Since 1983 the distribution and importance of diseases of cotton in Australia have been monitored by pathologists during annual surveys of commercial crops. During this survey information is collected on cropping history, ground preparation, variety, seeding rate, sowing date, carry-over of crop residues, survey date and crop growth stage as well as the incidence and severity of those diseases present. Between 100 and 150 commercial fields are visited in each survey.
The information collected during these disease surveys gives direction to cotton disease research, justifies applications for research funding and indicates the impact of farming practices on disease incidence and severity. The disease survey data also illustrates the history and success of the cotton breeding effort by
(i) identifying significant diseases,
(ii) quantifying the impact of those diseases,
(iii) recording the release and rate of adoption of resistant varieties and
(iv) correlating increased use of a resistant variety with declining incidence of a disease.
