Megan Woodward chats with CottonInfo Technical Lead and climate specialist Jon Welsh about why eastern cotton regions are starting dry, how El Niño events really behave behind the headlines, and what growers can do now to manage risk using history, not hysteria.

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Article by Dr Kim Reid mentioned: Why the phrase ‘Super El Niño’ makes Australian climate scientists roll their eyes.

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In early March, Extension Agronomist Eddie McGriff from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Dr Scott Graham, Extension Entomologist at Alabama's Auburn University, travelled to Australia to tour key cropping systems - with Australian cotton high on their list.

Joined by members of the CottonInfo team on Queensland's Darling Downs, the visit to local farms became a genuine two‑way exchange of ideas, from pest management to extension models and grower decision‑making.

Now back in the US, Eddie and Scott reflect on what they saw, what surprised them, and the insights both countries can take from each other.

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In this episode, Megan is joined by CottonInfo Technical Lead Sharna Holman, and state disease pathologists Dr Dinesh Kafle (QLD) and Dr Chi Nguyen (NSW) - who are both part of the Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration - to unpack what the 2025–26 cotton disease season has really been telling us across NSW and Queensland.

We chat about the big jump in disease samples coming in, what growers are seeing more (and less) of in the paddock, and a few emerging issues that are now on the radar.

The conversation also dives into why sending in samples still matters — even when you think you know the answer — plus some practical tips on how to collect and post samples so they’re actually useful.

A great listen for anyone wanting to stay ahead of cotton disease trends and make the most of the diagnostic support available.

For more information

Disease management | CottonInfo

Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration | UniSQ