Lint yields have steadily increased since 1975 because of plant breeding programs which had as their major objective increased lint production. Yield differences between obsolete and current cultivars as indicated by tests conducted in California, Mississippi, and South Carolina illustrate genetic advances in yield of about 1%/year. New cultivars replace old cultivars because of higher yield and earlier maturity. New cotton cultivars are earlier maturing than their replacements in most cotton growing regions. Genetic advances have also been made in the area of host-plant-resistance. The good news is that germplasm currently available increases the probability of developing even higher yielding cultivars with resistance to insects, other plant pests, and higher fiber strength.