Obtaining timely, uniform stands is a major cultural problem that faces most cotton producers annually. Optimal stands of cotton for both production and harvesting efficiency vary from about 45 to 145 thousand plants/ha (Wilkes and Corley, 1968; Ray et al., 1959). Newly emerged stands typically meet or exceed this criteria but exposure of young seedlings to various adversities in the field often causes uneven thinning. A stand is usually considered adequate for near optimum lint production if it averages 5 or more healthy, evenly spaced plants per meter of row (Ray, 1975).

Lack of spacing uniformity, or skips, may reduce yields even though there is an adequate number of plants per acre. Heilman et al. (1976) showed that skips which reduced plant populations 25 and 40%, respectively in single-drilled cotton lowered lint yields 16.8 and 23.2%, respectively.

The purpose of this study was to establish the magnitude of yield losses resulting from skips in stands that meet or exceed a minimal plant population of 64,000 plants/ha.