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LEADING THE WAY SINCE 1979
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U78496
Editorial…
David Dowling, Editor
The law of unintended consequences. Which may be a law,
or more often, a convenient excuse to explain why things go
wrong when the culprit is really just bad planning. But according
to Wikipedia, it is a concept first popularised by sociologist
Robert Merton in the 1930s.
The accepted use is that an intervention in a complex system tends to create
unanticipated and often undesirable outcomes. A second cousin of Murphy’s
Law, it is an ironic warning against the belief that humans can fully control the
world around them. In Australian agriculture, one only needs to look at the
introduction of rabbits and cane toads to understand that new ideas which look
good on the surface can often have serious negative effects – often the direct
opposite to the original intention.
In the cotton industry, there are surely plenty of examples. For instance, the
introduction of GM technology is just about universally seen as a totally positive
result for Australian cotton farmers. Much less spraying, fewer environmental
problems and an easier and probably more interesting management system.
Yields have increased and cotton growing is booming in new areas such as
southern NSW – a development which probably would not have occurred before
the introduction of GM. There were potential negative consequences of GM
technology such as herbicide and Bt resistance – but at least they were identified
early and hopefully can be managed accordingly.
But GM has also produced an explosion of cotton production in countries such
as India, because the crop is now much easier to grow. Instead of spending most
of their time, and destroying their health, by spraying a small plot of cotton with
a knapsack, an Indian farmer can start to concentrate on other management
issues. The result is higher yields, massive increases in production and a world
price which is arguably less than it would otherwise have been.
In this issue there are a couple of less dramatic examples. Sicot 74BRF is a
fantastic variety which has taken the industry by storm. But it requires good
early season management to get a desirable plant stand and the longer fruiting
period can lead to later crops. New round modules have many management
advantages, but there may be some emerging issues with contamination and
with moisture levels, especially with protracted ginning seasons.
Managing new technology – and limiting the unintended consequences – is
one of the real attractions in working in such a fast changing environment as the
cotton industry.
SMK CONSULTANTS PTY. LTD.
surveying – irrigation – environmental
• FARM LAYOUT & MAPPING
• IRRIGATION PLANNING & DESIGN
• EM & GRID SURVEYS
• FARM GPS PROCESSING
• WATER STORAGE INVESTIGATION & DESIGN
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• ASSESSMENT FOR FUNDING APPLICATIONS
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SERVING NSW, QLD, NT & INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
MOREE
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Ph (02) 6752 1640; Fax (02) 6752 5070
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Email: ptaylor@smk.com.au
GOONDIWINDI
9 Pratten St, PO Box 422, Goondiwindi Qld 4390
Ph (07) 4671 2445; Fax (07) 4671 2561
Contact Ralph Kinsella, Mike Henderson
Email: qld@smk.com.au
2 — The Australian Cottongrower October–November 2012