Glycoconjugate analysis is being used to monitor growth and development of cotton fibers. Environmental stress has been detected by glycoconjugate analysis. The present study was undertaken to compare several varieties under identical environmental conditions to assess varietal differences. Prior to this study developmental samples had only been obtained from two varieties grown on the same site. The differences in glycoconjugate analysis between several varieties grown on the same site indicate that significant varietal differences do not exist and the differences observed could have been due to differences in soil characteristics within the field. In this study glycoconjugate analysis documented the drought stress to which the plants were subjected and the delayed recovery following irrigation. Recovery did not produce a normal distribution of glycoconjugates indicative of a sequence of cell wall synthetic events which is not resumed upon recovery.