August 15, 2002

Australian cotton farming is set for a cleaner, greener and more profitable future with the launch today (15 August) of an upgraded, handheld-computer version of the 'CottonLOGIC' software system.

The 2002 version includes significant updates and represents the first time such powerful interactive, decision-support software has been developed for the Palm Operating System®.

"CottonLOGIC was developed to assist people in the cotton growing business make better crop management decisions," says CottonLOGIC team leader, Dr Mike Bange of CSIRO Plant Industry.

"Since the release of the first version of CottonLOGIC in 1998 there has been a huge demand for a system whereby CottonLOGIC can be taken and used in the field.

"As a result our software developers built CottonLOGIC 2002 for use on handheld devices that run the Palm Operating System or Palm OS®."

To operate CottonLOGIC, users select a sample area in their cotton fields and collect information on the types of beneficial and 'pest' insects present, their stage of development and quantity.

Based on that data, CottonLOGIC predicts what is likely to happen to pest numbers given the existing situation and indicates when pest control may be necessary.

"Previously CottonLOGIC users had to write the information they collected in the field on paper cards then copy it across to their desktop computers when they got back to their offices," Dr Bange says.

"Now, cotton growers can carry their handheld Palm OS® into the paddock and enter information directly into the CottonLOGIC program."

"This improves accuracy by eliminating the risk of information getting copied incorrectly and saves time by giving immediate feedback on pest status."

Information can still be downloaded onto desktop computers for a more comprehensive interpretation and more than one Palm OS®can be used to enter information onto a single desktop computer.

"This means a number of people can collect information from different cotton fields and have the one desktop computer process it all," says Dr Bange.

Ms Leisa Holden has been using CottonLOGIC for a number of years and was involved in the process of field-testing CottonLOGIC 2002 for the Palm OS®.

"For us, CottonLOGIC is one of many tools that can be used in the decision-making process," Ms Holden says.

"The insect prediction models provide information that can be used to verify our insect management decisions.

"We volunteered to 'roadtest' CottonLOGIC for the Palm OS®and have found it to be an efficient recording tool that saves us a lot of time in the office."

Information from all CSIRO Plant Industry and Entomology Divisions on different areas of cotton research including pest ecology / management, crop agronomy and physiology have provided the science basis for CottonLOGIC.

"As a result, CottonLOGIC is one of the most sophisticated pieces of technology available to cotton growers, agronomists and research, extension and industry personnel, to assist with applying integrated pest management," Dr Bange says.

"It is an excellent example of how technology can be used to help farmers in the cotton industry."

CottonLOGIC 2002 will be launched on Thursday, 15th August 2002 at 10.00am at the 11th Australian Cotton Conference at the Brisbane Entertainment and Convention Centre by Senator the Hon Judith Troeth, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

CottonLOGIC has been supported by the Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation in a joint project with CSIRO Plant Industry.