Bronze wilt (BW) is a disorder of cotton characterized by bronze discoloration and wilting of leaves. Symptoms may progress to shedding of fruit, but the extent of fruit loss relative to the time of BW appearance has not been documented. Because BW is also associated with damage to the secondary root system, soil nutrient availability may affect the appearance of symptoms. Our objectives were to quantify differences in fruit retention and other responses relative to BW appearance, and to determine if soil fertility and tillage affected BW appearance. The study was superimposed on plots used for soil fertility research at Ames Plantation and Jackson TN. Treatments at Ames included N and K rates as well as tillage. Treatments at Jackson included N, P, and K fertilizer rates. Plots of Paymaster PM 1218 BG/RR were monitored weekly for the progression of symptoms to include reddening of upper canopy and fruit shedding, and plants reaching this stage of symptoms were flagged each week. A few BW plants appeared each week between early and late bloom, but incidence remained very low at both locations. Prior to harvest, pairs of flagged and adjacent normal plants were mapped for height, fruiting-branch number, and first-position boll retention. Neither fertility nor tillage treatments affected BW incidence or severity. Plants in which BW symptoms appeared early were shorter in height, had fewer fruiting branches and lower fruit retention than adjacent normal plants. These responses were affected the most when symptoms appeared at early bloom, and less when symptoms appeared later. The extent of fruit loss ranged from 90% in plants developing symptoms at early bloom, to ~20 to 30% at late bloom. While total incidence of BW was insufficient to affect yields of overall populations, yield of individual plants were likely reduced by fruit loss.