Ultra narrow row cotton research in the Southeastern United States has been limited to demonstration work with farmers in Northern Alabama in the early 1980's and early 1990's. Farmer interest in row spacing less than 36 to 40 inches, has been limited in the Southeast. Only on the silty clay Limestone Valley soils in Northern Alabama has there been a wide adoption of 30 inch row technology. Farmers on the sandy Coastal Plain soils, which make up most of the Southeast, have shown limited interest in 30 inch technology. Reasons given include: inconsistent cotton yield increases with 30 inch rows, long cotton growing seasons, boll rot potential, and row compatibility with peanuts.

Preliminary work has indicated the best fit for ultra-narrow row cotton in the Southeast is areas of north and central Alabama and north Georgia which have shorter growing seasons and heavier textured soils. The sandy Coastal Plain soils will need additional research to make ultra-narrow cotton production successful. The development of new cotton strippers should increase farmer and research interest in ultra narrow row cotton in the Southeast.