Cotton

Recycling cotton, grain and cattle wastes to develop mushroom based circular economy in the Northern Territory

Cotton crop waste, including stalks and leaves, cotton seed husks, and other by-products can be repurposed as substrates for mushroom production. This method has the capacity to mitigate the environmental impact of waste disposal and transform the waste materials into valuable commodities.

Plant Industries has taken on a PhD research project with Charles Darwin University to investigate the potential of using waste from cotton crop to grow mushroom.

After laboratory scale optimization of the cotton-based waste-substrate, the project is poised to expand its horizons by establishing a new mushroom industry in the Northern Territory.

The objective is to cultivate various exotic mushroom species for sale in the local and interstate markets, with the eventual goal of extending operations to the export markets.

The project aims to embrace a recycling approach, not only within the mushroom industry but also by extending this sustainable practice to other sectors, contributing to the boost in regional jobs and the economy. Creating a greener tomorrow for the Territory.

Contact: Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

Northern Territory rain-fed cotton: Predicting yields & saving water

Cotton offers high profitability and has potential to become a cornerstone crop in the Northern Territory, where growth of the industry would build capacity and strengthen the whole agricultural sector. Unlike irrigated cotton in southern states, the Northern Territory’s rain-fed cotton relies on wet season rainfall, making it less water-intensive but more vulnerable to unfavourable rainfall. However, our knowledge about water use of rain-fed cotton and potential impact of rainfall is limited.

This project aims to enhance our understanding of the water use patterns and efficiency of rain-fed cotton in the Katherine and Douglas-Daly regions using a combination of physiological measurements, ground and soil sensors, and remote sensing. By integrating these data into numerical crop models, the project will predict rain-fed cotton yields, including under variable rainfall, addressing potential impacts.

This knowledge may serve to guide supplementary irrigation in the future, further bolstering the resilience of the Northern Territory cotton industry.

Contact: Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au