Effects of three different levels of soil water deficit on growth, development, lint yield, canopy interceptance of solar radiation and stomatal and non-stomatal limitations to leaf photosynthesis of field-grown cotton were investigated. Cotton (cv. ST474) was planted on June 8, 1999 at the University of Georgia Plant Sciences Farm in Oconee County, GA. Rows were 96.5 cm apart, and seedlings were thinned to a perfect stand of six per m of row after emergence. Irrigation water was applied in 1.5-cm applications using a surface drip tape system with one tape per row. Normal agronomic practices for the region were otherwise followed. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, with four replications and three irrigation treatments. All three treatments were maintained water replete (no observed midday wilting of leaves) until 45 days after planting (DAP). After this date, treatment 1 (control) was maintained water replete, treatment 2 (mild stress) received irrigation half as frequently as treatment 1, and treatment 3 (severe stress) was rainfed only. Each plot consisted of six 18-m rows, and all plant development, growth analysis, canopy interceptance, leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence data were collected from the center two rows of each plot.