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Emerald grower, Hamish Millar and Theodore consultant Damien Erbacher discuss picking progress, yield and seasonal wrap-up of the CQ crop

Hamish, picking has been underway in Emerald since late February, what proportion would be off in the area now?

John, I think it would be fair to say that it would be around 50 – 70% of the area would be picked at this stage I would say.

Not a lot is actually ginned at this stage but how are the yields looking generally?

I think this year John the yields are exceptional, I think that it is probably the first time in around in a decade that we have seen yields this as good. So early indications I think will be the average will be a good half bale or better over what the past has been.

Turnout and micronaire are obviously two areas of interest for the other regions. What is showing up here?

Yes, the little bit that I understand that has been classed the micronaire has been pretty good around that 4 – 4.5 area so in that good range and I think that the colour has been pretty good, it has all been above base 21’s and my understanding is that a bit of leaf is sneaking through but it hasn’t been at a discount yet. But I think things are all looking up in that department.

And turnout figures compared with last year, much feedback there?

The little bit that we have had ginned is probably slightly better than last year. Certainly the Bollgards are looking pretty good at this stage and are ½% turnout better, so no, it’s looking pretty good.

What do you think are the major factors that have contributed to this excellent result this year?

I would like to know. But I think in general its been probably a slightly milder summer and I think our nighttime temperatures have had a strong contribution to a better outcome for our season, so other things I think, the insects gave u,s a bit of certainly solid early in the season but sort of backed off later in the season. And other things I think we had a good run with our nutrition and irrigation scheduling and I think we didn’t have cases of a lot of waterlogging, some places did but I think in general we got everything pretty right with the farming system this year.

Aphids and silver leaf white fly are problematic late season at Emerald in most years, what was there incidence like this year?

I think in a nut shell I think there presence was probably a little less than it has been but still prominent. We certainly treated some fields with white fly this year that hit the threshold or a bit over, some fields didn’t require it but I think all in all I am pretty confident that stickiness won’t be a problem this year in Central Queensland. 

And as something novel this year you did some trials with some 15 inch space cotton. What’s your initial feelings on the results from that? 

I think I am pretty encouraged by the results of the 15 inch system. Again, I haven’t got any real quantitive data at this stage but looking at module weights that have been picked up it certainly looks like a slightly better than the metre stuff that where we had the trial so we will just wait for some quality and confirm some yield data. But I am encouraged that it certainly has a place, you know I don’t know how widespread we will go with that but I thing that it certainly something for the future to look at.

Damien, how would you describe this past season in the Dawson Calide?

John, yes it has been pretty good all up. Beautiful temperatures and everything going all season really. No real hot days. Had a little bit of rain early on to, we got a little bit of water logging on some paddocks, just you know rain on top of irrigations and things like that.  Probably the biggest let down for some paddocks during the season was like yield potential was a few gappy stands to start with just dry winter, poor seed beds, a lot of trash, combine that with – then had some rain and a bit of rhizoctonia and a few things, mainly rhizoctonia on top of that just some gappy stands, but all up things are looking pretty good.

Climate wise, temperature and rainfall distribution and that type of thing, how did that come along?

Temperatures have been really good, we have only had I think out of the whole season had two 40 degree days and one 41.  Generally, daytime temperatures 35s to 38s. Night time temperatures have been really good no hot nights and as for rainfall, generally been pretty good, just unlucky for some growers on some of the irrigations had some rain on top of them and so that was just unfortunate, but generally been a good growing season really.

Ginning has started at the Moura Gin, while there is not much go through yet what’s some of the indications yield and turnout wise?

As you said John there hasn’t been a lot go through, the gin has only been going for a week or so and looking at anything gin turnouts from 36’s to 39’s. At this stage there are no really classing indications yet. But yield wise anything from 3 ½ up to pushing 5 bales for some paddocks.

Thinking next year, from your point of view, any changes that your are thinking of making next season with Bollgard® II management or other aspects?

I think we need to do a little bit more work on plant populations and things like that. From a Bollgard® point of view in our area a lot of 100% Bollgard® growers and I think they will definitely be going 100% again. Bollgard® II outperformed extremely well, we had high insect pressure, heliothis pressure early in the season, up until Christmas time but it handled it extremely well. Mirids, once again just a couple of sprays, there generally going fairly well. Maybe look at our thresholds there a bit more. Roundup® Ready I think are possibly going to review their use of Roundup® Ready cotton.

Just from a cost point of view, It has certainly got a place but I think I guess just review that situation a bit and we just, yes Bollgard® has been going well, and I think view our nutrition a little bit better. We seem to be getting some tie up in some paddocks and things like that so we just view our application. Timing is probably the main issue there but apart from that, yes it is looking good.

Further Information:  John Marshall