Cotton production systems are commonly oriented toward yield, which is recognized as a major ingredient of profitability. Lint quality is also a very important crop characteristic, and has been an increasingly important issue considering the following factors: textile mill requirements for fiber quality, the use of high volume instrument (HVI) testing, the occurrence of discounts due to unfavorable fiber characteristics, and depressed cotton markets. Arizona has traditionally enjoyed a reputation for the production of very high quality cotton fiber. However, in recent years, many Arizona farmers have expressed concerns over price discounts resulting from certain fiber characteristics such as micronaire (mike). High mike and inadequate staple length have emerged as fiber quality issues in some sectors with the 1999 crop.