In 1995, some cotton cultivars exhibited symptoms of a sudden wilt complex on a wide scale across the Midsouth cotton producing area. This complex was termed "bronze wilt" or "copper top" by producers and publicized in the popular farm press. Some cultivars were found to be more susceptible or exhibited more damage than others and it appeared that the short-season cultivars, that fruit early, were more susceptible to the complex. In 1998, the "bronze wilt complex" (BWC) was again observed throughout the Midsouth and was observed in cultivars that were not thought originally to be susceptible. The 1998 and 1999 Mississippi Cotton Variety Trials were rated for susceptibility to BWC. Ratings of the susceptibility were taken at multiple locations across the state. The results indicated that cultivars from several seed companies were susceptible.