What’s your background?

I grew up on the Darling Downs on grain growing property (wheat/sorghum/sunflowers) and a few cattle.  I studied Biology at the University of Southern Queensland and followed that later with post graduate entomology studies at University of Queensland. I worked in the entomology group on various projects, on pests including helicoverpa, aphids and whitefly in grain and cotton.

How did you end up in Cotton Research?

It has been reported this season that some cotton fields have had issues with residual herbicide carryover with symptoms ranging from poor establishment, slow early growth or the need to re-plant. The function of residual herbicides is to provide a barrier to weed emergence by preventing weed seeds present in the soil from germinating. Some herbicides can remain active in the soil for weeks, months or years. This can be an advantage as it ensures good long term weed control.