A three year field study (1994-1996) in North Alabama compared cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth and yields in two no-tillage systems with conventional tillage. Many farmers in this region have observed lower cotton yields in fields that have been no-tilled two or more consecutive years. These lower cotton yields may be due to increased soil compaction or herbicide build-up on these heavier soils. The soil type was a Decatur silt loam (Rhodic Paleudult) which is the major soil type for this area. Row spacing, preemergence and postemergence herbicide programs and a no-till cultivator were evaluated for their usefulness in increasing cotton yields.