated cotton, NT's systems are based on dryland, rain-fed cotton.
This has advantages and disadvantages.
On one hand it makes the crop less water-intensive to grow, but it also leaves it more vulnerable to dry conditions.
CDU's Research Institute for Northern Agriculture (RINA) professor of tropical broadacre cropping systems Stephen Xu said knowledge about water use of rain-fed cotton in the NT was limited.
He said the new study could play a "valuable role" in helping to fill knowledge gaps.
"By gaining an in-depth understanding of water use, the efficiency in rain-fed cotton and addressing the effects of variable rainfall we can provide growers with advice around how to navigate uncertain weather conditions," Professor Xu said.
"This will help the industry adapt to climate change and variability, contribute to best management practices, and promote the development of the cotton industry, yielding various benefits."
A combination of physiological measurements, ground, and soil sensors as well as remote sensing data will be used to create simulation models to help provide an understanding about the cotton's water use patterns, especially during the late growing season when rainfall uncertainty increases.
Professor Xu said results would help contribute to best management practices.
"The project's outputs will promote rain-fed cropping without relying on precious groundwater resources in the NT meaning agricultural development will be supported while environment impact is minimised," Professor Xu said.
"By monitoring water use, assessing crop water use efficiency, and modelling yield under drought conditions, the project will help the cotton industry manage risks and, in the future, guide supplementary irrigation."