Conservation tillage is important in reducing wind and water erosion as well as reducing soil compaction due to tillage operations. Loss of soil moisture which evaporates with each tillage operation is reduced with conservation tillage when a crop residue mulch is retained on the soil surface. This study compared the use of a moldboard plow system with either a rotary mower plus a stalk puller or a flail shredder plus a stalk puller for effectiveness in controlling regrowth cotton and in reducing weed (especially volunteer cotton) and boll weevil populations. The use of a cotton stalk puller is a quick and efficient way to destroy cotton stalks and to leave boll weevil pupae or larvae and cotton seed within the top 2 cm of the soil surface where soil temperatures can reach 54° C or more. High soil temperatures combined with dry conditions can desiccate immature boll weevils and reduce the germination and establishment of volunteer cotton. Plowing the cotton stalk residue places the boll weevil larvae and pupae in a dark, generally moist environment which may be conducive for over-wintering in south Texas and northeastern Mexico. Using the stalk puller reduced fall seedling cotton populations in 2 of 3 years when compared with the moldboard plow system. Stalk puller treatments exposed weevil infested cotton squares and bolls to higher soil temperatures and lower soil moisture than did the moldboard tillage system.