Properly used, harvest aids enable growers to preserve and capture the yield and fiber quality potential of their cotton crops. Factors that influence the selection of the most appropriate harvest aid program in the Southwest include the production region in which the crop is being grown, the crop yield potential, and the method that will be used to harvest the crop (spindle pickers or strippers). Defoliation prior to harvest is expected to improve harvest efficiency and reduce leaf content and staining of lint. Good desiccation is the primary requirement for stripper harvesting, although defoliation and boll opening prior to desiccation should improve grades and hasten the opening of mature bolls.