Abstract:
The cotton industry is one of the largest user of pesticides among the Australian agricultural sector. It has been estimated that endosulfan and pyrethroids account for 70% of all insecticides. In addition to insecticides, herbicides are also used extensively to control the weed menace in cotton. However, reliance on herbicides to control weeds in cotton production system has the potential to cause concern about their presence in the environment and contamination of waterways. Recent monitoring conducted by the New South Wales Department of Land and Water Conservation (Cooper and Muschal 1998) show that residues of some herbicides are also being transported into rivers in cotton growing areas. The herbicides atrazine, diuron, prometryn and fluometuron have been detected consistently daring last three years of monitoring program in Northern New South Wales. The challenge for the industry is to cope with the public demand for clean and safer agricultural practices, reducing the environmental damage that is mainly on the excessive use of pesticides, while maintaining profitability. This article, as part of a new CRC research project we provide information that can help growers select herbicides that will have a minimum impact on water quality and sustainable cotton production. Some elements support for best management practices needed to sustain favourable environment to grow cotton is also presented.
