Cotton news

Two of Australia’s leading cotton researchers were recently recognised for their contributions to cotton. Dr Mike Bange of CSIRO was awarded the prestigious US Beltwide Award in January for his research in cotton physiology for more than 20 years – becoming the youngest recipient, and only the second Australian recipient.

Breeders develop improved varieties by exploiting genetic variation. They exploit that variation by selecting those progeny that exhibit the highest level of traits that growers desire. The Cotton Winter Nursery (CWN), which has been a vital part of the cotton research community for over 60 years, is a major tool that allows breeders to dvance genetic gain more quickly by allowing for two growing seasons per calendar year.

Companies innovate to demonstrate how cotton can bring colors to cotton Cotton Incorporated, the research and promotion company for cotton, and Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, have collaborated to present what they believe is the first ever dye derived from cotton plant -residues.

he Cotton LEADS℠ program is pleased to announce that Gildan Activewear Inc. has recently joined the many partners that commit to responsibly produced cotton. “Gildan is well-known for its commitments to quality apparel and to responsible manufacturing,” says Mark Messura, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Marketing at Cotton Incorporated.

Earlier this month the Australian Cotton Conference attracted 1,940 delegates to the Gold Coast, a gathering of all sectors of the Australian industry that focused on the theme “New Frontiers”. A broad range of topics relating to sustainability were covered by expert speakers from Australia and around the world, including the myBMP program, digital agriculture, ealthy soils and crop nutrition, precision technologies and sustainable cotton sourcing.

Recent additions to the growing list of Cotton LEADS℠ partners are Macy’s Merchandising Group, the American retailer’s private brands development group; Carter’s, a leading brand of children’s clothing; and Bossa Denim, a renowned Turkish textile company.

Australian cotton is one of the only agricultural industries in the world to conduct full, independent environmental audits of its entire production system. The most recent audit recommended the industry engage on its sustainability credentials further down the supply chain, and set sustainability targets by which to benchmark and measure progress.

2016 National Association of Plant Breeders Annual Meeting The 2016 National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) Annual Meeting was co-hosted by Cotton Incorporated and North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina in August. A record number 275 scientists participated this year. NAPB scientists span both private and public sectors and work in 40+ crops.